Mr. Cation's Birthday Shirt

When I used to actually try to upload pictures of my makes to BurdaStyle, Mr. Cation would complain that it would make his computer games lag like crazy. I don't bother with BurdaStyle anymore (just getting to my blog is a major undertaking!), but we still have problems with lag: namely that it took me five months to get around to blogging his birthday shirt! Oops. I blame this adorable little dude:

I did not make SHB's shirt. That was from his Christmas outfit, which we admittedly purchased because it matched. 

A recap, since it's been so long since I actually made this: last summer I took a class with Lynda Maynard on copying RTW clothing. Since I was seven months pregnant at the time (and didn't have plans to stay at that size!) I opted to make a garment for Mr. Cation instead. I traced his favorite shirt using the silk organza (process documented here) and made it up in this black and white checked fabric for his birthday. I was originally concerned about finding a shirting fabric he would like (he's really picky about plaids; the only other time I made him a shirt, he didn't like it because it looked "too much like Aeropostale shirts from middle school"), but then I remembered this one in my stash. It's especially appropriate because I bought it on our first anniversary England trip (my goodness, my me-mades from back then look so...home-made). It's nice to finally sew up such old and treasured stash!

Front view.

Back view. 

I added my own "label" by embroidering a piece of ribbon. 

A closer look at the pocket. My walking foot was not cooperating, so the plaid is every so slightly off. 

I realized too late that the yoke isn't quite on the bias; it's like 48 degrees instead of 45. Oh well. 

At least the inside flat-felling looks nice and clean!

Honestly, I don't remember too much about the making of this shirt, other than that it was a pain bending over to cut out the pieces with my huge belly in the way. And now that I look at these pictures, I realize that the shirt doesn't actually fit that well. There are drag lines that I don't like the look of, but I have absolutely no idea how to adjust the fit on a man's shirt like this!

Summary:
Pattern: Copied from a RTW shirt
Fabric: A little less than two yards of cotton shirting
Notions: Buttons, interfacing for the collar and front plackets
Techniques: Plaid matching, flat-felling seams, making a collar? It was going to involve making tower plackets, but then I got lazy and made it short sleeved instead.
Hours used: I don't even remember anymore...I want to say seven?
Will you make it again? Yes. I still have more of that fabric left, which will eventually become a long-sleeved version for my brother (thankfully the muslin fit both of them, and my dad as well! It's the brotherhood of the traveling shirt?), whenever it is that SHB manages to nap for more than 30 minutes at a time...
Total cost: I don't remember how much this fabric cost anymore, I bought it such a long time ago. Also I bought it in pounds. But the buttons cost a $1 at Joann's; that much I remember.
Final thoughts: I'm kind of annoyed at myself for taking the easy way out and making this a short-sleeved shirt. I should've taken a hint from Mr. Cation's existing wardrobe that he doesn't really wear short-sleeved shirts. Since I was trying to avoid making a tower placket and cuffs (granted, I had a good excuse), I basically sank a bunch of time and fabric into a garment that doesn't really fit his lifestyle. Consider that a lesson learned: being lazy will only come back to bite you later!

I realized that I have a love-hate relationship with plaids. Assuming that they're woven and not printed, plaids can make finding the grain so easy. On the downside, when they're even just a little off, you can really tell. This is why I stick to crazy prints with no rhyme or reason to them for myself. It's too bad Mr. Cation doesn't want to wear hippo-print or Batman shirts! Maybe SHB will be more amenable...

One more matchy-matchy picture!
The way our tree topper is placed, it looks like Mr. Cation has a random star antenna popping out of the side of his head.