Kalle Shirt ft. Indiesew Flannel
This post is my honest opinion using fabric I received free of charge from Indiesew.
Well folks, we’re knee deep in flannel shirt weather, and this letter board pretty much sums up why I tend to stay away from the seasonal staple. I always love flannels on others, but never quite feel as feminine as I’d like to in the look myself. However this year I was determined to crack the flannel shirt, and I’m happy to say I finally have something I’m excited to wear with my new Kalle long sleeve shirt in comfy flannel from Indiesew.
Indiesew has carried some beautiful flannels (like this one and this one) but when I saw this white + black windowpane flannel I knew I had to have it for my button up. It obviously has the plaid vibe, but with more of a refined edge thanks to the minimal windowpane design, and its a pattern I’ve wanted to add to my wardrobe for a while. And as much as I love color, day to day I tend to wear black and white the most, so this fabric fit the bill. Unlike your average flannel that’s brushed on both sides, this one is a twill weave with only one brushed side, which opened up options for styling as well—left alone after a wash the slightly wrinkled, softer texture works for a lived in, casual look, but with a good press the twill weave looks great dressed up too. Unfortunately this fabric is currently out of stock but this one is a very similar windowpane flannel.
I decided to go with the Kalle shirtdress by Closet Case Patterns for my button up, simply because I already had the pieces prepped from making my rayon Kalle dress in September and I wouldn’t have to prep a new pattern, aside from the long sleeve expansion that I was adding. Because I wanted a more traditional shirt, I made a length in between the cropped and tunic versions, still with a bias hem.
I made the same size I did before (size 16) however I soon realized I was going to have to make some adjustments for the flannel. While I was satisfied with the amount of ease in my dress version because of the drape from the rayon, that ease unfortunately translated to a rather tent-y, oversized shirt in the sturdier flannel. I ended up taking in the sides about 1” each to slim it down a bit which, while I wasn’t super thrilled about unpicking seams and topstitching to make the adjustments, I’m so glad I did and now have a shirt I actually want to wear. So two lessons here! Fabric choice will affect the fit of patterns you may have made before, and sometimes its worth the extra effort to get it just how you want it.
Of course taking in the sides cut in to the drastic curve of the hem, however I chose not to recut the hem and I’m actually quite satisfied with the more traditional shape and I think it suits my style a little better.
Something I didn’t pick up on when looking at photos of the long sleeve expansion before making it was the sleeve cuff design. The cuff is actually extra long and folds over itself, almost like a french cuff. When I first tried on my shirt and noticed this detail I wasn’t quite sold, but now I actually really like it. It gives a more casual feel similar to the J Crew sleeve roll while maintaining the longer length and coverage. While this is a unique detail for the Kalle sleeve expansion, it can totally be made with a more conventional cuff by simply shortening the cuff length.
Also, if you’re hesitant to try the long sleeve expansion because of the tower placket, don’t fear! Of all the button ups with tower plackets I’ve made, this one came out the neatest. The pattern piece design and instructions are awesome and gave me my favorite sleeve placket to date.
I am so excited to have this flannel Kalle in my closet this season and it has me feeling optimistic about trying some other flannel shirts—maybe a cheyenne tunic or archer button up that I’ve had on my to-try list for foreverrrr!
Any other fall closet staples I should consider? What’s keeping you cozy this season?
