I set myself a sewing challenge to start the year off right 😂! 

As you saw in last week's article, my year 2025 was very busy.

I had a little regret... not having had time to sew for pleasure and especially for do pleasure. For several years, I have sewn my entire wardrobe but I also really enjoy sewing for my boyfriend's wardrobe: jeans, sweatshirts, and especially nice shirts!

In 2025, the poor thing was completely neglected 🥲! Even though he is very kind and told me "it's okay, you have a lot of work," I felt a little pang in my heart. I really wanted to make him happy and sew him a nice shirt for his January 2nd birthday.

Even though I had this project in mind since October...

Problem: Monday 12/29 the shirt was still in pieces, the pattern pieces still pinned to the fabric in my workshop. Without hesitation, I rolled up my sleeves and I'll tell you about my first sewing challenge of the year and I'll take the opportunity to give you some tips on shirts 😉

Let's go!

The shirts and the different models

After making shirts for my boyfriend for several years, I created a shirt pattern adapted to his body shape and especially to his preferences.

Monsieur knows what he wants 🤣. I'll explain below.

For those who would like to sew a nice men's shirt, I recommend the following models:
- Les beaux gosses: the elegant and the surfer
- Iam Patterns: Aimé plus it is unisex
- CaPaCha: Silex that goes up to 6XL
- Lamericana: Réglisse which goes from size 32 to 52
- Lot of things: Parker (which is also unisex), Ricard and Salazar

For women's shirts, I recommend:
- Coralie Bijasson: Adeline, Narcisse and Effigie
- Clématisse pattern: Jane and Albane
- Iam patterns: Irma, Barbara, Hermès, Lucienne (perfect for absolute beginners)...
- ...

Shirt fabric

Once the patterns are selected, you have to choose the fabrics! 

The classics are oxfords, and we have several from Atelier Brunette of very fine quality. Men's shirts can also be made in cotton poplin, often striped, checked and for the more daring, patterned! 

I prefer to make them in Japanese fabrics: a guarantee of quality but also originality.

Fortunately, Gaetan dares to wear patterns, so I don’t hesitate to offer him more original shirts. For those less adventurous, I suggest starting with small touches like a collar and cuffs; it always makes a nice impression! 

The only thing to watch out for when using Japanese fabrics is the width, which is generally 110cm. So you need to increase the yardage; otherwise, you won’t be able to "fit" all your pieces!For reference, for Gaetan I need 2.3m of Japanese fabric.For a shirt for me, I take 2m.

My sewing challenge

As I said earlier, the idea of the shirt had been in my mind since October but as you know, the end of the year was quite busy! 

At the beginning of December, I cut the shirt from the fabric that had been catching my eye for a while... I really like the little cherry blossom petals on the dark blue fabric. 

And then, the fabric waited... until I was 72 hours away from the birthday 😱! 

I’m telling you about the sewing on purpose. 

Tuesday 30/12 between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.: I mark my notches, sew the back yokes, interline the collar, collar stand, button placket, and cuffs, and sew the button plackets.

Wednesday 31/12 between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.: I sew the collar, attach the back and front pieces at the shoulders. I close the sides of the shirt with flat-felled seams. Between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.: I attach the collar to the shirt, assemble the cuffs. 

Thursday 1/2 between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.: I make the sleeve slits and pleats. I close the sleeves with flat-felled seams and attach the cuffs. I set the sleeves into the shirt.

I finish with a hem. 

I select 3 types of buttons compatible with the shirt that I slip into the envelope with the birthday card. I really like letting Gaetan choose the buttons for his shirt. I also ask him where he wants to place the first button because he is quite "picky" about that 🤣

I wrap the shirt in pretty gift paper...

Friday 1/2: I give him his shirt 

Phew, he likes the fabric and chooses his buttons. 

I make the buttonholes on the button placket and cuffs in the evening after work, done in an hour. I sew the buttons in the evening on the couch. 

Ta-da, it’s ready! 

Shirt challenge: 45 minutes cutting and 7 hours express sewing and 30 minutes hand sewing the buttons

Clearly, I couldn’t have gone faster and it was really at a sprint 🤣 but I’m very proud to have finished the gift on time. 

How to save time?

"I don’t have time" is often the phrase I hear most at the workshop and in the shop. Me, I’m more the type to say we choose the quality of our time. 

I could have spent time doing something else. Actually, and unfortunately, I don’t have little elves who clean, do laundry, handle supplier orders at night... but I can also be a few hours late on these tasks 😏... it’s not a big deal! 

And then, I have a few tips and tricks to share with you to save time. 

1. Cut your project by steps and tasks

Instead of trying to do everything at once, break tasks into small pieces...

Only have 20 minutes? I interface all the pieces or overlock all my pieces

Got 45 minutes? I sew part of the garment and it’s okay if it’s not finished...

I always try to do the same tasks by grouping them (interfacing, overlocking, topstitching, ironing...)

I also always try to work symmetrically = make the two same pieces at the same time

For example, I pin the right and left button plackets and then sew both at the same time to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth between different workstations. 

2. Prepare your materials in advance

Prepare your bobbin well filled with thread of the right color, especially when starting buttonholes! 

Prepare the serger threading with cones of the right color.

Have all the necessary materials on hand for the sewing project you want to do. 

By the way, a good tip: buy all the materials you need when you go to the haberdashery. There’s nothing more annoying than wanting to sew and not having the right fusible interfacing on hand, an invisible zipper, or pretty buttons, especially when you actually have the time! 

3. Tools that save time

We can’t say it enough but good tools save time!

The pair of good scissors that cuts like butter (even thick wool), a pair of embroidery or thread snipping scissors that are very sharp, a good seam ripper, good quality thread (that doesn’t break)... It changes sewing! 

What also helps me a lot since I got it is the buttonhole ruler.
Honestly, for shirts, it saves a crazy amount of time!
No more need to calculate and mark the spaces between buttonholes. 

I love it! 

4. Don’t feel guilty or compare yourself but move forward at your own pace

A small step is better than no progress at all! Everyone moves forward at their own pace depending on their experience and abilities. 

Don’t take others or sewing influencers as examples... like me 🤣 7 hours to sew a shirt is fast but it’s normal when you’re on your fifteenth or twentieth shirt; I’ve lost count. 

Also know that:
- some sewing influencers work part-time (or even have no other job alongside) and therefore have more time to devote to sewing

- more and more sewing influencers complain about having to "do more and more" to be on social media and have good stats...

It’s honestly quite the opposite of what sewing should be... a moment of pleasure for yourself, useful, and for consuming better with full awareness. 

So, we move forward at our own pace without pressure, and with a smile like Gaetan with his new shirt! 

Here’s my first sewing episode of the year! 

This is a little sewing project for Gaetan, and it makes me really happy to have spent a few hours sewing for him. 

I hope you enjoyed this "behind the scenes" format because I have more article ideas on this theme for 2026. If you want to know a bit more about the sewing and organizational behind the scenes of C'est du Joly, don’t hesitate to tell me 😁

See you next week for more adventures! 

Until then, get your needles ready!