When I bought the Ottobre family edition magazine recently, I wanted to make all the things for Mark. I’ve already made the jacket, and now I’ve made him the shirt – the rather sweetly named “Four Fellows” shirt.
I made it from a gorgeous pure wool checked fabric that we bought in Hong Kong. Mark chose it because I managed to shrink his favourite wool shirt (now in my wardrobe), so promised him a replacement. Its first outing was for morning tea with some friends who have a holiday place near us, but I forgot to take any photos of Mark wearing it there, so these were taken back at our hideaway. 
I have always made Mark the Kwik Sew 3422 shirt, but have felt the need to update the style a bit, so when I saw this slightly more stylish shirt, I knew I wanted to make it for him. It is a little more fitted with darts in the back.
and there are various styles of pockets and cuffs. It also has the little triangle at the curve of the side seam, which I used to put in anyway. These chinos are next on the list for him.
I did the one piece cuff and the simple pocket with one corner cut off. Can you spot the side seam? I am rather pleased with the way it worked out.
Those pockets are exactly level but I managed to not get a photograph which showed this, the fronts may need a bit of a jiggle.
I did make a calico toile as I didn’t want to risk this fabric and I’m rather glad I did.
Of course Mark has deemed this shirt “too good” to be thrown away (or put into the new dog bed, which is what would have happened to it), so I added buttons and buttonholes and will watch with interest where he wears it – gardening I suspect! I may dye it with something interesting to make it look a bit less like a calico shirt. I think it’s too small, so for the final version I went up a size and lengthened the sleeves a bit. I was a bit concerned about matching the checks but they were actually a bit of a doddle. I got the first one lined up, activated the built-in walking foot on my machine and away I went. I didn’t even pin the seams. Of course, big checks are easier than small ones. 
I am in love with this particular magazine – my first foray into Ottobre (which I don’t know how to pronounce btw). The pattern was easy to trace and the Ottobre lab has tutorials on various elements should you need them. The instructions are sparse but totally sufficient, and I don’t think I did any unpicking, which is so unlike me. I’ve checked the shirt out with Tom and know what size and how many centimetres to add to the sleeve length (6cms!!) so I can now make him a few of these too.
A final shot of me wearing my “new” shirt out and about. I am enjoying it so much that Mark has accused me of deliberately shrinking it. Haha, um, maybe!
