New Shirt - Butterick 5218

I have a new shirt! Or rather new - I finished it two and a half weeks ago. But when most of my wardrobe is older than the kids I work with, a two-week-old shirt still, comparatively, has that new garment feel to it. You know the feeling, where you're still getting used to fitting it into your wardrobe line up and it still feels a little strange (yet wonderful!) when you put it on. And the other tops look a little dingy and out of date next to it. And your black skirt that works so well with it suddenly feels new as well.

It's a great feeling.

I don't want to do the copy-paste bit from my PR review since I figure you can just click here to see it if you want to and ignore the link if you don't want. The long and short - I actually used three sizes smaller than recommended and it's still a moderately big shirt so keep that in mind. Construction and drafting were both excellent and while the pattern needs some tweaks to look high-end RTW (a standard shirt hem with the curving side vents, cuffs on the sleeves), it's a great starter piece and easy enough for a first tailored shirt project. I really had a great time with all the (added) topstitching. It's just so instant-gratification that you've gotta love it.

This was my first time doing buttonholes so that was a good bit of anxiety right there. After all, you mess up on that front placket and suddenly you're in salvage mode to save the whole thing. After, of course, you've put at least ten hours into it. Pressure? Yeah. But my new little machine did a great job! After I fiddled with it, that is. It's got some strange quirks. But I'm not sure how to explain them so I won't. It just makes me wonder what it is about me that can't have a NORMAL machine for once? Oh well. Someday. :) Until then I should be able to stay nicely dressed with the machines I have!