Ana Crisp Linen Shirt Tutorial and Free Pattern
Dreaming of spring on these cold winter days? Why not bring a little vernal touch with Ana, our delicate blush pink linen shirt?
We love the way this minimalist shirt combines a feminine silhouette with design details like a mandarin collar and vintage ivory buttons while the cargo patch pockets on the front create a catchy counterbalance with a hint of military influence. Ana is a perfect wardrobe piece for a modern woman!
Materials
1.5 yards of IL042 894 – FS Premier Finish – 100% Medium Weight Linen
Matching sewing thread, 7-8 buttons, fusible interfacing (for the collar and the button bands)
Tools
Pattern paper, pen, fabric marker, scissors, pins, seam ripper, chalk, ruler, buttonhole foot, needle, sewing machine
Time
4-5 hours
Difficulty
Advanced Beginner
Pattern
You can access the multi-sized printable PDF blouse pattern by following this link HERE
For the mandarin collar, draw your own pattern following the instructions in THIS tutorial.
Steps
Note: Prewash your fabric and tumble dry it until it is still slightly moist, dry at room temperature. Iron the fabric so it is easier to work with.
1. Let’s start with the button bands. First, you’ll need to apply the fusible interfacing to the wrong sides of your front pieces 3/8” (1 cm) from the raw edge.
2. Fold the non-interfaced 3/8” (1 cm) seam allowance to the wrong side and press.
3. Fold 1″ (2,5 cm) of fabric to the wrong side so all raw edges are concealed inside the button band. Press and pin.
4. Stitch as close to the folded edge as possible (remember to backstitch). Press the finished button bands to ensure the fabric sits flat.
Repeat with the other button band.
5. It’s time to attach the cargo patch pockets to the front of your shirt. We have a great tutorial HERE that explains how to do it.
Place your pockets 2,25 ” (5,5 cm) from the button band outer edge and 3,5″ (9 cm) from the bottom hem.
Topstitch in place:
6. Pin the front and the back of your shirt right sides together at the shoulders.
7. Sew the shoulder seams right sides together at 3/8″ (1 cm) seam allowance, remember to backstitch. Trim the seam allowance down to 1/4″ (6 mm) and serge or zigzag the raw edges together to prevent the fabric from fraying. Press the seams flat folding the serged/zigzagged edges towards the back of your shirt.
8. Attach the mandarin collar following our detailed tutorial HERE.
9. Pin the sleeves to the armholes right sides together.
10. Sew at a 3/8” (1 cm) seam allowance. Serge or zigzag the raw edges together to prevent the fabric from fraying. Press the serged/zigzagged seam allowances up towards the sleeves.
11. Pin the sleeves and the side seams right sides together.
12. Sew the pinned edges at a 3/8” (1 cm) seam allowance and finish the raw edges with a serger or a zigzag stitch.
Press the seams flat folding the serged/zigzagged edges towards the back of your shirt.
13. Finish the sleeve openings with a rolled hem. Fold the fabric twice towards the wrong side, 3/8″ (1 cm) to 1/2 inch (1,3 cm), press, pin and stitch.
14. Finish the bottom hem the same way you finished the sleeves: fold the fabric twice towards the wrong side, 3/8″ (1 cm) to 1/2 inch (1,3 cm), press and pin. Make sure the two button bands match. The best way to do so is to overlap and pin the two button bands together and then start folding the fabric from where they meet at the bottom.
15. Stitch as close to the folded edge as possible to finish the bottom hem.
16. Lastly, sew the buttonholes and attach the buttons.
For the buttonholes, you can follow our detailed tutorial HERE. As for the buttons, check our tutorial HERE for instructions.
The number and the spacing are really up to you. If you want your buttons closer, just leave smaller gaps between them. We decided to space our buttons 2,5″ (6 cm) apart. Overlap the shirt and place a pin into the center of each buttonhole. This is where you’ll need to attach the buttons.
Give your shirt a good press and you are all done!
Why not check out all the other colors we have and play around with all the possibilities you can find? Remember that you can always add a personal touch to this shirt by using a contrasting color for the patch pockets.
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31 Comments
Kelly Potocki
Hi Lauren,
I would like to add a standard collar for this shirt. Could I use the Mandarin collar included in this pattern as the collar stand and draft the collar fall based on it?
Thank you!
