Here is the completed shirt. This took a total of 24 hours of work over three days. Making a shirt is a fiddly job. The fit is rather better on me than on the mannequin but the big flaw in this garment is that it is too short. I think I was so busy concentrating on getting the collar, cuffs and sleeves right that I didn’t spot the problem with the length. It should be far more scalloped at the front and back. It is still wearable – just.

I managed to squeeze the pattern pieces onto just one metre of fabric (115cm/45″ wide), although lengthening the next shirt will bump this up to 1 metre 6 cm, which means a purchase of at least 1.5 metres and much potential waste.

Skills used

Sewing curved princess seams

Attaching collars and cuffs

Setting in sleeves

Lessons learned

Check ALL the details on the muslin, including where the final hem will be – rookie mistake.

I would not choose a fabric with such an obvious wrong side for a shirt again. I think it makes the garment look homemade.

Next time I will choose a fabric with better drape. This fabric is a bit too stiff.

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