Completed Project: Simplicity 5366 – Men’s Shirt

Hola!  I am pleased to be able to share with you my first completed sewing project of 2013 – a shirt for my husband using Simplicity 5366:

Image courtesy of Pattern Review

What drew me to this pattern was the option to make a Western style shirt with a contrasting yoke, and despite cutting the contrast yoke, in the end I discarded it and made the plainest view of the pattern.  I used a very soft 100% cotton.

You can’t tell on the pattern envelope, but the contrast yoke for the Western style shirt is actually sewn on top of the main body of the shirt, and is left open at the yoke bottom, and hangs over the pockets!  Those three ‘design features’ seem a bit stupid to me.  If and when I reuse this pattern, I will be altering it.  I will also need to make a size smaller for my super-trim husband.  Of course I chose the size that corresponded to his measurements but the style of the shirt is quite loose and he is used to wearing more tailored, fitted shirts.

I’ve made three Colette Negroni shirts for him before, and sewn a couple of pajama shirts too, all of which had a ‘camp collar’ – i.e. a one-piece collar without a collar band, which is usually worn open at the top (although the Negroni can be fastened at the top with a loop and button closure).  I HATED attaching these collars.  This shirt, however, is made with a traditional point collar, and I was surprised (and relieved) to find it so much easier to sew than a camp collar.  In future this is the way to go for me – I shall be avoiding camp collars wherever possible!

The traditional collar also means that the shirt front has a button placket rather than a facing.  I found this preferable to sew and I prefer the look of it.  The thing I really didn’t bother with when making this shirt was matching up the fabric.  It was just too much effort, and I’m using the fact that I am 40 weeks pregnant as an excuse, because, well, that’s just an excuse for everything right now!

Mismatch!

The perfect shirt for my husband would be a cross between the Negroni and Simplicity 5366.  The instructions for finishing the Negroni are wonderful – you end up with a nicely shaped, professionally-finished shirt with flat-fell seams.  I overlocked the shoulder seams and side seams of this shirt, which is fine, but not quite as pleasing on the eye.

I am a little disappointed with this shirt, to be honest, because it is such a loose fit.  Also I got my left and right mixed up and put the buttons and button holes on the wrong sides so it fastens ‘the woman’s way’ – whoops!  I might get round to remaking it, one day, in a smaller size with a contrast yoke, or I might search out a new pattern for next time.

A silly expression but the shirt looks nice under a jumper!