I was so pleased with my first Archers shirt I cut another one out straight away. The pattern is from Grainline and I’m pretty smitten with it! I’ve given a fuller review of the pattern in my post about my Vintage Sewing Archers shirt.

This time I used a bluey mauve cotton shirting which I bought at Fabworks when we (Yorkshire Spoolettes!) had a meet up in Dewsbury earlier this month. It’s beautiful quality, it has a fine white stripe and a pretty jacquard weave pattern down some of the blue stripes. It feels like it has a high thread count, lovely and smooth.

I fussy-cut some of the pieces such as the collar, cuffs and yoke, trying to get the jacquard pattern where I wanted it. This time I also managed to cut the button band so the pattern goes nicely down the middle.

I used a lighter-weight Vilene interfacing this time which I think I prefer (I used a cotton iron-on with my first one) it gives a slightly softer finish to the shirt. The shirt went together just as nicely as first time round.

The only bit that got a bit sticky was the sleeve plackets, I do find they are the sort of thing that either goes great first time or you’re sitting fiddling for ages and end up accepting that it’s not going to be perfect…and so it was with this shirt! The top corner is not as smooth as I would like but I doubt anyone would notice anyway! I have managed to get a pretty row of jacquard daisies running up the placket!

It proved a difficult colour to match when it came to buttons as it’s neither blue nor purple, I ended up choosing some simple ones which look perfect in some lights and a little too blue in others, just have to make sure I stand in the right light! I think it goes pretty well with my navy Fumeterre skirt.

I ‘m hoping my stash count at the end of the month is going to be in the right direction, having bought rather a lot at Dewsbury and on line since, I’m working hard at reducing it! Ali AKA Thimberlina has challenged us to a linky party at the end of the month sharing what we have made from our Dewsbury purchases, so it’s spurring me on!

Archers Button Up Shirt by Grainline