Sandra wanted to do a sew-a-long for a shirtdress from Ottobre, so I decided to participate.  My caveats for using patterns is that, inevitably, it will be altered to some degree.

Shirts are not difficult for me to do at all.  I cut my teeth on them.  I made many, many rodeo shirts in high school (many, many moons ago) that my sister and I wore for competition.   I did stand collars, cuff plackets and worked with silky metallic fabric.  Trial by fire, I guess.  That is what seam rippers are used for, and I figured it out in the end.

Here is the original on the cover of Ottobre and my supplies:

My modifications:

• We made it longer so it was a shirtdress, but I did the bottom into a circle skirt.  More room for playing that way.
• I added belt loops (the belt loops are the extra bias binding that I had used for the bottom of the circle skirt) and a belt (Anya is into belts these days)
• I didn’t add in seam allowances.  She is already on the thinner side and Ottobre is known for being a bit wide on some of their patterns.
• I lined the yoke.
• I did the collar differently that what Ottobre has, but it didn’t turn out well.  I need a collar stand.  Next one I do, I will make a collar stand and then the collar.
• Here are some modifications I did.  Go over to Sugar Cubes and Spice Cake for her sew-along instructions.

She was seriously cute wearing this on Sunday with her pink boots.  I didn’t make her pink shirt.  It was about $3 at Target, so I picked it up since she can always use more pink.

This took awhile to make, so she won’t be getting many of these for summer.  I’m  sure the next one will be much easier, though.  It always takes longer on the first run through.