Tamlyn’s Liseron Shirt!
Felicity Fabrics Blog Post #2 – May 2020
Hi everyone, I’m Tamlyn (known on Instagram andYouTube as ‘Sewn on the Tyne’) and I’m thrilled to be back with my second blog post for Felicity Fabrics.
When looking for my next project, a new-to-me pattern company had just started being stocked on the website: Atelier Scammit. They’re a French pattern company and I loved the look of their designs. The Liseron shirt was the one that grabbed my attention the most, as I thought it would work perfectly during my pregnancy and while nursing the baby due to it being a loose and dart-less style. Although it has that ‘boyfriend-shirt’ look, it also has the option of adding really pretty, feminine details with a ruffle-flounce collar and cuffs.
Now for choosing the fabric. The Liseron shirt calls for a light to medium weight fabric, such as cotton batiste, light denim, flannel etc. Felicity Fabrics have lots of gorgeous fabrics that would be perfect for this pattern, but I loved the idea of adding a denim shirt in to my me-made wardrobe. I think a denim shirt is a wardrobe essential that can be dressed up or down and worn buttoned up or open. With this in mind, I opted for the ‘Denim Dots’ fabric – a lightweight denim with a subtle polka dot design. Unfortunately this is now sold out, but this chambray would be a lovely alternative.
When it comes to choosing which size to cut for a project, I always use the finished garment measurements. However, Atelier Scammit don’t offer these with their patterns. Feeling a bit unsure, I asked Fliss for advice as she had previously made their Harmonie pattern. She was really helpful, saying that their sizing is pretty accurate with a couple of centimetres of wearing ease. With this in mind, I opted for the Size 16 (My measurements at the time were B: 41”, W:37” and H: 46.5”).
I always pre-wash my fabric to allow for any shrinkage. Once it was dry, I cut out my pattern pieces using a combination of my rotary cutter and fabric scissors. This was super easy as the fabric was very well behaved. Just a word of advice – you only need to choose EITHER the straight collar or the curved collar. I cut both without thinking, as it doesn’t actually specify in the instructions that you only need one or the other. It wasn’t a problem though as I had plenty of spare fabric (I’m actually going to make a baby romper out of what I have left, so baby can match with mummy!)
Before sewing, I tested a scrap of the fabric on my sewing machine to check which needle would bebest. I would definitely recommend taking a few minutes to do this before starting on your actual garment as it can make a huge difference to the quality of your sewing. The needle I opted for was a Standard/Universal needle, size 80.
The instruction booklet for the garment construction is written in both French and English, with photographs for most of the steps. Most of the instructions were clear and easy to understand, however there were a few that had me scratching my head a little. Thankfully, Atelier Scammit have a fantastic step-by-step video for all of their patterns available on their website. I used You Tube translate, as the video is in French, however I quickly realised that I didn’t actually need the commentary. Just being able to see the very clear images of what was being done was enough and I found this so helpful throughout the making of the shirt, even just as reassurance that I was doing the right thing.
One thing to watch out for: When working with the sleeve, one notch indicates the back and two notches the front. This is the opposite of what I am used to, so I nearly got it wrong!
Shirt-making is such a satisfying project and really not as tricky as people may think. I loved working on all of the different elements and details, then seeing the final shirt come together at the end was just fantastic. The internal seams are finished with French seams, which gives a high quality finish to the garment. I chose to add ruffles to both the collar and the cuffs, a lovely detail which I really like. For the buttons, I used some pearlescent white buttons that I had in my stash. You should check out the range of buttons that Felicity Fabrics sell though, as they have lots of beautiful choices perfect for any project.
I am so happy with my finished shirt. I think the size is just right, with room for my bump to grow in my final few weeks of pregnancy. It’s also going to be perfect for post-baby, with easy access for nursing. I already have plans to make another Liseron shirt soon, so that shows how much I like this pattern!
Thank you for reading my blog post and I hope I’ve inspired you with my make.
Happy sewing,
Love Tamlyn xx