Kelly
Lauren Linen
Yes you can Kelly 🙂
This tutorial will help you do it also:
https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/09/05/sewing-glossary-how-to-draft-and-sew-a-shirt-collar-tutorial/
Isabel Liganor
i just want to say thank you for making these kinds of patterns free for DIY sewists such as myself. I’ve already sewn 2 of your patterns so far, the latest one being the Ana-Sofia Skirt. This blouse will be my next sew and im looking forward to sharing photos soon. 🙂
Lauren Gates
Our pleasure Isabel, and thank you so much for your kind words. We truly look forward to seeing your shirt! Happy sewing <3
Lisa Zettl
hej hej, I cannot find out, if seam allowance is included in the pattern or not. thanks for your help
Lauren Gates
Hej Lisa! Yes all of our multi-sized .pdf patterns, including the Ana Shirt, include seam allowance 🙂 Happy Sewing
Fay
Hello Rima, i would appreciate the measurements for the cargo pockets above. I have never made them before and would like to add them to shirt that am making like the one above. I guess the measurements for it would be up to you but just to start off i would try your measurements,
Rima Khusainova
Dear Fay, the pocket is 11″ tall and 7″ wide with a 5″x4″ opening. Plus you need to add 1/2″ seam allowances around all edges. You can have a look at the diagram here – https://www.dropbox.com/s/g3kwje49qfz04z0/Mandarin%20Collar%20Shirt%20With%20Cargo%20Patch%20Pockets.pdf?dl=0
Margot
What are the properties of the Premiere finish?
Rima Khusainova
Premier Finish is much softer to the touch and feels extremely smooth against your skin. It is a slightly finer middle weight linen but still opaque so no lining is required.
mccandlessquilts
Thank you so much for the pattern. I am thinking that this would be beautiful made in guaze also.
Rima Khusainova
It would look lovely in gauze! Very feminine and comfy!
Joyce Langevin
Thank you for this shirt pattern. I am looking forward to making the pattern, but cannot find the Part 2 Section which shows how to add the darts for the bust line. I don’t know how to allow for the extra material needed.
Rima Khusainova
Dear Joyce, sorry for the delay in getting back to you! We have just posted a great tutorial that explains how to adjust a pattern for a fuller bust and add bust darts. Here it is: https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2017/01/10/sewing-glossary-full-bust-adjustment-tutorial/
Christine
I just want to say THANK YOU for all the time it took to put this pattern and instructions together… for FREE!! And after reading some of the comments… remember what Doris Day once said, Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty. Merry Christmas!
Rima Khusainova
Thank you so much for these kind words Christine! Merry Christmas to you too!
Cynthia Martin
Cute shirt. I love crisp linen shirts. Pattern seems pretty straightforward and easy to recreate. However, I’m wondering why you chose to lap the button placket with left over right. Personal choice? I was taught this little adage many, many years ago, “Women are alway RIGHT; men are LEFT over.” To help remember which way shirts should lap.
Rima Khusainova
Hi Cynthia and thank you for the comment! Yes, of course you are right – women’s shirts overlap to the right but I made a mistake when started sewing buttonholes and it was too late to change when I noticed. So sorry about the confusion. I’d say it’s not that important nowadays but the tradition does put women’s buttons on the left and buttonholes on the right.
TerriSue
This is not sending to the right pattern.
Rima Khusainova
Thank you so much for letting us know! It’s all fixed now.
Collette Batten
Thank you. I see the open sleeves might just make it easier to do a French seam.
Rima Khusainova
Sure! French seams is a good idea!
Jane Bordzol
Why in heaven’s name do you insist on posting pictures in your tutorial that are impossible to see. This picture, a white linen blouse against a very light background makes it impossible for me to decide if I even like the pattern. Use some common sense please; white/light against darker backgrounds!
Rima Khusainova
Thanks for your comment Jane! We’ll do better next time.
Fay
Why are people so mean
jane
How about a linen shirt for REAL women? This model is flat as a pancake and needs no darts at all. It just won’t work for me or anyone I know. I love the linen and the shirt, but please make it work for us.
G. A. Lawrence
You know for someone whom is put on weight but doesn’t need the darts, your comment bothers me. I am a REAL woman but if I don’t need darts, I am not? Not everyone has lots of boobs.
Judith Janes
I know my vision isn’t what it used to be, but I find that your photographs accompanying your tutorials are not helpful. Either they show few details of the clothing that the tutorial is supposed to help you make, or the model is photographed from such an angle that the neckline or some other essential detail is not visible. The photos today show no details at all! Is that a placket on the front? Who can tell? If you want people to order your fabrics and actually sew one of your tutorial items, it would seem that you would make the layouts more customer-friendly. Perhaps a sketch showing the clothing details would help, as is shown on the back of most clothing pattern envelopes.
Rima Khusainova
Dear Judith, you can find the pattern/sketch by following the link in the “Pattern” section. As for the front – it is finished with simple button bands rolled up twice and stitched in place. Hope this helps!
Trevor Murch-Lempinen
what a great pattern… thanks for the generosity folks… much appreciated in this day and age!
what I would love to see is a guys 3 button front, collared, pull-over shirt pattern that I can make in a nice natural linen as a work (as in non-dress) shirt with simple un-fussy detailing… not a tall order at all 🙂
cheers from Down Under and, again,thanks
Trevor
Rima Khusainova
Dear Trevor! Thank you very much for your comment and kind words! We’ll see what we can about about your request 🙂