Tim's Birthday shirt 2015

It's been a couple months between posts. I haven't been sewing much and when I have been sewing I haven't felt like blogging. I've really enjoyed a break for Instagram, blog reading and my sewing-related social networking. But, with the weather warming up, I'm getting ready for some spring/summer sewing. In the meantime, some catch up posts with average (at best!) photos.

In August last year I made my first men's shirt for Tim's birthday; a Colette Patterns Negroni shirt. I made him another for his birthday this year, which marked the fifth shirt made in the last 12 months. All of his shirts are in high rotation and I love rushing out of the house each work morning realising we're both wearing clothes I've made us.

I bought this blue and white small gingham cotton shirting from Tessuti earlier in the year. I love the italian cotton shirting Tessuti have been stocking and look forward to buying more when they receive more stock. The fabric is soft with a slight sheen and it presses really well. For the contrasting sleeve plackets, under collar, and inner collar band I used salvageable fabric from one of Tim's worn out shirts. I also reused all the buttons of the old shirt.

Why yes, that is my finger at the bottom of the photo...

I was hoping to make a long sleeved version of the Simplicity 1544 I'd made Tim this summer, which has a nice traditional collar and button placket. However, Tim prefers the fit through the body of the Negroni shirt, which means I have to stick with my Negroni Archer Shirt pattern mash up to get all the shirt features his likes. For details on mash up process see my previous posts: 1, 2.

Before I attached the buttons

I didn't do anything differently this time around. I double interfaced the collar to make it extra crisp. I overlocked the edges and sewed the S/A to one side to create faux flat fell seams. for some reason this verson seems a little tighter around Tims under arms, but it doesn't bother him.  The one main difference with this shirt is the amazing fabric which, I think, makes it look much more professional.

Tim loves his new shirt and wore it the day of his birthday. We started the day off well, filling our bellies with with nutella french brioche before heading off to work. Delicious!