Made by a Fabricista: Know Me Pattern ME2052, An Oversized Button Front Shirt

Hello friends,

I’m Byrd, and today I’m excited to share my latest Fabricista project with you—an oversized button-front shirt made from the Know Me Pattern ME2052, sewn using a gorgeous 100% Tencel sand-washed challis from Fabric Mart called “Chalkboard Black.”

This shirt has quickly become one of my go-to wardrobe staples for fall, thanks to its versatility and classic design. One of my favorite things about this oversized shirt is its versatility, especially as we transition into cooler weather. In the first photo, I’ve paired the shirt with wide-leg pants, which I think is perfect for fall. I used New Look 6271 for the pants. The loose, flowy fit of both the shirt and pants creates a relaxed but put-together outfit that I can wear just about anywhere. In the second photo, I’m wearing the shirt layered over a jumpsuit. This is such a fun way to wear it, turning it into a light jacket that adds a casual but stylish layer. Whether you’re wearing it as a standalone piece or as a layering piece, this shirt is a must-have.

Let’s talk about the fabric. The sand-washed Tencel challis is incredibly soft, with a luxurious drape that’s perfect for this oversized shirt. The first step in any sewing project is preparing your fabric, and this one is no different. I always recommend washing and drying your fabric before starting. This prevents shrinkage and ensures that the garment holds its shape over time. I machine-washed my fabric on a delicate cycle with cold water and tumble-dried it on low.

This project is intermediate to advanced due to the shirt’s construction details, including a collar with a stand, buttonholes, and double cuff sleeves. In the close-up photos, you’ll see the details that make this shirt stand out. The collar and placket are clean and structured, while the double cuff detail adds an extra touch of sophistication. These design elements might seem intimidating, but they’re worth the effort.

I cut a size 18/20, but I could have easily sized down. However, I really love the oversized look—it adds to the relaxed, effortless vibe of the shirt. For reference, my measurements are bust 42”, waist 40”, and hips 47”.

As the seasons change and the weather cools down, I find myself gravitating toward more detailed projects like this one. There’s something so satisfying about creating a garment that requires a bit more time and focus, especially when the end result is a timeless, versatile piece like this button-front shirt.

I’m so happy with how this shirt turned out, and I can’t wait to wear it all season long. The Tencel fabric from Fabric Mart is a dream to work with, and it gives the shirt that perfect balance of structure and flow. Stay tuned for more of my fall sewing projects—I’ve got plenty more planned!

Thank you Fabric Mart for the beautiful fabric!

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Thank you for reading!

Until next time, happy sewing,

BYRD | @yogabyrdsews

Made By A Fabricista: Liberty Snow Day

Hi everyone! While we’ve been blanketed with snow out here in Southeastern PA, I decided to conquer my fear of button holes and make NewLook pattern N6749. I was able to snag a few yards of the Jess + Jean print Liberty of London Tana Lawn for it. It’s always exciting when Fabric Mart is able to get Liberty fabrics in! I always make sure to grab some. Cutting into a beautiful piece of tana lawn is scary every time. The fabric is such good quality, I’m afraid to mess it up! I had to be extra careful as this is also the first directional pattern I’ve worked with. But one of my assistants made sure all of my pieces were laid correctly. Something I wanted to try out with this dress was finishing the inside seams using the overlock stitch on my domestic machine. Normally I would french seam, but it was nice to not have to worry about cutting seam allowance in half, sewing, trimming, flipping, and sewing again. Next time I would cut the seam allowance back before overlocking, but I thin...

Made By A Fabricista: Embracing Winter in Wool Boucle

As winter drags on, the cold weather is such a bummer to me and feeling uncomfortable and cold so often is rough. Meanwhile, I listened to a podcast all about how people in very northern countries deal better with the onset of dark, freezing winter with a radically different mindset of embracing the inevitable season by reframing the chill as refreshing and the opportunity to spend most time indoors as cozy. I can do that! I found a gorgeous, quintessential wool boucle suiting in black and white to make myself a luxurious outer layer while I’m outside attempting to embrace the sting of dry winter air… It’s kind of working. So classic, so chic! Wearing boucle is always an uptown move and I certainly do feel sophisticated in it. This black and white houndstooth combination feels especially Old Hollywood, and what a treat to make something with this! I sewed the Daphne Jacket from Vivian Shao Chen. There are no closures, and the shape is boxy and very easy to wear over multipl...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing + Running

It’s not every day that I get to mix two of my favorite hobbies. Especially when one hobby is sewing and the other is running. You can’t sew and run at the same time, but, you can go running in something that you sewed! With this realization, I embarked on my first hobby-merging adventure. We’ve had some frigid temperatures in Pennsylvania this winter. Since I’m an outside, stroller-pushing runner, I bundle up my son and myself before I hit the road. The temperature feels 20 degrees warmer for outside runners than the outside air. For the children being pushed in the stroller though, it feels about 20 degrees colder. With these differences in temperature for each of us, layering is the only thing that ensures that we both stay perfectly warm. My running wardrobe has been lacking a warm top layer. My son’s wardrobe would also benefit from having another warm layer, so I knew pullovers were what I should make. Inspired by a name-brand ¼ button-down fleece pullover I saw,...

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