Grainline Studio Archer Button Up Shirt

I almost didn’t share this project as it’s not my proudest sewing moment. However, making and wearing my own clothes has helped me so much on my journey of body acceptance, I felt it would be wrong to cast it aside or not share because it isn’t “perfect”.
I’ve accepted my own flaws and quirks so here is my first ever shirt - flaws, quirks and uneven top-stitching in all its glory!
Fabric - Lady McElroy Crowded Faces Cotton Lawn - a dream to work with!
Pattern - Grainline Archer shirt - a classic! If you’ve never made a shirt before, I would recommend this pattern to confident novices (like me!) I found the instructions easy to follow and also the helpful hints and tips and videos that are available too were put to use.
Another first was finishing the curved hem using bias binding - such a crisp neat finish!
I really like the pattern/fabric match and how it turned out - living in a world of virtual meetings everyday, shirts are fast becoming my go-to item for work video calls.
I wore this yesterday and no one noticed the wobbly stitching I was so worried about - I even got a few compliments!

I've made four Archer shirts this year- I love this pattern! It is such a great base garment for any wardrobe. I have written a full review on my blog with lots of tips and styling ideas https://emmasatelierblog.com/2020/08/27/archer-shirt/.

I have made the Archer 3 times now and it is my go-to shirt pattern. It's a great basic shape but the optional gathered back offers a great alternative to the classic shirt. I've made both versions in the past and this time I decided to try a sleeveless look.
I used precious Nani Iro double gauze and I'm very pleased with how this turned out.
I made a straight size 4 but to account for it being sleeveless, I raised the side seam at the armscye, brought it in slightly and also brought the shoulders in to sit on my "bony" bit. ?
The instructions are really good and clear but I prefer to use the burrito method for my yoke rather than the one outlined in the booklet. That isn't a problem though as Grainline have you covered with a great tutorial for that, which is linked in the PDF.
The Archer features a slightly loose silhouette but it's more fitted around the bust so it's still very feminine, even though there are no darts. I love the dainty collar as well.
If you've never made a shirt before, this is a great one to start you off on your shirtmaking journey.
For more details and photos of my latest Archer, check out my blog post: http://patsypoomakes.blogspot.com/2019/09/sleeveless-archer.html

I had given up on store bought shirts ages ago: I wasn't ever able to find shirts that fit in the shoulder, bust, waist and arm length without a massive amount of tailoring. But then I rediscovered my sewing machine, met Grainline Studios and started sewing their perfect designs of staple wardrobe pieces.

I did make a wearable sleeveless toile with some leftover Japanese shirting to check sizing, and then sewed another one with sleeves to check fit before cutting into the pricey Liberty cotton lawn. I'm normally a size 4 but worried about shoulder and bust so graded up to a 6 in the shoulders and and graded back to a 4 for the body and sleeve cuffs. I added 2" to the sleeves but I think, with a less drapey fabric, I will cut to a size 4 all over and lengthen the sleeves by only 1".

The cuff shaping on view A is amazing. The pattern is easy to follow and a perfect day project for an intermediate sewer, maybe a weekend project for a confident beginner.

Highly recommended. I plan on making an entire wardrobe full of these.

I love a good plaid shirt and this pattern fits the bill perfectly. It's a great loose fitting shirt with minimal fitting issues, at lease in my case. My measurement fell right in the size 6 and I made no adjustment to the pattern. My next shirt will need some minor tweaks but this was a very successful make! The instructions are clear enough and Grainline has a great sew along to help with the tricky bits (the collar). Shirt making is a labor of love worth trying!

https://www.instagram.com/stitch.and.press.ahn/