When I had my recent pattern buying splurge, this is one of the patterns I bought (yeah, yeah, supposed to be stashbusting – I know, head hanging in shame).

And I chose to make it with fabric that I’ve had in my stash for nearly 30 years! This is the most divine cotton (or maybe even silk) – it is soft, silky and I wish we had tactile networking so that you could all have a feel.

I am so pleased to have made up this fabric. Whenever I thought about using it I have either had too much (and couldn’t bear to waste a scrap), or too little. For this pattern the amount was just right (hence the title of this post)! This pattern also fits the March theme of seasonal change in the Stashbusting Sewalong – my first time on theme in March.

Can you see all the pintucks? They really do give it the shirt a tailored look.

As usual I’m a bit rumpled from work… I realise that the shirt is possibly a tad big in the waist and hip, but I don’t feel that it is too big when I’m wearing it.

Please note my really cute buttons – I stashbusted them too! They are vintage buttons from Buttonmania in Melbourne. This photo is supposed to show the assorted pintucks on this shirt.

I love the fabric so much that I French seamed it all – the inside is really as nice as the outside!

A jobbing sewist’s review of Butterick 6026

(I’m changing my review format by ditching the headings)

This is a fairly fitted button up shirt with interesting pintuck detail at the front waist and shoulders and on the sleeve cuffs. It can be made with or without the sleeves.

The pintucks are easy to do – just use a pintuck, topstitch or blind hemming foot. The collar is on a collar stand, and you could just make the shirt with a mandarin collar easily. I would like to pintuck the collar too – this might be a modification for next time.

I also am thinking about extending the length of the sleeve for autumn/winter, and making the “cuff” (what does one call the end of the sleeve?) more fitted.

Another future modification is to use different coloured thread for the pintucks, possibly a variegated thread, or multiple colours on plain coloured fabric.

The pattern was easy to make, especially if you have made shirts before. I do note on Katherine Tilton’s blog that there is an error in the pattern instructions, but I didn’t notice because I was doing my own thing! http://thetiltonstudios.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/butterick-6026-6028-contemporized.html

The details:

Pattern is Butterick 6026

Fabric is so old that I don’t know where I bought it, buttons are vintage from Buttonmania in Melbourne.

Pants are StyleArc Elle

Shoes are Letizia from Letizia in Claremont