Beachy Boatneck Pattern Flip : Basket Weave Sleeves

Update: The tutorial is posted here

This month's flip this pattern project was the Beachy boatneck. I fell in love with the design almost instantly and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this pattern. I just wasn't sure if I had the skills to do it.

I had to try a few different methods before a found one that worked well for me and the look I wanted. What ended up working best was creating an insert first, by sewing it to a sheet of printing paper and then sewing it into the sleeve. I also used and extra strip from the weave to create a sleeve binding. I couldn't be happier with the final results and more importantly Ashley loves it too.

I think this may even be one of her favorite shirts now. I choose projects based on what I want to sew, but I can't tell you how great it feels when the kids love something homemade as much as, or more than there favorite store bought clothes.

When I started this shirt I was planning on it being a muslin, but before I was even half way through I knew that it was going to be a keeper. It's cut from an over sized sleep shirt that I was gifted about 5 years a go and never wore.

Even though this shirt didn't stay a muslin, I am still planning to make one more for a Project Run and Play Sew Along. I'll be going up one size just so she has a little bit of room to grow into it. I'll also take some in progress pictures this time, so that I can post a full tutorial. Fair Warning. This is not a quick and easy project. While the Beachy Boatneck pattern goes together so easily on it's own, adding the basket weave insert can take a couple of hours per sleeve.

I think it was well worth the amount of time put into it and I am looking forward to doing it again. It's always fun to learn new skills and I would much rather spend a full day making a shirt that she loves, rather than a half hour making something that will get worn once or twice.