Some of you may have seen my earlier McCalls M7956 review with the details on my first attempt. My initial version of the top was made with double gauze, and it was not ideal. I knew this pattern was exactly my style though and I didn’t want to give up so easily. So I made the top again, this time in a lightweight cotton shirting, and it turned out great! I used buttons by Tabitha Sewer and they turned a semi-boring button up into a super fun top.
The pattern & sizing
You can read more details about the pattern and the size I chose in my original review of the pattern. This pattern is listed as “easy”. While I do think its easier than some other button-ups that require plackets and a collar, if you’re an absolute beginner you might find some of the pieces challenging. Either way, I think its approachable if you’re willing to do facings, casings, and buttonholes. In terms of sizing, I chose a size 10 and my measurements are 32/26/35. The size guide recommended a 12 for me, but I probably could have sized down to an 8.
The fabric
Okay, so this is the important part because my last version of this top used double gauze and it ended up being kind of a nightmare to sew. This time I went with a really simple lightweight cotton shirting. Not only was it way easier to sew, but I think that the structure of the fabric just suits the look of the top more. The only complaint I have about the fabric is that its not as opaque as I would like, so you can see the details of the facings. Since the facing are so large, I find that they kind of distract from the top a bit. I’m almost tempted to make it again in the same fabric but a darker, more opaque color.
Making McCalls M7956
I didn’t run into many issues with the pattern this time. I feel like my second time around is always much smoother. However I did make a few modifications. While I like the wrist ties that the pattern calls for, I found that they just kind of got in the way when I wore the shirt. So I replaced the ties with elastic instead. I just measured the elastic length to be about the circumference of my wrist. I also changed the button layout a bit because I wanted to make sure to use all of the colors of the amazing Tabitha Sewer buttons. Other than that, I kept the pattern as is.
Final thoughts
My final review of the McCalls M7956 is that it’s a great wardrobe staple for me- great for work, but unique and cute enough that its not limited to work only. My first version was a bit of a sewing fail, but now that I’ve finally had some success with the pattern I think it may be a pattern that I repeat at least 1 or 2 more times.
