It is my husband’s birthday, and I have made a shirt for him!
I used my favourite my only! men’s shirt pattern Burda 7767, adjusted for a perfect custom fit; and a gorgeously high quality, striped shirting cotton from Tessuti’s in Melbourne, bought in high cloak-and-dagger secrecy in a moment while Craig’s back was turned during our trip there in September; mwahahaha!!!! Cannot believe I managed to pull it off actually, a hidden-but-in-full-view purchase; my gosh, but I’m one devious little wife-y.
Cool as a cucumber, my friends… Coooool. As. A. Cucumber. 😉
For the white collar, collar stand, button bands, cuffs and plackets and the arrow-shaped cap on the single pocket; I used a very nice white cotton that I bought for my own use from Fabulous Fabrics. It hurt like mad to have to cut into “my” cotton. It really did. Honestly, I searched and searched for white fabric that was a reasonable textural match for the striped fabric but couldn’t find anything by the time I wanted to start on Craig’s shirt. Can you believe white shirting cotton would be such a rare beast??? well, it is. Trust me. I’ve scoured high and low, and it is currently non-existent…
Thus explaining and self-justifying why I pounce upon, buy up big, and hoard high quality white cotton whenever and wherever I see it…. and this is one of my treasures (hoarsely croaking) ” …. My precious….”
I think the shirt really needed the white contrast bits; in fact I think they make it. I really wanted this shirt to be a super high quality business shirt, like the sort he could wear in important professional situations, and look mighty spiffy at the same time. NOT one that would provoke any “oh, and did your wife make your shirt for you then, hmmm?” comments… 🙂
And I have to admit I am pretty chuffed with it. Actually I am quite thrilled with how this looks; the fabric, the quality and the finish. I think this is the best quality shirt I have made so far.
The armscye seams are flat felled inside, and I used my own tutorial for flat felling a curved seam to achieve this neatly. The side and sleeve seams are French seams. I bought the little black matte buttons from Fabulous Fabrics also.
Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767, striped shirting cotton, with white cotton detailing
Love! He looks very spiffy in this!! Great job! 🙂
Oooh, VERY nice and super sharp 🙂
Wow! Handsome shirt–and fits beautifully. Elle
Awesome job, it's finished so well!
Absolutely spectacular! Yes, why is it that nice white cotton is so difficult to find when you need it?
Wow! I am again in awe of your amazing skills.
The shirt is so amazing. Great job on the construction and birthday surprise.
I just adore this shirt – so sharp, so simple, so elegant. You did a wonderful job!
Ohh La la – what a great job you did. You were right – the sacrafice of you lovely white cotton really did make the shirt extra special.
Doesn't producing that perfectly matched striped pocket make you insanely pleased with yourself? I know I would be. What a great shirt!
Carolyn, you're amazing! Hubby looks fab spiffy in his new shirt. Just don't tell my husband you sew for yours, k?
Very sharp. I love the contrast between the white and the striped cotton.
Wow I think this is up in my top 5 of your makes. Great fit, skilful sewing and beautiful fabric.
thanks Vanessa! 🙂
I love the combination of white and the stripes. I know what you mean about having to be spot on with the cut and stitching to cut the mustard so to speak. I was just musing about this this afternoon as I ironed a mountain of my own husbands business shirts!
Wow, that is perfection. And I do love the white contrast. What a nice wifey!
This is razor sharp! Any little mistake would show up with those contrasting cuffs and collar, but there are none! The fit is fantastic too. This shirt is stunning and even has a bit of a retro feel. Your husband must be delighted.
What a gorgeous shirt! Bill would be over the moon about it. Hope your hubby appreciates your skill.
wow great looking shirt – very crisp -hope he had a lovely birthday
Lucky guy! I'm drooling over the striped fabric.
soooooooooooo BEAUTIFUL!!
Stunning work again. I hope that one day I can sew as well as you do.
What a great shirt, you've done such an amazing job!
You are an inspiration,your work is amazing.
thank you 🙂
Great shirt, he's a lucky man
What an impressive tailor you are !
thank you Karine!
This is one sharp-looking men in a beautiful shirt! Very noble.
Oh my goodness, that shirt is perfect in each and every way!
