My Finished Tunic from McCall Pattern M5009

Here it is, my first handmade shirt.

Pattern: McCall M5009

Size: 28W tapered to 30W on bottom. (For the uninitiated, most pattern sizes have much higher numbers than ready-to-wear.)

Lessons Learned: The first rendition of this shirt was much too big and the shoulders hung halfway down my upper arm. If I had taken the time to try it on when I basted it, I would have saved myself a lot of seam ripping. A dress form would’ve helped more, and making the pattern from muslin first would have been best.

Will I Use This Pattern Again? Probably not. I love the shirt but once is enough.

And here I am with my messy little boy, Benjamin.