classic shirt with handmade lace

I think we’ve all been there—those projects that seem to drag on forever, taking far longer than anticipated. This linen Classic Shirt adorned with handmade lace was definitely one of those. After years of procrastination, it’s finally done! The journey began years ago when my friend’s mother gifted me some exquisite handmade lace. She’s an artist in her own right, spending countless hours creating these delicate pieces. Whenever she visits her family in Madrid, she brings along her lace supplies, and I’ve always admired her dedication to the craft. Over time, she gifted me several meters of this lace, which I’ve been holding onto for just the right project. I made it a point to use it because I’ve seen too many heirlooms tucked away in drawers, never truly appreciated. I already have a collection of handcrafted doilies, tablecloths, and hankies passed down to me, but they remain largely untouched. If anyone has creative ideas for these, I’d love to hear them! Fast forward a few years, and the lace patiently waited through two major relocations, a divorce, renovating an apartment, my child heading off to college, and even dating a few people in between. Honestly, with everything else going on, it’s no surprise this project took so long. Last spring, though, I finally decided to create a Classic Shirt in linen, pairing it with the lace. I spent hours cutting the fabric, only to set it aside when my son came home for spring break. In the chaos, the lace went missing for months until I rediscovered it later in the year. By then, life had gotten busy again, so everything sat idle until August. Finally, I gathered everything together, carved out some time, and completed the shirt. I even added vintage buttons from my collection, believing the lace deserved such attention. As it turns out, handmade lace demands far more care than store-bought versions. Each time I wash this shirt, I have to starch, stretch, and press the lace meticulously. Even after all that effort, it tends to droop after a few hours. While it’s technically wearable with Jeans, I consider it more of a special occasion piece. It’s not something I’d want to be overly precious about, but it does require more maintenance than I initially anticipated. This explains why my friends avoid lace-trimmed bedspreads—it’s just too much upkeep! Still, I’m thrilled with how this shirt turned out, despite the challenges. My friend Pepa has incredible patience to make such intricate lace, but completing this project certainly tested mine in a different way. With my new sewing studio set up, managing projects like this should become easier moving forward. In time, I hope to learn how to make lace myself. Pepa has expressed willingness to teach me, but first, I need to secure my Spanish driver’s license, improve my language skills enough to fully grasp her instructions, and finish another round of sewing patterns. Let’s just say this blouse might be done before I master lace-making! Our Classic Shirt sewing pattern remains available in both paper and digital formats since many of you seem to love it as much as I do. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend giving it a go. It includes all the features of a classic button-down shirt, with cup sizes and unique techniques to ensure excellent results. Life is full of surprises, and sometimes projects like this remind us to embrace the process rather than rush the outcome. While I’m proud of finishing this shirt, I’m also grateful for the lessons learned along the way. Here’s to more creativity and fewer forgotten treasures!

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