Laura’s Atelier Shirt
It has felt like we have been in the deepest depths of winter for a gazillion years, but we are finally starting to see the slightest hint of sunshine over in the UK. I have been so longing to feel a bit of warmth on my bones!
I absolutely adore the design of this fabric. I feel like it gives Hawaiian shirt meets cottage core.
This beautiful Pigeon Wishes cotton is absolutely perfect for a crisp shirt. Typical “men’s” style shirts have been very popular recently and this is a trend I definitely want to jump on.
When deciding on my perfect shirt pattern, there are a plethora of options, and it is often easy to get overwhelmed and go with whatever is currently popular. Whilst they are probably popular for a reason, it is important to think objectively and what works for you.
A prime example in my case was the hype around the new Closet Core Jenna shirt. Whilst I love the design of it, I felt like it wasn’t 100% my vibe. I am all for an oversized fit, but looking at the model pics, as beautiful as they are, it felt like this was too oversized for what I was after.
As of late, I have been trying to be much more considered in the things I am making and a big part of this is versatility; how can I wear this in different ways to maximise its rotation in my everyday wardrobe.
I felt that with the size and fit of the Jenna shirt, I could only really see myself wearing this as a layering piece, so I decided it wasn’t for me. On my scout for the perfect pattern, I decided on the Atelier Shirt from The Maker’s Atelier.
It is described as “an updated classic”. It has three back variations that each lend a completely different feel. I decided to go with the straight back, along with the straight sleeves and full sleeve placket.
This is my first time making something from The Maker’s Atelier and I have some thoughts.
If this is your first foray into shirt-making, you may find the instructions a little sparse. They assume a fair bit of knowledge, for example, they don’t instruct you to finish seams, and which interfaced side of the collar pieces to be put on the inside/outside.
That being said, if you have a few garments under your belt, you will absolutely sail through. I made the whole shirt in less than an afternoon. For me, the instructions were perfectly precise and didn’t over-explain any step. The construction of the collar was my favourite. You get a wonderfully neat finish and was so easy.
Same with the sleeve plackets. They are the easiest I have experienced, and I love how neat they came out. There is also a secondary simple option with bias binding.
My only gripe is with the front button placket. Firstly, the instructions do not advise you to add any interfacing which I think is crucial here to add stability for the weight of the buttons and buttonholes, so I decided to add a strip here. And probably in-keeping with a classic shirt design, the placket is folded to the front, however this will mean that your wrong side of the fabric will be on show. I ignored this and folded to the back.
For the finishing touches, I added some fun details to accentuate the fruity theme. I added these super cute strawberry buttons to the cuffs and this Lemon Patch label that I found in my stash.
I know this will be a firm staple in my wardrobe. On its first outing I got so many compliments!