Friday Pattern Company Donny Shirt

When it was released, the Friday Pattern Company Donny shirt seemed like a nice enough pattern, but it wasn't one that I felt the need to buy instantly. Then I started seeing more and more lovely versions appearing in my Instagram feed, and I wanted to join the party so I purchased it and added it to my sewing queue.

The Donny shirt is a boxy, pull-on dartless top with a lapel collar, patch pocket and short sleeves. I omitted the patch pocket from my version.

The pattern is drafted for a dressmaker's B cup and covers chest sizes from 32"-60" and hips from 34"-63".

The pattern has great instructions. They are really detailed, easy to follow and have very clear diagrams. I didn't have any trouble at all making my shirt and enjoyed gradually working through the pattern. Some of the steps are the kind of thing that are best if you take your time to make sure you get a neat, precise finish, but there's nothing that I found too complicated and everything turned out nicely.

Alongside the main instructions, the booklet also includes a brief overview of the steps without as much detail, and I think that's a nice touch - if you're experienced or have made the pattern before and basically know what you need to do, it'd be quicker to refer to that than read through all the details. 

In terms of sizing, Donny is intended to have a boxy fit. I looked at the finished garment measurements and decided that the size recommended for my measurements would probably be a bit too boxy for my liking, so I went down a size and made an M instead of the recommended L. I like the fit that gave me - it's relaxed and comfortable to wear without feeling too big. 

The only alteration I made was to lengthen the top by 1", which is very standard for me.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you may recognise the fabric that I used because it's the same one that I used for the Emporia Patterns Alice trousers that I made recently. It's a leopard print chambray that I bought from Dalston Mill. I intentionally bought enough to make a top to go with the trousers so I could have a co-ord set/fake jumpsuit. I'm looking forward to wearing the two of them together. 

I'm really pleased with my Donny shirt. It was an enjoyable project to sew, and it's a really nice top to wear. As an added bonus, it doesn't need too much fabric to make and I realised that the leftovers from my Helmi blouse are just big enough to cut out a Donny, so I'll be making a second version in the not too distant future!