As soon as I finished my first Saint shirt a little while ago, I knew I wanted another. The boxy shape and slightly exaggerated details really appeal to me. When a lightweight wool in navy and blue micro checks turned up in Metermeter’s web shop it was meant to be because a shirt in light wool is a luxury worth giving some effort.

When I started sewing my own clothes as a teenager back in the 80’s, I had a part time job in a fabric shop which also fueled my interest and was my major source for materials. I learned so much about different weights and qualities from handling the various rolls of fabric, and I spent hours dreaming of what to make while at work. At the time it was still quite common to sew one’s own clothes, but the interest from the public was dwindling. When globalization gained pace and everyone got access to cheap mass produced clothing, most fabric stores in Norway were closed and the availability of fabrics for the home sewing marked became very limited. This happened to “my” little shop, too. It closed it’s doors in the nineties.

Depending on where you live, access to interesting fabrics at a reasonable price can still be limited. I do always prefer to shop in person if possible, but a well equipped webshop is a really good substitute. For the past year or so I’ve been subscribing to fabric samples from Metermeter, a Danish fabric shop which must be among the more popular in the sewing community in Europe. The combination of good and precise information on their website and the monthly sample box is as good as it gets when shopping online, plus they offer postage at a very reasonable price. I have never ever been disappointed in any fabric I’ve bought from them – there are no strings attached, just the opinion of a happy customer.

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The fabric I chose for my second Saint shirt is, as mentioned, 100% wool. It is smooth, doesn’t itch at all, and it weights only 138 GSM. Because it’s wool it takes pressing beautifully, and it is warm without being hot. It has some body, drapes really well and is perfect for shirts and dresses. The only thing I regret is not getting more while I had the chance, because it’s sold out by now. Being deadstock, it’s not going to be restocked. There will always be more fabric, but this one I will cherish for a long time.

The pattern is from the book SY by Ann Ringstrand, previously reviewed on this blog. The construction is quite classic, maybe with the exception of the sleeves which are designed in two pieces. The low pocket placement is important, and I think the slightly larger collar balances out the design very well.

I made a couple of small adjustments to this one: The shirt-tails are quite long with a challenging curve at the side seam. To prevent the fabric from ripping at those seams I finished the hems before I closed the sides, and I like how it turned out. I left the sleeves at their original length on this one to see if I liked them more, but the body is shortened by four centimeters, exactly as on the first one. I’ve blogged about my first version here. Next time I think a band collar could be an interesting alternative?

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This was my first make of 2021. What a strange year 2020 was. Now onwards to 2021 – it will be a better one.

Pattern: Saint shirt size S
Fabric: Deadstock wool from Metermeter
Time: One day
More about the book SY and my other makes from it