Now and Zen Shirts

Sewing Workshop has the most wonderful patterns. They are just different enough to resemble something from a boutique rather than your usual department store.

This one is from the Now and Zen Shirts and is a breeze to make. I love the high, asymmetrical collar (detail below). They have the nicest construction with french seams and a rolled collar that ends up looking on the inside much like a tailored man's shirt. They even recommend making oak tag rulers in 1 1/4" and 1 3/4" to use when making your folds/hem so you get real precision. When you're finished the inside is almost as good looking as the outside! There is no interfacing or facings -- just the 4 pattern pieces. It can easily be worked up in an afternoon. This one is in a very tightly woven pale pink cotton. I like my tops to sit more on the hip so I extended the pattern by about two inches.

I had hoped to make a dressier one in a very sheer sea foam, but alas I am struggling with the cloth which is distorting every time my iron looks at it! I may need to give up on that version, at least for today and set my sites on something else.