Finished - Sailors Top and Elise Tee

As we approach summer I've been trying to plug some wardrobe gaps, and one of those gaps was a few new t-shirts. I know making basics like tees can be a bit boring and many would rather spend that sewing time on something more interesting, which I understand, absolutely. But right now I just can't bring myself to buy them. I'm just so sick of poor quality, badly made, off grain t-shirts. And I'll be honest - I'm too tight to spend cash on a crappy t-shirt when I can make one myself for a quarter of the price....

Today I'm sharing two new tees, plus some patterns I'd like to try (if I hadn't promised my beloved that I wouldn't buy any more fabric before Christmas.....).

First is Marilla Walker's free Sailors Top, available to download from here. It's a very simple square tee (or can be extended into a dress), one size, with some interesting neckline and sleeve gusset details. I ended up leaving the sleeves and sleeve gussets off - I just couldn't get mine to look as nice as Marilla's, and in the end realised the sleeveless version would be more suited to the Australian summer anyway.

The fabric is a lovely grey marle cotton/lycra blend from Kelani Fabrics (this one, I believe). I had a gamble with this fabric. I don't really like buying knits without seeing them, but hoped at $22/m that the quality would be exceptional. I will have to report back on how it wears, but it feels lovely, drapes beautifully, washed up well, and was great to sew with. No curling! I was being a tight arse had a bit of a brain fade and only ordered 1/2 metre, which was only just enough for this top. It's meant to be boxy and a little cropped, and I'd prefer a little more length but thats what you get for being a tight arse not thinking things through properly.

So those gussets! Check them out - hot pink! This is the cool detail of Marilla's pattern - the shoulders are created using triangular gussets, and the neckline finished with woven binding for stability. I was a bit concerned I'd feel choked by the high neckline but it's fine.

I love pink and grey together and used neon pink thread as top stitching for a bit of razzle dazzle. I like the kind of 80's look it has. Here's some closeups:

 

My next tee is also made from a free pattern, the Elise Tee from Fine Motor Skills. You can download it from Burdastyle here. There's a lot to like about this pattern. It comes in 3 sizes, and has some nice features - bands to finish the sleeves, a lovely curved hem. I made a straight size small but the length of the large, because I was using some leftover fabric and thats all I could squeeze out of it.

It's described as a cross between a tank and a muscle tee. I do like those little extended sleeve caps - great for preventing over-freckling when you're a pale creature. The scoop neckline is very scooped - no public bend-and-snaps in this top. I found my neck band was a few inches too long - the instructions suggest attaching it in the round but I never do this anymore. Even with a tighter band the back neckline gapes on me quite a lot. The sleeves are finished with fine bands which I really like (and again were too long), but the underarm shape is a bit weird and gapey - which makes installing the bands flat a bit crappy looking. Here's my sexy armpit - you can just see the bulk of the side seam there.

I'm thinking of adapting the Plantain tee to have a similar sleeveless look (but more fitted under the armpit) as I don't think that I will make this exact top again. The centre back seam is only there because I had to piece my leftover fabric together. The gaping could well be partially due to my fabric which is a cotton-linen blend with no lycra.

Next on my list is the asymmetrical scoop tee from Drape Drape 2. My brother very kindly gave me the book for my birthday (how did he know I wonder?) and I can't wait to try it. I've never used a Japanese pattern book before, and love the look of this crazy tee:

It looks great on everyone who's made it.

I'm clearly in a drapey gathery mood, as I also love these - the Kimono Tee by In House Patterns (thanks Lara for introducing me - love your stripey version!) and the Burda Style Draped Tee: 

 

The In House tee is drafted for a D cup, which I am very much not, so I might try the Burdastyle tee first, without the drawstring and maybe without the sleeve bands.....

And finally I could be tempted by the Style Arc Rowe Top - it has a few more interesting style lines than the average raglan tee:

Are you into DIY tees? Or would you rather save your precious sewing time for something more involved? What's your favourite tee pattern?