Skip to main content

Made By A Fabricista: Liberty of London Boxy Shirt

This post is the start of my third year as a collaborator in this blog! And I still get some stage fright every time I choose a project, cut into the fabric, stitch, and unstitch… But I am grateful - and still, a little bit shocked - to be part of such a creative cohort of Fabricistas with much more experienced sewists than me! This project reminded me of what a great opportunity this is to grow and keep learning.

Like all sewists, I have known Liberty of London fabrics for years. These luxury and designer fabrics are classic! But their hefty price tag and refined aura were too intimidating for me to use them. Nevertheless, on a Sunday morning in January, a Liberty of London sale on Fabric Mart made me dare to push my boundaries. I could have chosen one of the iconic floral prints the brand is known for, but this bold and colorful pattern instantly caught my eye. Its design combines all kinds of abstract leaves, stripes, and warm, popping colors. It is an “Autumn Fall” design, but I see it fit for any season!

Its texture is just as described on the Fabric Mart website: “Fine. Smooth Finish. Soft Drape.”  It is so light that when it arrived in the mail, I could hardly believe that thin envelope contained almost two yards of fabric! I even went back to the website to double-check its composition because I couldn’t believe that a 100% cotton fabric could be this thin and soft, almost like a rayon. 


This was also a rare occasion for me to sew a garment with a woven fabric. I am used to sewing knits, which are much more forgiving, so I was afraid to tackle a project that required too much precision. Also, my sewing sessions have gotten harder to fit into my days as a first-time mom. I have to get much more done in less time, which can lead to mistakes. So the boxy Florence shirt by Jalie looked like an excellent option for me since it has few pieces and a boxy structure that guarantees a good fit.

Just like other Jalie patterns, this one has detailed and easy-to-follow instructions. It includes two versions: a shirt and a shirtdress with cut-in sleeves and a band collar that is surprisingly simple to make. Getting the pieces cut and ready to sew took longer than assembling the shirt. I first positioned my pattern on the fabric just as in the instructions (see pictures) but ended up putting it in such a way – not pictured - that I had some remnants to make a mini self-drafted shirt for my daughter! 

Just a few words about my daughter’s outfit. It fits like a dress at the moment because I made it large enough for her to wear as a shirt later. I took a 12-18 months t-shirt to draft a pattern. It is not noticeable in the pictures, but I put a couple of buttons on the shoulder to pass the head. This thin, soft cotton fabric is perfect for baby clothes too!

Back to the Florence shirt for some last details. Although there were no directions to finish the seams, I used a serger to avoid fraying in the shirt’s shoulders, sides, and back. I had never made a button-down, and I suspect the buttons are not exactly evenly spaced, but let’s say it is a good first try! I will probably end up using it open over a cami anyways. Last but not least, I chose a bright yellow thread to sew it all. Many other options would look good with this fabric, but yellow is always my go-to when possible. 

All in all, I am glad to have my first Liberty of London piece! I hope I did it justice. I love my new shirt and will proudly wear it, knowing that my baby will become the center of attention anytime, anyways! 

INES  @bynunis


Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: LUXURY BRITISH BRAND, COTTON, & LAWN.

Comments

  1. Love it!!! What a great team!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is beautiful! I love how you've made a mini me version too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very pretty and I love that you made your little one a matching piece!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Both tops look fabulous!! I use to make thing big for my daughter so she could wear it all longer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You , your baby , and your shirts are cute as can be !

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely shirt and I know just how soft it is. It's just perfect for your daughter.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: FROM FABRIC TO FASHION: - The Saguaro Set with Fabric Mart Fabric

The weather in Southwest Florida is finally starting to warm up.  With the warm air and bright sunshine, I have been thinking about refreshing my “at home” wardrobe with some fun easy pieces this year.     I have wanted to make The Saguaro Set for some time now.   When I saw the beautiful selection of rayon challis on the Fabric Mart website, I knew now was the perfect time to get it started.   THE FABRIC I researched a lot to see which fabric would work the best for this pattern.   I chose the Deep Amaranth Pink 100% Rayon Twill Challis for my project.    It is a beautiful color that to me looks more coral. The fabric is light to medium weight and has beautiful drape.  The care instructions said gentle wash or hand wash.   I prewashed the fabric in cold water on the delicate cycle.  However, after drying it on the delicate cycle, the fabric had an almost vintage distressed look.   I was a bit co...

Made By A Fabricista: Revisiting a Pattern After Five Years

Have you ever used a sewing pattern and then immediately vowed never to sew it again? Well, I have. It all began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown. I tackled sewing projects that were more challenging to help me grow as a seamstress. There was one pattern in particular that almost did me in, the Seamwork Penny shirt dress. The Penny dress pattern has a classic button-up dress shirt style bodice with a gathered skirt and pockets. It is a beautiful take on a shirt dress, and my sister and I loved it. The only downside is that it was recommended for intermediate-level sewists and I was only an adventurous beginner back then.  I think I had only ever made one button-up shirt before attempting this Penny Dress and it didn’t even have a collar! Despite all of this, I thought “Why not try it, what’s the worst that can happen?”  Thankfully the worst didn’t happen, and the dress turned out surprisingly wearable, but I had some intense frustration at the end. I...

Made By A Fabricista: A Simple Frock for Spring

Hello friends! I’m really into sewing and wearing tent dresses at the moment. A tent dress is basically a wide A-line style gown. For this month’s project, I’ve opted to try out The Assembly Line’s Square Neck Dress. This style is a little avant-garde in its enormity and shape, and boasts the squared neckline it’s named after, plus some cute hem side slits.  All that volume is fun to move around in, plus there’s loads of air circulation which is cooling. This dress’s main feature–its wide and high squared neckline–really piqued my interest recently, and I added it to my Make Nine plans for 2025. I find it so satisfying to check off those boxes as I sew!  This beautiful shirtweight linen is a color I simply adore; a muted medium blue. Stormy skies, worn-in denim, and ocean waves all come to mind, and that is exactly what I want to be all wrapped up in. While I think a wild or large print would be amazingly on display in this big canvas of a dress, I also thought that a subtle ...