Having had to concentrate so hard while making my nieces dresses recently, I wanted to take it a bit easier with this make!

I’ve got a couple of short sleeved shirts for work, but decided I could do with another. It’s time to remake my version of Simplicity 8180.

I picked up this fabric a while back in C&H while visiting my parents. It was a good haul that day; I also got the butterfly fabric for MrA’s shirt and the giraffe fabric for mine.

Of course, the instructions were nowhere to be found, and I realised I hadn’t actually documented how it went together in the last post. So here goes!

(Check out the original shirt for how to alter the pattern)

First, I lined up the pocket pieces and stitched them on with a 1cm allowance. I pressed them up over the seams. (I could have actually done this much later, but I wasn’t thinking ahead).

As there’s no yoke, I got on with the shoulder seams. Then staystitched the neck (better late than never!)

I remembered to snip and fold the seam allowance between the dots on the upper collar. I also cut 2cm off the outside edge to shorten it a bit. Stitched round the outside edge and snipped the corners.

To turn the collar, I ironed the seams over to the under collar, then used a point turner to get them looking sharp.

Once the collar is turned and topstitched, pin it to the neck edge, matching the notches at the back. Snip into the neckline to make it easier to pin.

Pin just the under collar at the folded section, pin the whole collar from the shoulder seams to the ends.

Finish the top and the curved edges of the facings… (#rainbowseams optional!)

Then pin the facings to the neckline, matching the corners and pinning round to the shoulder seam.

Sew all the way along, being careful not to catch the folded edge of the upper collar when you get to it. Then sew the front edges of the facings too.

To finish the collar, snip the seam allowance so that you can poke it up into the collar. I snip it at an angle so that the raw, untucked edges stay well behind the facings.

I remember that the instructions wanted me to handstitch this bit down, but I catch it from the other side, in-the-ditch instead.

Press the facings and the collar and edgestitch up the front, around the neck and down the other side. I didn’t use the button loop this time, I went for three buttonholes instead.

Pin the fronts together then pin the bottom section of the front onto it. My pockets are already attached, but this is where I’ll do them next time! Finish the section of seam where the pocket is attached now, it’s hard to get to later… ask me how I know!

Sew along, around the pocket, finishing at the other side. Finish this seam and press it downwards.

I prepared the sleeves by folding twice to the wrong side, then sewing on the wrong side. Flip this down and you’ve got a nice mock-turn-up. I also ‘ease-stitch-plus-sed‘ the tops of each sleeve before pinning into the shirt.

The sleeves are sewn in flat. Seams finished and stitched up, away from the sleeve. Then sew up the sides. I stopped about 5cm from the end so I could make slits. I finished the seams together from the cuff to the end of the stitching. When the cuffs are finished already like this, I fold the corners in at the edge of the seams before I start overlocking. This makes sure that the seams are tucked inside where they belong. I just need to find my big needle to feed the thread ends back through…

Then I snip the allowance and finish the bottom bits separately. (… I fixed that wonky pressing before I sewed it too!)

I double turned the hems and stitched all the way around, switching to a bar-tack over the top of the slits.

Then I just had to put 3 buttons on and it’s done!

I find Simplicity patterns can often be a bit roomy, that makes this perfect for a conversion into what is essentially a woven polo shirt (for want of a better name!) it pulls on over my head easily, but isn’t too big once it’s on.

It’s turned out a little more flamboyant than I imagined but I’m cool with that! I think the print and cut give a nod to Hawaiian shirt styles – which I love, but never wear… so I’m pushing my wardrobe boundaries here!

I wanted to find a nice flowery background to get a photo of this shirt, but this bush was about the best I could muster in the neighbourhood!

Happy Sewing!

Notes to self;

  • It’s summer… wear more colour!
  • Taper the sleeves a bit more on the next one.
  • Probably shorten them too as I think I prefer the length rolled up.