The Vernon Shirt is here! This curve-friendly button-up sewing pattern with a gape-free design is here to revolutionize your wardrobe. Get inspired to sew your own with 7 Vernon Shirts from makers in our community.

Busty sewists, it’s time to reclaim the button-up! If you have big boobs, you know that it’s VERY hard to find a button-up shirt that doesn’t gape in the front. Having a shirt that you can rely on to fit and feel good throughout the day is essential.

That’s where the Vernon Shirt comes in: the Vernon is a darted button-up with multiple sleeve, collar and placket options to help you create the gape-free shirt of your dreams. Whether you want to go classic or trendy, the Vernon can do it all. This sewing pattern comes in sizes 0-32 and cup sizes C-H.

We know how helpful it can be to see a new pattern on different bodies, so we recruited 6 makers to create their own Vernons. One maker whipped up two, so we have 7 spiffy shirts to admire. Let’s take a look!

Leighanne’s Vernon Shirt

Leighanne made two different Vernon Shirts: one with fun color-blocking details out of cotton poplin and the other out of velvet burnout lace (so impressive!). She made a size 18 G/H graded to a 20 waist and 18 hip, and her measurements are 43.5″ high bust, 50″ full bust, 42.5″ waist, and 45.5″ hip.

Here’s what Leighanne shared with us about the Vernon:

“This pattern is a game changer for curvy bodies! For the first time I have a shirt that doesn’t need to be safety pinned at the bust! I charged into making this as I often do, without really stopping to think that I haven’t made a proper formal collar before, nor covered button placket. I needn’t have worried though as the instructions really stepped through these more daunting elements so well. The pattern is, as always with Cashmerette, so perfectly drafted, neat edges etc it made me feel very confident. I love it.”

Read more about Leighanne’s Vernons over on her blog, and check out her makes on Instagram at @ohsewfearless.

Yvonne’s Vernon Shirt

Yvonne wanted to play up the romantic look of the Vernon, so she chose View B and a pink cotton poplin, and topped it off with lace trim on the button band. She made a size 16 G/H with a 1″ FBA graded to a 26 waist and 20 hips, and her measurements are 41.5″ high bust, 47″ full bust, 46″ waist, and 49″ hips.

Yvonne shared this about her Vernon:

“I feel very accomplished having finished the shirt, it was a really satisfying make and now I have a beautiful shirt that I can wear with jeans or dressed up with a skirt. Despite having a covered button band it was fairly easy to make thanks to the clear and detailed instructions. This is a perfect shirt for a wheelchair user as it fully covers the back and has plenty of room for stretching and moving about. (The large cuffs mean there aren’t any bits of fabric flapping about to catch in the wheels if you are self propelling). The statement sleeves and collar detail also draw the eye away from the chair which I love.

Read Yvonne’s full review of the Vernon over on her blog, and see more of her makes over on Instagram at @thewheeliestitcher.

Angie’s Vernon Shirt

For her Vernon, Angie wanted to go for an oversized shirt that she could wear open, buttoned up, or tied at the waist. She went up one size to a size 14, and her measurements are 40″ full bust, 32″ waist, and 44″ hip.

Here’s what Angie told us about the Vernon:

“The sewing went well because the instructions were pretty straight forward. Wearing it seems pretty versatile.”

Follow Angie’s sewing journey on Instagram at @angiedenise_boutique.

Amanda’s Vernon Shirt

To the casual observer, Amanda’s Vernon looks like a lovely floral button-up, but there’s a special detail that only she knows about: a contrast undercollar in a Star Wars print! That’s the beauty of sewing our own clothes—we can add these special details just for us.

Amanda used a cotton lawn as a main fabric, and a quilting cotton for the undercollar. She made a size 16 G/H graded to a 12 hip, and her measurements are 40″ high bust, 45″ full bust, 38″ waist, and 40″ hip.

Amanda told us this about the Vernon:

“The pattern was fantastic, well-drafted and easy to follow. The wide collar and lantern sleeves were fun details to the classic button down shirt silhouette. I’m thrilled to have a no-gape button-down for the first time!”

See more of what Amanda’s sewing up on Instagram at @trashpandafashions.

Lynn’s Vernon Shirt

A chambray button-up might be one of the most versatile garments out there, and Lynn’s Vernon has the makings of a permanent wardrobe fixture. She used a tencel/cotton blend chambray and made a size 16 E/F with the full bicep sleeve, and her measurements are 40″ high bust, 45″ full bust, 40″ waist, and 43″ hip.

Here’s what Lynn had to say about her Vernon:

“Loved sewing this shirt—great not to have to do usual FBA & FB adjustments. Instructions were clear and straightforward to follow and everything came together well. Feels wonderful to wear with no gaping or restriction in movement.”

Follow Lynn’s sewing adventures on Instagram at @lynnsewsnow.

Anna’s Vernon Shirt

Every wardrobe needs a crisp white button-up, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring! Anna included the lantern sleeves and oversized collar of View B to give her white Vernon a special touch.

Anna made a size 12 C/D and her measurements are 37″ high bust, 40″ full bust, 30″ waist, and 41″ hip.

Anna shared this about the Vernon:

“Shirts are my favourite thing to sew, so it’s not a surprise that I really enjoyed sewing Vernon. Though it does have some surprising ordering of steps, I thoroughly enjoyed the sequence. I also love that the placket is a separate piece. I wore my Vernon out on a lovely spring day visit to the Botanic Gardens and it was the perfect Sunday outfit. Feeling chic yet relaxed as the fit is relatively loose through the waist and hips. The sleeves also have plenty of room and a very cool shape—definitely a statement piece in my wardrobe!”

See more of Anna’s makes on Instagram at @annatriestosew.

Sew your own Vernon Shirt

Feeling inspired to start sewing your own gape-free button-up shirt? Then let’s get going! Get your copy of the Vernon Shirt and tell us what you’re planning on making in the comments below.