CHECK ME OUT! A relaxed Granville with a most awesomely invisible placket

Oh I am too FUNNY! I've made a checked shirt (yes checks, Australians don't say plaid) and I just love it. Over winter I tried to source some flannel in black and white, but wasn't prepared to buy online. I'm kicking Past Sarah. Normally she's pretty awesome and makes smart decisions but she left behind THE perfect Gorman fabric at Clear It a year or two back and I've never forgiven her. Anyway, I found this surprisingly lovely quality cotton check at Spotlight a while back and it had to do.

I used the Sewaholic Granville pattern, first sewn up here. Version 1 really is just a tiny bit too small across the bust, and I wanted this to be relaxed in fit, so I sized up 2 sizes in the bust to avoid popping my FBA cherry. Shoulders are a 10 (and I really could shave a little off I think, back to the 8), bust a 12 and hips are an 8 - crazy combination but it works marvellously for my shape in this pattern.

I didn't shorten the sleeves dramatically - I cut the length of the smallest size, and ended up taking slightly more off so that my cuff attachment aligned perfectly with the edge of the checks. We'll see after another wash but I think maybe another 2cm off would be perfect.

So the point of post really this is to shamelessly toot my own horn about the check matching. There is no humility here. I'm as proud as punch at that placket! I was very lucky that the width of the checks is exactly the width of the finished placket, and that's where I started when cutting out. I aligned the centre of the placket with the centre of the black checks and went from there - placket, front right, front left, then back piece. I stupidly forgot about the bust dart and nearly had a conniption before realising the dart was almost exactly a check wide at the side seam, and I was able to make it work. Match your checks below any bust darts people!

I actually cut this out back in August, and in a most untimely manner Tasia has written the most comprehensive range of posts on check matching for this specific pattern about a month later..... I couldn't possibly deal with the pressure needed to do tower plackets on the cuffs, so just did a bias trim, similar to the Archer shirt. Cuffs and the yoke were also cut on the bias for a bit of interest, and by very good luck the cuff checks pretty much match up perfectly! I did have one completely brain fade and neglected to cut the collar stand symmetrically. I didn't notice this until my collar was completely constructed and top stitched, and the idea of doing it all again from scratch made me want to cry so I've chosen to ignore it. It's not that obvious. Really.

The other major change was to cut the lower back piece as one, rather than with princess seams, again to make check matching less stressful but to also add to the relaxed fit. This was very straightforward - I used the centre back piece to establish the grainline, then pinned the back side piece with the seam allowances overlapped at the top and bottom. Seams were frenched except for the armscyes which were overlocked. I've whinged in the past about my rather dodgy collar stand attempts on previous shirts and this is my best yet. I managed to source a walking foot for my old Husky and it definitely helped - I used it to baste, then edge stitched without it as it makes a pretty raggedy looking top stitching line.

I rather love my little side seam 'tag' - a piece of neon bias binding bought from Purl Soho whilst on honeymoon a couple of years ago - a little pop of colour that makes me happy.

I'll mostly wear this with cuffs up and untucked, but if I feel like I want to pretend that I'm 24 and work in a cafe in East Brunswick I might wear it tucked into my high waisted jeans. I'm so satisfied with this shirt it's ridiculous!

What have you made lately that's making you feel extra smug?