Recital Shirt - View B

I was delighted to have been asked by Liesl + Co to help pattern test their new patterns back in May and immediately said yes. Then I set to trying to find how I could affordably get 36" digital patterns printed....

For the record my local copy shop franchisee quoted $98 + GST for a job that Creffield did for about $14 and with such expert service and understanding of the importance of not scaling etc that I was blown away and will sing their praises very loudly. Add in that they did it while I waited, and they have a coffee machine, and they have a coffee table covered in cycling magazines (possibly only this West Melbourne store, but hey). Heaven!

Anyway I digress. Oliver + S pattern testing. YES PLEASE!

The Recital Shirt is one of the latest offerings from Liesl + Co and it's a classic button up shirt with a bit of a twist. It has princess seams at the front allowing for easy custom fitting and comes in three different cup sizes: A/B, C and D

With no measurable difference between my upper bust measurement and my full bust measurement (thanks, I guess, to lots of push ups and back exercises and no boobs), I was in the  A/B pattern camp. And my measurement put me in the size 12.

Since I was pattern testing I made no alterations to the pattern before cutting and sewing. But, you know, I've worn this quite a few times since making it (without letting anyone know it was me-made or an as yet unreleased pattern) and I don't think there's anything I would change.

The back has some lovely darts that give it a nice shape, and while my size 12 is comfortably loose it doesn't look like I borrowed my husband's shirt.

Forgive my awkward modelling, these were the fit photos for Liesl and I just can't be bothered taking any more of me prancing around in someplace more interesting. Actually, this is pretty much how I photograph everything these days, so who am I kidding...

The View B has some wonderful deep(ish) pleats at the front giving it a bit of a tuxedo shirt vibe. My fabric was some $3/m linen from Eliza that I pulled from the stash and while I love it for a shirt it was very shifty and my pleat sewing is seriously lacking in precision. My Recital Shirt is more Jazz Improvisation than Symphony Orchestra but that's cool with me.

And it obviously wrinkles like a mother. :)

Hanging on a coat hanger after being ironed it looks really great, and the insides are lovely and neat too.

The method of attaching the collar was one I hadn't seen before and I was really impressed with how it turned out. Especially for the lack of any hand sewing! The same technique is used for the cuffs and once I'd got my head around how it was done it was easy.

The other new to me technique was a tower placket for the sleeve cuffs. Again, very well explained in instructions and diagrams. The sleeve length on Liesl + Co patterns is a delight for me and my arms which never seem sufficiently covered by ready to wear shirts.

The other cool thing is that the pieces of this shirt can be mixed and matched with the Liesl + Co Classic Shirt. So, if you've already done all the work on fitting that one around the bust, or just prefer the plain, unseamed front, but you like the back darts of the Recital Shirt, you can have both!

I liked this one so well that as soon as I found a bit of extra sewing time I cut another one to make View A. I'll show you that one tomorrow....