I saw this fabric last summer while I was browsing at eQuilter.com and immediately fell in love with it. I bought enough for a shirt (obviously) but since it was almost fall I decided to put it away and wait for spring to make it. While it was sitting in my closet I started to form a vision of wearing it to go visit my mother, because I knew she would find it as delightful as I do. But, well… Now that can’t happen.

For a while I thought it would make me too sad to wear it and that I’d save it until next year. But last week I decided that I wanted to make it and wear it on my birthday. And it made me happy to wear it. It even makes me happy, and sad at the same time, to think, “Mom would have liked this.” Funny how our minds work.

I used this old McCalls pattern that I’ve had since the 80′s. It is actually meant to be a very loose shirt so it still fits with just a little bit of adjustment to accommodate the parts of me that have expanded more than other parts. It fits very well, not very loose but comfortable. When it’s on it hangs straight and doesn’t have those folds you see in the front.

The pattern includes the skirt, pants and tank top but all I’ve ever made out if it is the shirt and I will probably use that at least a few more times.