Pattern testing Shirt

The Bonn Shirt

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Once more I have been testing a new pattern for Kennis from Itch to Stitch – the Bonn shirt and dress. I really like being a tester for Kennis – her patterns are always well drafted and the instructions are thorough, even during the testing process. That’s not to say that there never is any need for changes, like this time with the Bonn shirt, but I always get the sense that Kennis knows what she’s doing and what she’s looking for when looking at in-progress photos. And that’s something I really appreciate as a tester.

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

The Bonn shirt (and the dress, too) has a mandarin collar and several sleeve lengths: short, 3/4, long and even a sleeve option with a flounce (I need to try that one, too!). The design has clean lines and is pretty simple, yet elegant and sophisticated, depending on the fabric.

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

I made my final version of brushed cotton twill from Miss Matatabi – the same fabric I used for my Camellia skirt and my Coachella shorts. I can’t believe that I managed to make three garments (OK, the shorts are pretty tiny…) out of three meters of 44″ wide fabric! I like the softness of the fabric is and the colour is perfect, too.

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Making a shirt is never the fastest sewing project, but the Bonn shirt is sewn pretty quickly, compared with other shirts. The folded part of the placket is part of the shirt front, which means less cutting and less sewing. The mandarin collar is sewn more quickly than a traditional collar with a “real” collar and a collar stand, and the sleeve placket is a continuous bound placket, which in my view is quicker to tackle than a regular placket (you know, the one with the pointy end).

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Thanks to Kennis’ advice I ended up with a very well-fitting shirt. After making a muslin (something I skip quite regularly…) I made the shoulders about 1 cm/3/8″ wider and lengthened the bodice at two different places, about 2,5 cm/1″ in total. I like how long and slim the shirt looks on me, I think it really suits my body type. Not just the fit in general, but also the neckline style.

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

I didn’t really know what kind of buttons I should use – I didn’t want to go too matchy-matchy, but didn’t want  the buttons to stand out too much, either. In the end I bought some bright blue and shiny buttons at the store – with the intention of using the back. I like the back of these buttons so much more than the front, and they work really well with the fabric. Don’t you agree?

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

Autumn is truly on its way up here and many days are quite cold already. Scarves and hats are already necessary on many days – and I think they’re actually lovely accessories for the Bonn shirt.

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

The wool scarf is one that I wear a lot – just beaten by this grey and black wool scarf that you can see on some of the photos of my Sanibel shirt in this blog post. And the hat is super local: It’s from the Norwegian brand Haddock, located in Lofoten, where my husband comes from, and made in the Himalayas.

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt

But enough of that – head over to the Itch to Stitch shop to buy your copy of the Bonn shirt! It’s still on sale, although not for long, since I was so late getting this blog post out to you…

Sew Mariefleur Itch to Stitch Bonn Shirt– This blog post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are, as always, my own. – 

7 comments on “The Bonn Shirt

  1. It looks beautiful! I really like the narrow cuffs with the big buttons. I never thought about using brushed twill for a shirt – it seems like it would be magically cozy though!

  2. Love the fabric and fit and pictures!

  3. Liebe Marie, das Shirt steht dir so wahnsinnig gut! Und mit dem Schal sieht es wirklich nach einem
    Wohlfühloutfit aus! Die Knöpfe und die Bluse harmonieren sehr gut und ich hätte ja gesagt, dass das ein Jeansstoff ist… Aber es sind halt doch nur Bilder….
    Liebe Grüße,
    Marina

  4. […] made the Bonn shirt before and I tested the Lonetree Jacket, so for this blog tour I decided to make a Toaster Sweater and the […]

  5. […] I tested the Bonn Shirt and Dress by Itch to Stitch, I wrote in my blog post that I needed to make many more Bonn shirts and dresses. It took me nearly […]

  6. […] patterns! I’ve sewn a Salamanca Cropped Jacket, two Lisbon Cardigans (here and here), a Bonn Shirt and a Bonn Dress, an Arenal Top, a Vientiane Skirt, a La Paz Blazer, a Zamora Blouse and a Lindy […]

  7. […] has been several years since I first tested the Bonn Shirt by Itch to Stitch. While testing, I made this flannel shirt, later on I made a dress version you all loved! So when the ladies from Hello Heidi Fabrics asked […]

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