Spiffy! It most certainly looks like a high-end, professionally-made shirt. And that is so great that you managed to buy that fabric behind his back while he was with you!
That shirt is gorgeous! I agree with you, the white sets the shirt off beautifully along with the black buttons. It truly is more than the sum of it's parts. Take any of the parts away and the shirt would not be the perfection that it is. Good eye Carolyn!
Wow, I love your style, that fabric is gorgeous and the white contrasts makes it spectacular. And the stripes of the pocket match the shirt front stripes perfectly.
This may be one of the nicest men's shirts I've ever seen–handmade or RTW!
This is the best looking shirt I've ever seen. The bits of white make it, so don't feel bad about cutting in to your white fabric. It was necessary!
If I happened to live on your side of the planet…. I would beg unceasingly and pay gladly for sewing lessons from you! Such a beautiful shirt! I would love love love it if you could sometimes make tutorials or sew-alongs to help teach us newbies. Seriously. No kidding. I would be the first in line for a such a thing – have you ever considered it? For the benefit of all of us that drool over your skills but will never have the opportunity to meet you/work with you in real life?
Thank you so much Angela for those lovely compliments; you made my day! Sometimes I do write tutorials on my blog here, but I'm not a professional, just a passionate amateur!… I have been sewing for close to 40 years now, the last 25 or so more seriously 🙂
For those who are interested in tailoring classes I've heard that there is a Craftsy course on sewing a tailored shirt running very soon, details here
http://www.craftsy.com/class/the-classic-tailored-shirt/132
also that there is a special low price on that craftsy class until Christmas Eve…
It's great. I'm really inpired to try this pattern… My fellow need few shirts … Merry Christmas x
Qué bonita, es una prenda preciosa.
Fantastic, I agree, one of the best shirts ever.
i am dying, that is the best men's shirt i've ever seen! and not just the best homemade, just THE BEST. i'm not one to go for the contrast collar/cuff, but here i really love it! nice work!
The best birthday present! Everything about it is perfect. I wish my hubby would even consider wearing shirts regularly (he is a fireman, so he does not need to wear them professionally) there are a couple of men's shirts I'd like to try. I noticed about the white cotton shirting too.
Merry Christmas!
I was just thinking I'd like to make a men's shirt and wondered what patterns were out there. I might have to go and buy that one after this post. Looks great!
Wow, very high class and beautiful work as usual, love it.
Gorgeous shirt!! As always, impeccable!! I am on the hunt for some high quality white cotton blend (because I hate wrinkles!)
Love it. As always, I'm in awe of your talent.
My daughter-in-law asked my son for a seeing machine for Christmas and I hope she really learns how to use it and sticks with it. I never got into it as much as I would have like to, just didn't have the time. Someday maybe.
Fabulous shirt. Showed it to my hubby and he's quite envious(in a good way) and impressed.
Your skills blow. me. away. A stunning job Carolyn. Merry Christmas to you.
It's lovely. I love the stripes and I love the contrast. What a wonderful gift.
Amazing! This shirt is a show-stopper!!
Wow!What a shirt! I wish i had remembered your tutorial last week when i was making my husband's Christmas shirt. Maybe next time!
Wha ho! That is a sharp shirt! Caroline, a masterpiece.
Wow! Great shirt!
Ohhhhh Myyyyy Goddddd. You have knocked it out of the park, the shirt is the BUSINESS. The white makes it uber cool business wear and something no-one else has. Tell ya hubby he is one lucky man with that shirt. It is so damn EYECATCHING!!!
What a fantastic shirt!
What a smart looking shirt. I especially love the dark button on the sleeve placket. Very designer. I need to make some shirts up for my man. He loves them so much more than RTW. You inspired me to dust off his shirt pattern.
Teri
That is a beautiful shirt. It fits so nicely too. Wow!
I love it!
Razor sharp shirt and super sneaky fabric purchase.
I sewed dh's dressing gown in front of him yesterday and he didn't notice. I'm as cool as super cool Carolyn.
Are you recovering from using your fabric?
Merry christmas:))
That shirt looks amazing!!! Well done
That is one million dollar shirt! Stunningly spiffy, Chairman-of-the-Board stuff! What a great choice in placing the white bits. I can feel the quality from here 🙂