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Fabric and Dressmaking Patterns – One of My Favourites – My Libby Shirt

When doing research for a new sewing project, I can never decide if I should start with searching a new pattern first and then the fabric or the other way round. It levels with the question which came first: the chicken or the egg🐣

For my Libby Shirt project though, there was no such question. I came across a fabric called Moonstone Viscose from Atelier Brunette and knew right away that this is the one for my next sewing project💕

So the next challenge then was to find the right pattern amongst all the dressmaking patterns out there. However, that one has been solved quickly as well. I saw the Libby Shirt from Sew Over It, I thought immediately that this could be a good match👚

My Sewing Experience with The Libby Shirt

So far so good, right? Well, what I didn’t consider was that a sewing a shirt might be a step too far for me as a beginner. And so I started off the project with the naivety that all will be fine if I just follow the instructions stitch by stitch🙈

Don’t get me wrong, the instructions are great and include many pictures. But nonetheless, with barely any sewing experience, I felt a bit overwhelmed with a shirt project. Especially the collar has been a difficult challenge. It took me ages to get it right and a lot of unpicking and redoing has been included😆

Thanks to my persistence I managed to pass this stage eventually and I am super happy with the end result❤️

Upping Your Sewing Game with Adjustments

To be honest, I was too busy trying to get the stitches right that I didn’t even think about making any adjustments😅 However, if I’d start all over again, I might make the Libby Shirt a bit longer. It’s too short to have it loosely in my trousers which is how I like to wear shirts.

Other than that, I love the pattern with its contemporary style and wouldn’t make any other adjustments. The Libby Shirt has a loose fit and is therefore absolutely comfortable to wear.

What You Need for This Project

• Sewing machine (I’ve got a Janome CXL301)
• Lightweight woven or cotton fabric with lots of drape
• Lightweight interfacing (70cm)
• 4 to 6 buttons (12mm)
• Matching thread
• Basic sewing equipment (fabric scissors, tape measure, pins, ruler, chalk, erasable pen)
• Ironing board and iron
• Overlocker (optional)

If you print the pattern yourself, you also need access to a printer. Or you can send it to a printing shop like Netprinter.

My Fabric & Styling Ideas

My Moonstone Viscose is a viscose rayon fabric which is soft, drapey and comfortable. The design of the fabric with its abstract prints makes it the highlight of every outfit. Therefore, I usually combine my Libby Shirt with basic and plain pieces. However, depending on the fabric you choose, you might want to style it totally different💁‍♀️

From a pattern perspective, I think that the Libby Shirt is a perfect match for a high-waisted bottom piece such as a skirt or jeans👖

Below are some of my favourite styling options for my Libby Shirt. As you can see, it’s a very versatile garment. Depending on the combinations you choose, it can be a more casual or business outfit.

My Final Thoughts

The Libby Shirt is a lovely pattern and the instructions are full of pictures which is very helpful🙂 However, if you are a total beginner, you might want to tackle down some easier projects first before getting started with shirts.

Have you made the Libby Shirt as well? Leave me a comment below and let you know your sewing experience!