Birthday Shirt for Dad | Colette Negroni

Hello there! Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

Today I'm coming to you with a blast from the past. The past being March... which is not extremely "past" but it's also not present... But actually it IS a present. #inception? no? lol

Earlier this year I set out to make my father a shirt for his Birthday. A few friends of mine and I had signed up for a men's shirt-making class scheduled for February so really, the stars aligned perfectly I his favor lol He also believed I only make things for myself so I decided to prove him wrong. Cuz you know, "parents just don't understand" like Will said...

Moving on, the class was based on the Colette Negroni. It is basic, modern silhouette that I thought would be a smooth intro to the shirt-making world. I was right in my thinking. The lack of button placket as well as the fact that I chose the short sleeve option helped to make this venture feel like a breeze.

the hems meet. shirt just laid crooked

When choosing the size, my dad gave me 1 of his favorite shirts that he likes the fit of and I just measured it and compared to the pattern measurements. Before he gave me the shirt, I did try to get some measurements of his body and when I compared the physical measurements to the shirt he gave me, I realized that he and the shirt were in different Negroni size ranges. His body told me that he was a size Large but his favorite shirt told me that he was an XL. It did eventually hit me that my dad likes quite a bit of ease in his shirts so I made a compromise. I cut an XL all the way to the shoulders but then graded into a Large at the neck and collar.  That seemed to have work well. I feel like if I make this again, I can get away with cutting a large in the sleeves as well. They look big to me but he told me they were fine.

The other mods I made to the pattern was to only put on one pocket and leave off the pocket flap. I also didn't add the button loop at the neck, but instead put that loop at the back of the neck like it was in the shirt he lent me. Everything else was by the book on this one.

The fabric is an Organic Hemp Cotton that I picked up at Stitch Sew Shop in Alexandria. It's the softest and feels (and wrinkles) like linen. The weave is beautiful with specks of white and black throughout. It was really awesome to work with and all of those things justify the price tag lol This was a pretty expensive shirt lol I bought 3 yards at 20/yd. I'd have probably spent that or more on a different gift for him so it wasn't THAT bad in retrospect lol But that is the most I've spent on a yard of fabric since I started sewing lol.

I love the clean finishes on the inside. I was SO proud of them. The burrito yoke, the flat-felled side and sleeve seams, the narrow hem... they all make it look so good!

The buttons were from my stash. They are some of the ones I picked up on my huge notions haul in Panama a few years ago (2014). They matched PERFECTLY.

The shirt was made in winter but my dad had plans to go to Dubai at the end of March so it was perfect timing! He was so excited to take the shirt with him to wear in that heat. Looking at the pictures he sent me, I'm so happy about the fact that he was actually able to put that pocket to use! I thought it was pretty small but I see his wallet fit in. Meet "Dad in Dubai":

This is definitely a make that I'm proud of and I hope that my dad gets a lot of wear out of it :-D

Shoutout to Kate at Three Little Birds Sewing Co. where my friends and I took the shirt-making class! I'll be seeing her again soon for help on some other projects I have coming up, so stay tuned!

What do you think about the Colette Negroni? Have you made it? Isn't my dad just the cutest?! lol

Be back soon!

xoxo,

Tasha