Hello again, everyone. It’s Patsy here and this time I have a cute little shirt to share with you. If you’ve followed my own blog or have followed me on Instagram for any time at all, you will probably know that my favourite thing to sew is shirts. I love the details, the precision and the care involved in getting a shirt made. I like to take my time with them and I really enjoy working on the finishing. I generally don’t use my overlocker when I’m making shirts. Flat felling and French seams are my go-to finishing methods.
The shirt I chose to make for this blog post is the Willamette Shirt by Hey June Handmade. I’ve made this pattern once before and have wanted to make another ever since. I’m not sure why I hadn’t got around to it but I’m glad I finally have.
The shirt has 3 different views. I made view B, which features a lower part on the front and back of the shirt. Sort of like a skirt but not, if that makes sense. I know it doesn’t. 😆 Anyway, the Willamette is a popover dolman shirt, with a one-piece collar and faced plackets. The fit is nice and loose, which makes for a great boxy, casual look. It’s my dream lazy day shirt.
The fabric I chose is PERFECT for this pattern. It was the Joy Blue lightweight cotton, which unfortunately is almost sold out. However, Harriet has a tonne of other options available since this pattern is so versatile. You really can use all kinds of fabrics for it.
The one I picked is very lightweight, almost gauze like. It’s even a little bit sheer, but for me it’s perfect as I made this with our Easter holiday in mind. An airy fabric makes this a perfect summer top. But most lightweight fabrics will work for this. A more structured cotton will give it a boxier effect and a fabric with a little more drape will give you a more relaxed look.
I made my usual size 4 but I diverted a little from the instructions in a couple of places. The first was the finishing. I French seamed all my seams. I love this finish on lightweight fabrics. It looks clean and much more sophisticated than overlocking or zigzagging. I could wear my Willamette inside out and most people wouldn’t notice it.
I also decided to have a real, functional placket. The original pattern is technically a buttonless, popover shirt. The instructions have you sew both plackets to each other, so the shirt closes and then you have the option to add a button to the top, for the sake of modesty. But even that is just decorative… I know! It’s what dreams are made of. 🙌 However, I had the most perfect buttons for it, and I wanted to use them. So, I did the unthinkable and voluntarily added buttonholes where they weren’t needed. What can I say? I like to live on the edge.
Speaking of buttons, have you seen the new buttons you can get from Sew Me Sunshine?
I love the finished shirt and I am by no means done with this pattern yet. I can’t wait to wear it once the weather warms up a bit. And now I’m off to plan my next one in a gauzy fabric and mustard buttons… 
***As a member of the Sew Me Sunshine blogger team, the fabric for this project was sent to me free of charge. I chose which pattern I wanted to make and all opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.***