I didn’t set out to channel Jeanie Bueller, but as I was working away on my top Ferris Bueller’s Day Off came on tv and my husband called to me, “That’s just like your shirt!”

And it kinda is.

I bought this fabric along with another selection with the intent of making myself some collared shirts for the office. It can be so hard to find ready-t0-wear button up blouses that fit my bust, let alone ones that are also in a fun print!

This is my first collared shirt and, I gotta say, I’m pretty impressed with myself for making such a wearable muslin. I used the Sewaholic Granville pattern and the instructions were pretty clear and easy to follow. With the exception, that is, of the cuffs.

As I was inserting the sleeves into the cuff pieces, on both sides I ended up with too much sleeve fabric compared to cuff, as though there should have been a pleat. But the pattern didn’t call for a pleat. I’m not quite sure what I did. Did I somehow sew the sleeve placket incorrectly? Was there supposed to be a pleat and I was just missing it? Anyway, I ended up just adding a pleat. Done and done.

I was particularly afraid of the collar, but I didn’t need to be. Turns out, it’s not so bad! A little rough perhaps on the collar stand, but not at all bad for a first go.

The thing I was most impressed with, however, was the button placket.

Oooooooooh! Aaaaaaaaah! Have you ever seen such straight and even top-stitching? Such perfectly spaced buttons? Such just-the-right-size button holes?

My main error in stitching up this pattern, I think, is in the sizing. My bust is usually one size larger than my waist, which is usually one size large then my hips, when selecting pattern sizes. Instead of doing a proper full bust adjustment, I just graded this pattern accordingly.

It’s not terrible, but it left me with more room in the back than I need and larger (and longer!) sleeves than I need.

The Granville pattern also flares out a lot in the hips, much more than I need it too. I think that in my next iteration I will cut even more fabric out of the hips and, for this top, I am still considering darts. While a looser or boxier shirt can be flattering on many people, for me it often just makes me look like a giant cylinder. As though my whole body is the same circumference as my bust. Next time I sew this, doing the full bust adjustment instead of grading might also help.

My last couple projects (I’ve been sewing, just not blogging), have been a little more complicated lately. This shirt was fun, but it also made me realize that I have different sewing moods. Sometimes I want a technical sew. Something that requires precision or teaches me a new technique. But, more often than not, I just want to sew! Whipping up a new t-shirt can bring me just as much satisfaction if I’m in the mood for it.

Lately, I’ve been delighting in the repetitive cutting and sewing of a simple quilt….