Made by a Fabricista: My Ditsy Daisy Button Up

I wasn't sure if I should have entitled this post "My J. Crew Knock-off" since I drew heavily from the idea of this adorable J. Crew button up in a daisy Liberty of London print. When I spotted this very similar shirting fabric from Fabric Mart I knew I needed a daisy button up of my own!

Classic button ups are one of my favorite go-to-work items since I can roll the sleeves down if the A/C is frigid indoors and roll them up when I am out in the field. For the pattern I used McCalls 6436 which is a classic button up with almost every imaginable pattern piece for a traditional button up with the exception of the sleeve placket and back yoke. That is to say, there is a lot of cutting out of pattern pieces in this process. The pattern also includes bust darts and back darts which give it a bit more shaping than other button up's I've sewn.

This is my "I push my sleeves up like a J. Crew model" pose!

I knew I would want to roll up the sleeves of this top and wanted the seam finishes to look decent so I used this method. This finish encapsulates the raw edges in each respective seam allowance. I've used this method before and am partial to it. I know how to do hong kong seams, flat felled, serged and french seams but I just prefer this method- mostly because there is less fiddly cutting away of tiny strips of fabric which clutters my floor and is tedious.

When making this shirt I wasn't entirely sure what work clothes it would coordinate with so when it was complete I had fun pairing it up with this skirt. This has been an orphan skirt in my closet for a while so I am glad its finally found its mate! It also pairs well with a pair of persimmon slacks. The little centers of each flower have a shade of pink that is somewhere between pink and red.....persimmon!

If you are interested in making your own button up I recommend the sew-along tutorials from Grainline Studio for the Archer button up. Most of the techniques you need are covered there and can help you when you are trying to decipher the process.

As far as patterns there are so many button up patterns that it can be hard to choose. So here are a few suggestions:
Grainline Archer- a looser fitting button up
Butterick 5526- I've made this one previously and had a good outcome
McCall 6124- nice princess seams on this one
Simplicity 1538- I like the contrasting fabric suggestions on this one
Sewaholic Granville- this was a "Best Pattern of the Year" at Pattern Review

I draw a measure of satisfaction from making a knock off item with my own two hands. The creative process of making a garment has almost completely eclipsed the satisfaction I once felt when buying a similar item at a store. Its this feeling that brings me back to my cutting and sewing tables again and again.

Thanks for reading, and happy sewing!

Elizabeth

I Sew, You Sew

Made By A Fabricista: Date Night looks for Valentine's Day

Happy New Year! I am excited to be back blogging in 2023 with Fabric Mart. Over the past few weeks, I spent quite some time reflecting on what truly brings me joy and a personalized form of self-care. Sewing was on the top of the list and I truly enjoy making my own clothing. During the winter break, I wanted to create some basic looks that I can jazz up for a wedding or rock on date night. When I read Johanna’s blogpost and came across the Vogue 1835 pattern that she made last month, I saw endless possibilities with the pattern. I knew it was perfect to hack to make a mini, midi or maxi dress and a staple pattern to have. My original plan with the lycra foil printed knit ( here ) fabric was to make a formal infinity wrap dress that I saw on instagram. I will be attending a formal event later this month and felt it was perfect. Knowing that I would only wear the infinity wrap dress once or twice per year, I decided to make separates that I can dress up or down and maximize the w

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Toward Spring

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Made by a Fabricista: YouTube Edition | Marty - Let's Make Some Activewear!

Do you ever see a fabric, and it reminds you of a fabric in your stash, so you just have to combine the two and like... annoy the world? Now I'm not saying that these colors are horrible together, but I definitely feel like a high visibility vest while wearing them. The neon orange and hot pink are just that striking of a combination. And I still can't get over the pocket detail I did on the color-blocked pair. Along with everyone else I set a New Years goal to be more healthy. To improve my relationship with food, my body, and the world around me. And these leggings bring me so much joy. Not, go run a marathon in July joy. But maybe some Yoga and outdoor adventures in August kind of joy. From beginning to end, figuring out these legging patterns has been a lot of fun. Before this, it had been almost a decade since I had worked this seriously with knit, and I think I need to do more, to be honest. I apologize for the awkward photos. I just finished a cross-country move and am s

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