Well, I’ve done it.  Completed my absolute proudest sew to date. If you, as I was so recently, did not realize how detail heavy a man’s button up shirt is, then come along with me. I’ve got something to show you.

I sewed the Fairfield Shirt by Thread Theory. It’s a beautifully written and drafted pattern, if only evidenced by the fact that I was successful. It is certainly not simple. I made this up in some cotton shirting from Joann’s for my brother, Judge. I cut a straight XS and added an inch of length to the sleeves and the body.

The details really make this special. I found the perfect shade of blue buttons. I cut the stripes horizontally for the pockets, cuffs, collar, and yoke. It’s hard to see, but I even managed to get the little stitch detail right on the pocket!

The real stunner for me is the sleeve placket. It’s a traditional tower placket which was very intimidating. But I watched a bunch of youtube videos and went really slowly. I think they came out nicely.

I’ll be honest, this was both very stressful and very enjoyable. It took me about 3 hours to cut the fabric and around 10 hours to sew the shirt. I made the whole thing in a weekend. Nearly all of the techniques were new to me, so there was a lot of research and video watching. The tag from Kylie and the Machine is no joke, there were definitely some choice words on that stand collar.

Judge tried it on and liked it, but we agreed that he could use a bit more ease in the chest and a bit more length in the sleeve. So, minor adjustments for his next one, but this go was certainly wearable. I’ve got some great fabrics lined up – I definitely plan to make more. This project was just so satisfying.

Happy {shirt} making!