She Sews Sea Shells

Starting a project begins with different elements. Sometimes the fabric speaks to you, sometimes the need for a new shirt, jeans, jacket starts the desire. Whatever the impulse the design and fabric need to marry up at the planning stage.

I've had this fabric in my stash for a while now and I suddenly got the urge to make a shirt or blouse with it. It has a lovely soft handle but not too silky and behaves well at the sewing machine. It is black with randomly spaced turquoise sea shells.

I bought some very pretty buttons at a closing down sale recently but I didn't have enough for a front opening plus cuffs so my design started with a hidden button placket at centre front.

I love making the SFD inspired pleats at the shoulders and I had plenty of fabric to do this so that settled the next design feature. 

I drafted the pattern using Glenda's instructions from her Sew Sensational Shirts book [Page 19]

Now I have enough buttons to put three on each cuff as well as the one at the neck so my third design feature was to draft a much longer cuff than usual and again the idea came from the SFD Dress Kit instruction Book [Page 26] although I opted for buttonholes rather than the loops described in the book.

Hidden button placket

Side pleats

Close up of sleeve detail

The end result is a very useful and comfortable shirt that I am very happy with and I know I'll wear a lot.