When choosing fabrics for the Harrison Shirt, there are so many great options! Look for fabrics that are light to medium weight wovens and that have colors or patterns that fit your style. Here are a few of our favorite fabrics for sewing a gorgeous shirt:
Classic and Crisp – these options make great classic button down shirts, perfect for everyday wear
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Fun and Fresh – the Harrison Shirt is a great canvas for playing with fun prints. We love these modern, playful fabrics.
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Cool Chambray – a perfectly fitted chambray shirt will be something you reach for again and again! There are so many options when it comes to chambray; here are some fun takes.
Soft and Silky – Want a more luxurious Harrison? Feeling adventurous? Why not sew one in a silk crepe or rayon?
And finally, for one-stop shopping, don’t forget to check out our Harrison kits – they include the fabric, interfacing and the buttons you’ll need to make your next Harrison, and come with the option of a PDF or paper pattern, or without.
White & black scissors, black & white hares, chambray, and navy.
Which fabric are you going to use first? Do you have any questions for us about what will or won’t work for the Harrison?
OMG the ostriches
This is a question about the Harrison tutorial. I didn’t see anything in the lessons about fitting. Will you cover personal fitting before you start the other instructions/
Are you referring to the video class? If so, I cover choosing your size and grading between sizes in one of the lessons. I don’t plan on doing a blog sew along on the Harrison.
I want to make a flannel Harrison for winter, and found a lovely print on Etsy. When I clicked on the details, the seller described the fabric as quilting flannel, and it’s 108″ wide. I’m not worried about the width, but is quilting flannel going to be of sufficient quality to make a good shirt?
Hi Kristen – quilting weight will be OK, it will just affect the drape a bit, so the shirt will be more boxy than designed.
Thanks, Jenny! I think I’ll give it a shot. 🙂
I am almost finished my first Harrison and already planning a couple more – so excited to finally have a tailored shirt that fits my curves. I found a fabric that’s very similar to the black scissors on white which you sold as a kit. But I’m worried about matching the pattern.. Would really appreciate your thoughts about whether it’s necessary..
If there isn’t an obvious horizontal pattern then I wouldn’t worry about it! If you do want to match them up though, I wrote a tutorial on how to do that here: http://curvysewingcollective.com/an-easy-way-to-stripe-and-plaid-match-on-shirts/
Thank you Jenny! A very simple solution to matching. I am returning to garment sewing after years of quilting and appreciate the clear instructions that your pattern and tutorials have.
I know this is an old post. I love the fit of the Harrison, but…
1) The first one I made, I used Kaufman London Calling lawn. And the button band separated from the shirt front on the first washing. I cried – it’s a tough repair. Any ideas on altering the front to use a folded, integrated placket or a facing instead of a separate placket? I like long sleeves of light fabric all summer, because you remember how Buffy the Vampire Slayer vampires go poof in sunlight? I’m not *quite* that bad, but it’s close.
2) Any ideas for using a convertible collar instead of the collar with stand? My granny prefers camp shirt style collars to collar stands (widow’s hump plus delicate, saggy neck skin make stands uncomfortable — but hey, she’s 94.) I *think* I can use David Page Coffin’s basics – draft the replacement collar, draft a facing – but I try to present her with wearable muslins rather than making her tolerate fittings, which can be tough on creaky joints.