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The American Beauty Shirt — Butterick 6771 - Marcy Tilton Fabrics

The American Beauty Shirt — Butterick 6771

by Katherine Tilton
Butterick 6771 is one of my favorite patterns to make. It’s great in a solid while offering numerous design options for combinations of prints, patterns and/or textures. I’m all in with shirts these days.

Pattern adjustments I made for myself:

  • lengthened it to my liking
  • added a full bust adjustment
  • added a pattern piece for a simple fold back cuff with a slit
  • snuck in a pocket on each side —
  • added one pocket in the left front, suspended within the side panel
  • added one pocket the in the right front, ending at the band seam



I work intuitively when planning how to cut each pattern piece when using a print, especially one like this that has so many options. The stripes would work best by my face rather than the flowers so I laid things out accordingly. For the collar and stand and the sleeve cuffs I wanted one side to be more striped and the other side to have some flowers showing. I had enough fabric to allow for mistakes but this time it all worked the first time (and trust me, things don’t always work the first time as you probably know). When making these cutting decisions I know I can’t ‘think’ too much or it becomes crazy making. I just have to do it.

A suggestion is to stand in front of a full length mirror and hold the different parts of a fabric up by your face. Move the designs around to different parts of your body. Where does a print or color look best? If you love a part but it doesn’t work with your coloring will it work on the band? The back? Or the side front?

Happy sewing!



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