Simplicity 2081, revisited

I recently finished up another version of vintage sewing pattern Simplicity 2081 for Douglas. Never mind that this was a promised garment for his birthday in 2014. Yes, it was a year late. You can see the first version (also a birthday present) here, if you like. What can I say, I like him in light blue!

I used a striped shirting from Colorado Fabrics (formerly Denver Fabrics), but I laid the pattern pieces crosswise so that the stripe would be horizontal instead of vertical. This time, I also followed the pattern's button layout and made the buttonholes horizontal, as instructed. Sometimes I feel like pattern-makers must know better, but usually when I'm uncertain about an instruction and I go with what the pattern says instead of my own gut instinct, I end up regretting it. The buttons don't go down far enough and it's just kind of weird to have horizontal buttonholes on a shirt! Oh well, we'll say it's authentic to the time period.

I actually painted and re-organized our spare room back in late January, and set up the most functional sewing area I've had in quite a while! So I've been getting a lot more sewing done(!!!). This is, of course, relative to how much sewing I was doing at this time last year, when Rosie was a newborn. Meaning, it's happening, as opposed to not. :) I'm good with that.