Fairfield Shirt

I’ve done a few hand sewing projects before, but up until this point I’d never used a sewing machine. So I decided to jump in the deep end and sew a button-up shirt using my sister’s Pfaff Quilt Expression 2048. I bought the Fairfield PDF pattern and also referred to their sew-along blog posts.

It was a lot of work. I have way more appreciation now for all the details that go into a men’s shirt, like flat-felled seams and perfect edge stitching. What gave me the most trouble were parts that get turned inside out: sleeve plackets, cuffs, and collar. There always seemed to be raw edges poking out the corners that I had to shove in and hand sew. The sleeve “tunnel” part was cool – it seemed like it should be impossible, but it works.

I’m really happy with the result, especially as my first proper sewing project. The fit isn’t perfect but it’s definitely wearable, and I don’t think you can tell it’s homemade unless you look really close at the stitching. I look forward to getting my own sewing machine and making more shirts.