Fitted Shirt (Hobbycraft Made to Measure)
This shirt is made from a now-defunct Hobbycraft Made to Measure pattern. The idea was brilliant: you entered your measurements into an app and received a PDF pattern customised for your size and shape. It meant all the usual quirks ā height, shoulders, bust ā were accounted for. Sadly the app has since closed down, which is a real shame. Iām glad I downloaded my patterns before it disappeared.
Pattern adjustments
Although the pattern was made to measure, it still needed a fair few tweaks:
The shoulder yoke came out too wide, so I took out ½Ⳡfrom each side.
To balance this, I added ½Ⳡinto the sleeve length, above and below the elbow.
The torso, oddly, was too fitted. I added ½Ⳡat each side seam from the armscye down (a total of 2Ⳡacross the body).
So even a ācustomā pattern isnāt always perfect ā but with some adjustments, it worked out well.
Fabric and style
Iāve made several versions of this shirt, which shows how versatile the pattern is. A couple have a stand collar (just the band, no upper collar), and a couple more where I extended the stand collar to make a tie-neck. The pattern handled all sorts of fabrics nicely:
lightweight cotton
broderie anglaise
a cotton viscose with gold dobby spots from Fabric Godmother ā my favourite of the lot.
Notes on sewing
Sleeve placket and cuff: I swapped in my own drafted pattern. The original worked fine, but I prefer my version because it suits the way I roll my sleeves up at work.
Buttons: I use blossom-shaped buttons from an eBay seller on all my shirts and blouses ā theyāre a nice finishing touch.
Pressing: Absolutely key for shirts. Press the yoke out carefully, and use a tailorās ham to shape the sleeve head. It makes all the difference to the final finish.
Final thoughts
This pattern is such a useful base for shirts, and Iām glad Iāve made several. With the adjustments, itās become a reliable fit for me, and the variations in collar and fabric keep each one feeling different. A real shame the app no longer exists ā it had a lot of potential.













