Birthday Shirts

Birthday boy, having his second pandemic birthday!

For his birthday, I made his favorite (my favorite?): McCall's 6044. I made him two versions while I had blue thread on the serger! 

Both are his custom size, which I've been making him since the first time we made this pattern in 2014 (how has he stayed the same size and I have gone up like 3 sizes in that same time period?! how have I been sewing this same shirt since 2014?!). 

Namely it's a large in the shoulders, graded to somewhere between medium and large in the body and sleeves.

The first is made from a beautiful blue batik fabric I bought when I lived in Indonesia. I think, if I remember correctly, it's made with natural dyes.  

I cut the the button band and collar on the bias, but I'm not sure you can really tell because of the diamond shaped motif. 

I meant to use blue pearl snaps on this shirt but completely screwed up when applying them and had to pry them all off. Sigh. But the regular white pearl snaps work, too. 

The second version is cut from a lovely, soft crinkly cotton plaid that I snagged from the remnant table at Cotton House, one of my favorite shops when I lived in Bangkok. 

With this plaid, I cut the yoke (which is my own addition to the pattern), pockets, button bands, collar all on the bias for interest... also so I didn't have to match plaids too much. Work smart, not hard. 

Again with the pearl snaps. Hammering was feeling good this week, so I kept it up. 

I love both shirts- they turned out great! Tim seems pretty happy with them, too.