Sew Over It Libby Shirt

When I first saw Sew Over It's latest PDF pattern release, the Libby shirt, it instantly appealed to me. Boxy shapes aren't traditionally my style, but I could see that the combination of the relaxed fit and a nice drapey fabric would be perfect for the warmer weather. Luckily for me, I got my version finished just in time for heat wave temperatures here in the south west of England.

The Libby Shirt features, in Sew Over It's own words, "a comfortable loose fit, button-up front, notched collar, partial collar stand, unlined yoke with gently gathered back, and short grown-on cuffed sleeves". The shirt also has a cropped hem with the option either to have a straight front hem, or a slightly curved one (which I opted for) which adds a touch more length, mirroring the shape of the back hem.

As with all Sew Over It patterns, the instructions were really thorough. I was glad of the accompanying photos to confirm what I was meant to be doing on a couple of occasions, but that's not in any way to say that the written instructions weren't clear - it's just nice to be able to double-check things sometimes!

The pattern is rated as being for intermediate sewers or advanced beginners who want a challenge, and I'd say that's fair. If you're newer to sewing, it might be worth thinking about using a light cotton lawn instead of a viscose or rayon because you might find the combination of a very drapey fabric and some of the collar construction a bit fiddly. But in terms of the pattern itself, the instructions hold your hand through the whole process, so as long as you take it a step at a time there shouldn't be too many problems.

In terms of sizing, my measurements fall right between the 12 and the 14. As this is a boxy style, there's plenty of ease so I went down to the size 12 and, with no adjustments at all, it turned out pretty nicely. The perfect amount of ease to make this nice and breezy to wear, without it just being shapeless. If I make another (definitely possible!), I'd maybe think about lengthening it slightly (fairly standard for me) but that's the only adjustment I'd make.

The fabric I used here is a pretty viscose lawn from WeaverDee. I think it's a really lovely fabric, especially for the very reasonable price. As the Libby shirt doesn't have many seamlines and has no darts, it's a great canvas for a large scale print like this, and I think they're a great pairing.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with how my Libby shirt turned out. As it's slightly out of my usual style comfort zone, I'm going to wait to see how much wear it gets and what skirts I have to pair it with. If it turns out, as I hope it will, to be a useful addition to my wardrobe then I'd definitely think about making another. It was an enjoyable project to sew, and it's nice to try something new every now and then, isn't it?