It’s not just Gaetan who deserves a great shirt for his birthday! 

I wanted one too, and not just any, because it had been on my to sew list for at least a year!
I have to say this shirt caught my eye... yes, I’m talking about Sirine by Cha Coud.
This beautiful shirt with ribbon insertion! 
I made a toile, which was much needed, before cutting into my beautiful Japanese fabric with little cats that I had completely fallen for when ordering from my suppliers in Japan.
I share my sewing adventure here. 

The pattern

Sirine is a lovely shirt perfect for all seasons depending on the fabric chosen. Wear it in spring with light little flowers, in autumn with darker patterns, in winter with a pretty mohair cardigan, and in summer in Belgium when the weather decides that 14°C is fine for July 😂
In short, for me, a shirt is worn all year round! 
The little extra of this pattern is obviously the insertion of ladder lace, lace, or ribbon (depending on your wishes) in the different cuts of the shirt.
This shirt is adorned with a pretty shirt collar, slightly puffed sleeves, and buttoned cuffs.
Its V-shaped cuts give it character and dress it up even more with the ladder lace.

Information for sewing this pattern

Sirine is available in sizes 34 to 52 in printed and PDF versions on our website and in store. 
The PDF version is available in A0 and A4 according to your printing preferences. 

To choose your size, prioritize your bust measurement.  To help you choose your size, here is the summary chart. 

In the seamstress’s basket

My supplies

As I mentioned earlier, I really fell for the vintage Japanese cat and flower fabric, I could really see a beautiful shirt made from this fabric! 

For me, it was the perfect match! 

So I cut 2.3m of this marvel. 

I hesitated a long time between black and beige ladder lace... finally choosing the brighter beige. 

I selected some buttons from my stash that are discreet because the pattern speaks for itself, some suitable fusible interfacing, matching thread, and cones. 

Then I thought I should make a toile to confirm the size... I admit I hesitated because with the ladder lace insertion, I knew it would be a long process... I could have saved time by skipping the insertion, yes, but I wouldn’t have gotten the full effect...

After some hesitation, I decided to make a toile anyway, but a wearable toile—that is, in a cheaper fabric and hoping that if it fits, I could still wear it! 

So I made a toile in a 3m printed and I’m glad I did; I explain this in my sewing experience below 😊. 

Technical points

The shirt is an intermediate/advanced level project and Sirine, with its ladder lace inserts, is aimed at an experienced audience. 

Indeed, the technical points are:

- sewing a shirt collar

- button placket with buttonholes and sewing on buttons

- inserting ladder lace

- adding a ruffle to the body and the cuff

- making a sleeve vent

- sleeve assembly 

- ...

My sewing experience

I chose size 36 by referring to the size chart to make my toile. 

I cut my pieces and assembled them according to Charlotte's explanatory booklet, everything went smoothly; until the second fitting 😱... disaster! Until I realized I had swapped two pieces: the back and front sides! It just goes to show that mistakes happen to everyone, and I should really follow the advice I give my students. 

That said, I was right to make a toile because I made the following modifications:

- widened by 1cm at the fronts for more chest ease

- widened at the hips 

- sleeve shortened by 3cm for my small arms 😂.

Will I wear my toile? Good question! I don’t know yet because I feel a bit tight in it... but I thank it a thousand times because thanks to it, I was able to make a shirt that fits me like a glove! 

For your information, here is my sewing timing after making the modifications on my pattern and cutting my fabric.

Thursday 9am-11am: I’m going for it! I remove my pins, overlock my pieces (and make sure to note which is which to avoid the same mistake). I interline all my pieces.

I prepare the button plackets and insert the first braids. 

I prepare the ruffles for the body and the lower cuffs. 

I sew the shoulders. 

I go to my favorite haberdashery to get beige braid and wish Mamie Crochet aka Céline a happy birthday, whose birthday is on the 19th. 

12:30pm-4pm: Back to the workshop. I insert the ladder stitches, sew the body ruffle. I sew the sides of the body and make sure not to make a mistake. I attach the button plackets prepared this morning. I sew the collar and collar stand.  I take care of the sleeves, I make the sleeve slits and insert the ladder stitch. 

I close the sleeves It's time to go eat Céline's cake and give her her gift! 

 5pm: I rush to finish my shirt in my workshop. I attach the sleeves to the body. I insert the cuffs. I make the buttonholes and sew the buttons.  One last hem and it's finished at 7pm.  

 Total sewing time: 7h30 of sewing 😊 and lots of pleasure watching this beautiful shirt come together that I like so much! The fitting is very satisfying, I love it ❤️. 

So, what do you think of this beautiful shirt?

Do you feel like sewing it?

Find all the Cha Coud patterns here

And if you want to learn how to insert braid, sew a shirt, or simply improve your sewing skills, find our course offer here.