Pattern:  McCall’s M6044
View:  E
Size:  Cut between a Medium and Large (yes, you can do that!)
Fabric:  3 yards homespun plaid from Joanns ($3.99/yard)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, very much so!

Were the instructions easy to follow?  I actually thought the instructions and techniques were very simple to follow.  Even those tricky looking parts like the collar and cuffs turned out to be quite easy.  Usually when I make a pattern there is at least one part that I get tripped up on, but this one didn’t have that.  Every step was clearly explained and pictured, making the construction of this top a breeze.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  I wasn’t too crazy with how much hand sewing there was (back of the collar, both sides of the button yoke).  The inside didn’t turn out as nice looking as the outside since I had to try to hide my seams by hand sewing the lining over them. 

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  The only change I made was to use metal snaps rather than buttons/buttonholes.  This was a huge time saver!  Plus, I wanted this shirt to have that 70s/western flair, which these “pearl”-covered snaps helped to achieve.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  I am already making plans to sew this again!  This time I’ll let my hubby pick out the fabrics (I bought this plaid fabric on a whim and thankfully, he liked it!).  I’m thinking one that’s a little bit more dressy (maybe a black on black stripe).

Conclusion:  I highly recommend this pattern!  And don’t be afraid to cut between sizes if you need to.  My hubby didn’t measure perfectly as a medium or large so I just eyeballed my cutting line right between the two sizes and it worked out perfectly.  He loved the fit so I don’t think I’ll have to do anything differently next time.  This pattern also makes it super easy to adjust for arm length and shirt length, so if your man doesn’t normally fit in RTW (ready to wear) shirts, you might consider making a muslin first to adjust for a great fit.  Remember, the sleeves pieces will seem very short, but the cuffs add a good 3″ or so to the over length of the sleeve.  

Here’s the happy customer: 

Thanks to Alicia from Posy Gets Cozy for inspiring this!!

Filed under: Creations, Pattern Challenge |