Ben's Beach Shirt

A loose white linen shirt with ties, collarless, faced with blue and white stripes. . .

I thought it would be perfect for Ben as a beach shirt, but I wasn't sure I could pull it off with the patterns I had on hand.  I did!  And I did it one day, from cutting out the pattern to finished shirt!  And there are no distracting, amateurish goofs with accompanying regrets as usual.  I am very pleased with myself and plotting grander projects already.

The shirt is from this pattern, with the cuffs eliminated, the collar flipped inside as facing, the placket double-faced with a strip of blue stripes, between which I sandwiched the ties (just tubes, knotted close to the end) and topstitched Xs on top.  I had to plan carefully to make the facings with white linen and stripes so the stripes would not show through.  This was the first time I set in sleeves on a garment and there is just one  tiny mistaken tuck:  I'm proud of myself!

Ben happily wore the shirt, but refused to cooperate with my modeling suggestions, choosing instead to stand on top of an outdoor storage box in dim light, looking serious and pouty. I don't mind: he's finally outfitted for the beach.