If you’ve been reading sewing blogs for a while, you know that when you’re looking for the perfect shirt – as in: elegant, yet not too stiff, comfortable, but not oversize, as if you had borrowed it from menswear, on sewing pattern seems to rule them all: the Archer button-down, by Grainline Studio.
From my over-planning tendancies…
I had purchased the pdf version a while ago, convinced by the numerous versions I had seen online. Since this shirt fitted very well within my dream of a “grown up, functional wardrobe”, and since I’m definitely more about planning than execution, I immediatly planned no less than 9 different versions in my to-do list… then forgot about it for a year.
… to an unplanned project
When a pattern has been sewn multiple times by everyone, people tend to write great, detailed reviews! Thanks to Camille’s post, I understood that Archer might not be the perfect shirt pattern for me, after all: the lack of darts is rarely flattering on my body shape. Yet, this could be all right for a plaid
Project notes
Following Camille’s feedback, I lengthened both the bodice and the sleeves by 3 cm: I’m very pleased with the new length, which suits my humble meter 68, especially as I tend to wear this shirt over long-sleeves t-shirt. I’ve already sewn many shirts, so I didn’t pay too much attention to Grainline Studio’s sew-along, but it seemed very well-made. I replaced the sleeve packets by my usual plackets, which I prefer. After hesitating a little bit, I did my usual alteration on shirts and bodices and shaved 1,5 cm off both shoulders. The shape is still boxy, so I look like I borrowed my shirt from a woodcutter – albeit a rather metrosexual one, who likes his shirts fitted.
Final thoughts
I’m fairly pleased with this project: If I hadn’t had the pattern in my stash, and read Camille’s review (nor if I weren’t a bit jealous of the many flannel shirts you can find in my office comes winter), I would never have made it, but it makes my winter wardrobe slightly cooler! I like the deep shade of green and the streak of yellow of the flannel as well. Yet, everybody’s favorite shirt is not my favorite shirt, and I don’t think I’ll sew this pattern again. And here, my quest goes on!
The sun-bathed photographs are by my dear friend Noctvrna. She also photographs beautiful landscapes –
