I made a shirt for Dad’s birthday 🙂
I used Burda 7767 custom-fit to his size that I fine-tuned with last year’s shirt, and a fine-grade linen from Spotlight in a shade called “cement”. Very appropriate for a man like my Dad who is the handiest handyman you could ever hope to find! Srsly. He is. Cementing would be an absolute doddle to Dad, I’m sure 🙂
Last year’s birthday shirt was a sort of “nice” short-sleeved shirt to wear out to smartish events, and this new one is more casual, more suitable to Dad’s usual daytime activities; like working in the shed building stuff like The Chicken-Plucker (don’t ask) and his own lathe, tinkering with the ute and trekking out through the bush to tend to his hives and chop wood. And fire-fighting, although I kinda hope not!
Being linen it will be a good cool shirt to wear all summer, and this one has long sleeves to protect Dad’s arms from the sun. He can roll them up if he desires without fear of embarrassment caused by tatty interior finishes: since the side and sleeve seams are French seams, and the armscye seams are flat felled seams. I used my own tutorial for flat-felling a curved seam to achieve this neatly.
The pockets are bellowed and pointed at the nadir, and button closed with arrowhead flaps. The buttons are from Fabulous Fabrics. The lower hemline is curved, and as always I sewed a spare button inside to the side seam.
After I had finished sewing it; it was all nicely pressed, with the creases ironed into non-existence and all perfectly smooth and neat, like a newly sewn garment always is. I looked at it askance. It looked so … pristine. A bit immaculate. It didn’t look like a “Dad” sort of a shirt at all. My Dad is very much a low-maintenance sort of a man. So I gave it a second wash, a good shake-out and hung it out on the line to dry in the sun. It came up with a very satisfyingly lived-in look; comfy, rumpled and crumpled. I did not allow the iron anywhere near it. Now it looks very “Dad”.
A little tip; when you trim off the seam allowances and points off of the interfaced pieces of collars and cuff and the like before turning out, it can be handy to keep the larger trimmings. They can be cut down into small squares, which since they are already pre-interfaced are useful for stabilising buttons sewn in areas which have no facing, such as the cuff split button…
and yes, this was the secret thing I have made recently…. I used a small strip of the leftover linen for the waistband on my lace skirt.
Great job on the shirt for you dad, the details are wonderful.
it's a really lovely shirt. And it suits him to a T.
Happy Birthday to your Dad! What a great shirt, all the details are spot on.
I'm sure your Dad thinks you are the bestest daughter! What a wonderful gift! And appropriately prepped for packaging!
Do wish him a happy birthday, and many more happy healthy years!
Brenda
You are the best Caroline! I wish we lived close to one another and could share these cool tips face to face. In any case, your Dad's new shirt is super. I learned a new Aussie term=doddle. I assume it means a fun activity or something one does easily???
Great shirt. I love the casual rumpled look…I wouldn't iron it either.
Nice that you checked the non-ironed version. This version looks great on your Dad. I bet he's also beaming because you made the shirt for him. Fabulous detailing.
A smiling recipient is the best reward!
I love the un-ironed linen attitude – great idea. It looks like linen, casual and cool. Perfect shirt!
It looks great on him and it's funny that you had to add the lived-in look, rather than letting him break it in. 😉
Such attention to detail – and what a fabulous result!
Your attention to detail is amazing, lovely shirt for your Dad. Wish him a happy birthday from Canada!
Very nice. Great tip about stabalising the buttons.
Amazing as always.
What a lovely shirt. If I made my Dad such a shirt, it would end up being "messed up" in the shed if my Mum didn't stop him first!
I need to get this pattern. It is ideal for my husband! You have done such an immaculate job, it is simply superb!
I need to get this pattern. It is ideal for my husband! You have done such an immaculate job, it is simply superb!
So special! Just hope your dad doesn't get grease on it – at least not for a while!
beautiful job on your Dad's shirt and he looks lovely and happy in his birthday photo!
I love that you dried in on the line and didn't iron it to get the desired look. 😉
Happy Birthday to your Dad! What a great present. The shirt is just perfect in all its glorious details!
Your Dad looks a rather dashing chap in his wonderful new shirt.
Lucky Dad – he looks very happy with his gift and is no doubt very proud of his very clever daughter! Lovely job Caroline.
Fantastic shirt for your Dad and I also love the real linen look.
Beautiful! And it does suit him to a T.
Nice use of the word 'nadir' 😉
It looks fantastic! But truly, I am intrigued by The Chicken Plucker…. Do I want to know?
OMG, I want be Your father!!! This shirt is great!!
ooo and happy birthday Father with great shirt. 🙂
I would say that it is just about perfect for such an energetic kind of man…linen will just go with him everywhere! 🙂 Happy Birthday to your Dad Carolyn…
m.
Dad looks great in his new shirt.
I love this post. There is so much more than sewing in it.
lovely shirt and story.
This is a wonderful shirt!
The shirt looks great. I love your Dad-ifying laundering change story, it does look like a real work shirt now, just better made and much better fabric than inferior ones from the shops.
My goodness this is impressive!
I love the story about washing and hanging it out so it was suitably rumpled. 🙂 I'm enjoying your sewing productivity vicariously. Perhaps it will be contagious!
I just love that you made a shirt for your dad! I don't know about anyone else, but seldom think of sewing for the men in my life! His shirt is so relaxed and classic…and it seems to be a perfect fit for such a handsome man!
fantastic looking shirt and the details are beautiful – I made Mike's dad a shirt for his birthday, which apparently he loved.