I know, it's been awhile! It's hard to find time for myself in December and January. In my real-life (aka paid) job I'm an accountant for our family business. I won't go into detail, but December and January can get kind of ugly for me. Throw in some dark, cold days and the craziness of Christmas and it's about all I can do to hold on until February, which fortunately is when my work deadlines are past and we start getting a lot of spring-like days.
I bought some purple and black houndstooth flannel in November and I decided I better get a shirt made out of it while it's still winter. I'm trying to get a "perfect" button-up shirt pattern and I'm happy to say I'm getting closer. I started with the pattern I used last spring for a chambray shirt. I made the shoulders wider, the sleeves narrower, and I redrafted the collar. I cut the front placket on the bias because otherwise I would have had to match the rows of houndstooth all the way across and that just seemed like too much work.
What I like about this shirt: It fits fairly well. I've got full range of motion in my arms and shoulders, which is something I can never find in purchased tops. The fabric is warm and cozy, perfect for winter.
What I don't like: The fabric is a little too thick for this type of shirt. The seams are pretty bulky. The collar still wants to stick straight out, even though the under-collar is cut smaller. I'm happy with how the back fits but not how it looks so I'm going to start over on the back piece. (No pictures - that's how much I hate it.)
I got a tripod for Christmas so I no longer have to balance my camera on furniture. Unfortunately, my pictures still stink because I can't find a room in my house with both bare walls and good lighting, and my camera has some limitations. Excuses? Oh yeah, but it gives me some problems to work on solving!
