Even though I've purchased a bunch of top patterns recently, I started making tops, specifically button down shirts using Butterick 5678.
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I'm starting this post with a photo of the unbuttoned shirt on Lulu because I am finally smaller than Lulu and it won't button on her! See I really wanted to do a review of the pattern now since I've already cut out another one. Also it will be next weekend, before I get pics of the shirt on me.
Some details ~
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Fabric is a blue cotton chambray recently purchased from Fabric Mart. The buttons are from the stash and I used a lightweight fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply.
I chose this pattern because it comes in cup sizes and has princess seams that start from the shoulders. I prefer princess seams from the shoulder line rather than the ones that start in the armhole. This one also has several lengths, different sleeve & collar views and pockets. Even though I won't use the pockets, again just a personal preference.
Pattern Alterations ~
This was an easy sew. Even with the alterations I made to the pattern pieces everything fit together perfectly. So I sewed it together using 5/8" seam allowances. However, the waistline was still a little tight. So I unpicked the side seams and stitched them at 3/8" from above the waist to just below it then top worked perfectly. The collar and collar stand went on painlessly, so painlessly that I highly recommend this pattern to anyone who has it in their collection.
A few pictures of the shirt details ~
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A few more construction details - my buttons are stitched on by doubling the thread and running it through Thread Heaven. I do this to strengthen the thread and so that I don't have to run the needle through the buttons so many times. Three passes with the doubled thread is usually enough and since I had to sew on 13 buttons I needed this to be quick.
My interior is serge finished although the pattern recommends french seams. I also turned the hemline up just once instead of the two times that the pattern suggests. This is my wearable muslin but it turned out so well with just a few corrections needed, which I've listed below, so that I'm moving ahead with the next version.
These are alterations I made to the pattern ~
The only downside is that the pattern has been discontinued but here are a few suggestions on current patterns that can be used.
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...as always more later!
I'm starting this post with a photo of the unbuttoned shirt on Lulu because I am finally smaller than Lulu and it won't button on her! See I really wanted to do a review of the pattern now since I've already cut out another one. Also it will be next weekend, before I get pics of the shirt on me.
Some details ~
The Pattern - Butterick 5678 - now discontinued
Fabric is a blue cotton chambray recently purchased from Fabric Mart. The buttons are from the stash and I used a lightweight fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply.
I chose this pattern because it comes in cup sizes and has princess seams that start from the shoulders. I prefer princess seams from the shoulder line rather than the ones that start in the armhole. This one also has several lengths, different sleeve & collar views and pockets. Even though I won't use the pockets, again just a personal preference.
Pattern Alterations ~
- I started with the C cup pattern pieces.
- Then I added space from under the bust curve down.
- Starting with 1/8" increase out to 5/8" at the waist to the hemline.
- I made this adjustment on both sides of ALL of the pattern pieces except the front piece.
- There I only made the addition to the side of the piece and not the facing on the front.
- The sleeve alterations were discussed in this post.
This was an easy sew. Even with the alterations I made to the pattern pieces everything fit together perfectly. So I sewed it together using 5/8" seam allowances. However, the waistline was still a little tight. So I unpicked the side seams and stitched them at 3/8" from above the waist to just below it then top worked perfectly. The collar and collar stand went on painlessly, so painlessly that I highly recommend this pattern to anyone who has it in their collection.
A few pictures of the shirt details ~
Front of the shirt
The cuff with the additional pleat and the continuous lap
and lousy topstitching...*sigh*
When I sewed the cuffs to the sleeves, my cuffs came up a little short. To compensate I added another pleat to each sleeve. This worked really well. So well that I will be using the second pleat going forward. See I have thin wrists and normally the cuff is too big/floppy. These are perfect now.
Topstitched collar and front facing ~ better topstitching!
A few more construction details - my buttons are stitched on by doubling the thread and running it through Thread Heaven. I do this to strengthen the thread and so that I don't have to run the needle through the buttons so many times. Three passes with the doubled thread is usually enough and since I had to sew on 13 buttons I needed this to be quick.
My interior is serge finished although the pattern recommends french seams. I also turned the hemline up just once instead of the two times that the pattern suggests. This is my wearable muslin but it turned out so well with just a few corrections needed, which I've listed below, so that I'm moving ahead with the next version.
These are alterations I made to the pattern ~
- The shoulders are hanging off my shoulder blades by a half inch, so I corrected that on my pattern piece.
- I also shaved off 1/2" on my cuffs because they are a little too long for my liking.
- I added a smidge more to the front pattern pieces so that all the seams will be sewn at 5/8" per the pattern instructions.
The only downside is that the pattern has been discontinued but here are a few suggestions on current patterns that can be used.
...as always more later!