Colour-blocking fun meets effortless style with our new Bertie shirt!
Bertie has everything you need for a casual, cool look. Designed with a loose fit, it features a bold box pleat at the back for extra movement and ease. The front is finished with a classic yoke, playful topstitched pockets, buttons, and a collar with a stand that’s a little wider than usual for a modern touch.
Bertie comes with roomy, elbow-length sleeves and a softly rounded hem. This design truly shines when you let your creativity run free—mix and match different fabric colours and thread shades to make Bertie your own!
We wish you a lot of fun with your new shirt!
Pin the front yoke to the front, right sides of the fabric together and stitch. Finish the seams together with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press the seam upwards.
Add a decorative topstitch on the front yoke, just next to the edge you just stitched. Then add a second row of stitching approximately 0,75 cm from the first row.
Finish the sides and bottom of the pocket with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press 1 cm of the top to the wrong side. Press another 3 cm to the wrong side and stitch next to the edge. Press 1,5 cm of the bottom and sides to the wrong side of the pocket.
Align the top of the pocket with the two markings on the front, making sure it sits neatly against the edge of the front yoke. Pin or baste in place. Stitch the pocket to the front close to the edge. Start at the top on one side and stitch all the way around until you reach the other side of the pocket. Pivot at this corner so you can sew a second row of stitching approximately 0,75 cm from the first. Finish at the same point where you started. In the picture you can see that we have stitched on the pocket later on in the process. We take pictures while we are making the samples, and sometimes we change the instructions later on.
Make the box pleat in the back. Work on the right side of the back. Place the two markings at each end of the pleat together, by putting the marking that’s closest to the centre back on top. Pin in place, then do the same for the other side. Secure the pleat by stitching approximately 1 cm parallel to the top.
Pin the back yoke to the back, right sides of the fabric together and stitch. Finish the seams together with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press the seam upwards. If you prefer to line the back yoke, you can use the “burrito method” (not included in this pattern).
Add a decorative topstitch just next to the edge you just stitched. Then add a second row of stitching approximately 0,75 cm from the first row.
Pin the side and shoulder seams of front and back, right sides together. Stitch in place and finish the seams with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press towards the front.
Interface the button placket with a strip of 8 cm wide, at 1,5 cm from the edge (so the seam allowance is not interfaced). Press the button placket in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Fold back open and press one of the long sides 1,5 cm to the wrong side.
Pin the long, unpressed side to the front with right sides together and stitch in place. Press the seam allowances towards the button placket.
Press 2,5 cm of the hem to the wrong side. Fold back open, then press half of this hem allowance to the wrong side. Fold the button placket in half lengthwise along the crease, with right sides together. Stitch along the previously pressed hem fold, parallel to the hem. Make sure the pre-pressed seam allowance of the button placket stays in place. Carefully trim the corner.
Fold the button placket into position and push out the corners. Pin the pre-pressed seam allowance to the inside of the front. Then pin the hem in place all the way around.
Close the button placket by topstitching 0,5 cm from the seam line, through all layers. Then add a decorative topstitch on the other side of the button placket, 0,5 cm from the edge.
Stitch the hem of the shirt in place close to the edge. Start next to the button placket.
The interfaced part of the collar is the top collar, the under collar is not interfaced. Trim the short ends and the long outer edge of the under collar by 2 mm. Pin both collar parts right sides together and stitch all around at 1 cm seam allowance, but leave the bottom seam open. Trim the corners and turn inside out. Press nicely flat and make sure the top collar slightly overlaps the under collar.
Press 1 cm of the inner collar stand, the one that’s not interfaced, to the inside. Pin the top of the inner collar stand to the open, bottom side of the top collar, right sides of the fabric together. The markings at the top of the collar stand match the beginning and end of the collar. Now pin the interfaced outer collar stand to the under collar in the same way. Pin the curved edges of the stands together and stitch the top side at 1 cm seam allowance. Do not stitch the pre-pressed seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance at the curves to reduce bulk. Turn the collar stand right side out and press.
Pin the seam of the collar, the one that hasn’t been pressed, to the neckline of the shirt, right sides of the fabric together. Make sure the markings of the center back and shoulder seams match. Stitch at 1 cm seam allowance. Press the seam allowances towards the collar.
Turn the collar upwards and pin the pre-pressed seam of the collar to the inside of the neckline. All seam allowances disappear inside the collar. Trim the corners if necessary. Topstitch the collar into place just next to the edge on the collar stand, through all the layers. Work at the right side of the shirt. You can also stitch along the entire shape of the collar stand, finishing exactly where you started, but this is a bit more challenging. Press nicely flat.
Finish the side seams of the sleeves with an overlock or by zigzagging. Pin the right sides together and stitch. Press the seams open.
Pin the sleeve into the armhole, right sides of the fabric together. Make sure the markings match. The single marking indicates the front, the double one the back. Divide the fabric evenly between the markings of the cap of the sleeve. Baste to avoid false pleats and stitch in place. Finish the edges together with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press the seam allowances towards the sleeve.
Press the hem of the sleeve 2,5 cm to the wrong side. Then press half of this seam allowance to the inside. Stitch in place close to the edge.
Make the buttonholes in the right button placket at the markings. Sew the buttons on the left button placket.
Give your new shirt a nice press!