Simplicity 2339 – Plus, a blogoversary giveaway!

Yikes! It’s been forever since I’ve posted anything! I promise I have been sewing – I just have a hard time getting anyone to take pictures for me. I’ll try to be better about writing in the future, even if that means you get pics of garments on Matilda (my dress form).

I’m going home to Oregon to visit my mom this month, and it’s cold there. I have sort of a lack of casual clothes in my wardrobe as it is, and definitely not a lot of cold weather clothes. I decided to use some of the flannel I picked up on Black Friday to make a cozy shirt to combat the Oregon weather. I thought the Tiki print flannel was a fun and sort of ironic choice for a cold weather shirt 🙂

I chose Simplicity 2339, and used option A without the waist or back darts. I wanted a more casual look for this shirt, so didn’t think I needed the extra shaping.

Overall I’m happy with the shirt, although I think it’s a little loose. For a casual shirt that’s fine, but I want to make some work blouses from this pattern so will definitely need to add in the waist and back darts for those.

This was my first time making a button up blouse and feeling like it was a success – no pulling or gapping, and the buttons and buttonholes actually line up! I also got to use the buttonhole function on my new machine for the first time, and I LOVE that! You simply hold the button up the the screen, and turn the dial until the image on the screen matches the size of your button. Snap on the buttonhole foot, and voila! Perfectly sized buttonholes!

I messed up on the cuffs and had to shorten the sleeves at the last minute. Sort of a bummer since this is supposed to be cold weather gear, but I can always wear a long sleeve shirt underneath it. Overall this pattern went together really well, and I would definitely recommend it!

On another note, February 14 marks one year since I started this blog! Even though I didn’t become very active with it until later in the year, my blogoversary marks the point at which I became serious about sewing and I’d like to do something special. So, following the lead of many bloggers before me, I’m having a giveaway!

Up for grabs are McCalls 5277 in size 6-14 and 6097 in size 14-20 . To enter, comment below and let me know which pattern you like best. On 2/14 I’ll randomly draw winners and make an announcement here. Good luck!