Christina Albeck came a few weeks ago with a new design that needed to be tested. This Tropicana Shirt WBM patterns is the female version of the Tropical Shirt. So has this Tropicana Shirt a center back to create a more feminine silhouet. Sleeve slits and side slits, square or round pocket that you combine with a square or round collar as well. Elbow length sleeves or 3/4 length sleeves. And which version did I choose?

Er is ook een Nederlandse versie: het Wardrobe by Me Tropicana Shirt

Tropicana Shirt WBM patterns

My Tropicana Shirt version

I found a beautiful tropical print at Sikkes. Perfect to test the Tropicana Shirt WBM patterns. Made in size 6 (maat 36) according the finished  garment measurements. Before I went to buying fabric I looked at the fabric requirements (1,75 meter) and wanted to see if there was a more economical pattern lay-out. After 30 minutes I had found the perfect option and this was 1.20 meter. So this 0.55 meter less to store in the leftover fabric bin.

My version has short sleeves, one breast pocket and a square collar. I had to puzzle a while but as you can see the pattern of the fabric runs through breast pocket too. 

I used light blue yarn for the topstitching as well as for the buttons. 

The pattern

This pattern has 27 pages and is designed for height 172 cm. A great advantage if you’re just like me a little bit longer than the standerd 1.68 m designers mostly use. This patterns has a layer function so you can print just the one for your selected size. The pages are also trim-less. So no cutting before pasting. Seam allowances are added to the pattern. Ans last but not least: well written instructions accompanied by illustrations.

Time and Costs

Time: looking for a more economical pattern lay-out 30 minutes; pattern assembling 30 minutes; pinning the pattern on the fabric and cutting 45 minutes; stitching and finishing 7 hours
Costs: being a pattern tester this pattern was free for me; print- and assembling costs € 3,70; fabric € 7,14; yarn € € 3,50; interfacing for collar, front facing and pocket facing € 0,40; buttons € 2,00

My verdict

My closet became with this tropical shirt a little bit more colourful. This shirt is a pleasure to wear. The fit is perfect. It has a feminine style but still a casual look. Perhaps September will bring us some sunny days with enjoyable temperatures so I can wear my shirt. 

This Tropicana Shirt is a perfect for a confident beginners who is looking for a bit more challenging sewing pattern. You want to make this shirt too. The Wardrobe by Me Tropicana Shirt pattern is now on sale until September 4th and costs $ 9.50 in stead of $ 12.00. Not confident on sewing a convertible collar? Christine shows you in this YouTube video how to sew this type of collar step by step.

2 Comments on Tropicana Shirt WBM patterns

  1. That’s a fun shirt for Summer! Great pattern matching on your pocket, especially with such an economical pattern layout.

    • Thank you so much Sue. Making a perfect matching makes in my opinion the difference between RTW and handmade clothes. After sewing for about a year I had so much leftover fabrics. I always bought the amount giving in the patterns and so I decided to try to find a more economical pattern layout when I had to buy fabric for a specific pattern. Besides saving money it’s also a way to show a little bit more respect for the raw materials that are used to make fabrics.

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