Kirsten Kimono Tee

I know t-shirts are dead simple to make, and kimono sleeve t-shirts are synchicated, but my experience with this pattern may nonetheless be useful to someone...

So. I mentioned I was making this Kirsten Kimono Tee in my last post - and here it is:

Pardon the cranky face - this was the best photo.

I sewed this in a Small / Medium (Small on the shoulders and bust, widening to a Medium on waist/hips) but based on my measurements and the sizing chart provided in the instructions included with the pattern I should have used a Large on the waist / hips.

The pattern is a free pdf pattern by Maria Denmark - this looks to be her simplest design; she also designs and sells lots of more complex patterns. If you "buy" this free pattern it gets emailed to you, and you then print out the pattern pieces and instructions, sticky tape the pattern pieces together and trace over your size, adding your own seam allowances.

This tee as I made it is very fitted on the body but has room in the sleeves. I added the little bands to the sleeves and waist hem, but you could also easily lengthen either and finish a deep hem with a twin-needle straight stitch. Even though this is fitted, it's not tight - it's very comfortable. And if I had made the correct size the tee wouldn't be flaunting my belly...

And I mentioned I've drafted my own kimono sleeve t-shirts before - here's the one I was thinking of:

and here's how the sizing measures up between my self-drafted effort and the Kirsten:

Interestingly there isn't much difference in width at the bust / underarm level, but from there the Kirsten stays slim-fitting while my own effort flares out - but the Kirsten would have had a similar body shape to mine (loose below the bust) if I'd used the right size for my measurements. The sleeves are different shapes, and the shoulder shape in the Kirsten tee is also a more natural shape than the squared off shape I used.

This is a super-quick and cute top. It uses only 0.75metres of fabric, the pattern is free and the instructions include plenty of helpful info - if you are new to sewing with knits this might be a good starting point...

Overlocked - V1306 T-shirt

Little Betty made one of these V1306 t-shirts recently (well, about 3 months ago) and it looked so nice on her... the pattern is rated Easy and so I assumed it would be super-quick on the overlocker. Hmmm - bear in mind that she's a quick seamstress and I am not.

My new (old, second hand) overlocker came home with me from the sewing repair shop a couple of weekends ago, along with an instructional DVD. The DVD was boring so I haven't watched much of it, but the overlocker? It's so much more fun than I expected, and the machine (an ancient babylock imagine - looks like the original model) is doing a beautiful job!  All I can do so far is 4-thread seam overlocking, but WOW was I deceiving myself when I said I didn't care what the insides of my garments looked like :^>  I am only equipped for black or white overlocking though... where do you buy the coordinating thread? Is there a good online source?
 

This is not a bog-standard t-shirt, and the neckline details and side gathers mean more effort... but it's a Rebecca Taylor pattern, so those extra details are lovely! I made this in a size M (12-14) which is a bit big and loose, but I like it! Now that I look at the envelope again I can see that when I stopped following the instructions after doing the neckline and side gathers I missed a third detail that would've been cute - the sleeve turnups! Maybe next time.






I wore it on Friday for a scenic jog around Barangaroo and Walsh Bay and it was really comfy and (I think hope) a flattering length.

I have also been making a simple kimono-sleeve red t-shirt with white(that's laziness and my lack of red overlocker thread) overlocked seams. I'm using Maria Denmark's Kirsten kimono sleeve t-shirt pattern, which is a free multisized pattern - I'm very interested to see how it fits compared to my own self-drafted efforts. So far my main impression is tighter LOL! When it's done I'll post pictures alongside some of my own old self-drafted t-shirts; maybe I'll learn something:-).

And I also started a summer-weight long-sleeve t-shirt for Mr Upsewlate - trying to remedy some of the fit issues of the last one but the fittings and adjustments are really irritating.  I think I really need to start all over with a new pattern draft! As this is still a work-in-progress I'll keep the sharing for another day if you don't mind, but at least you know I've been up to a few bits and pieces!

PS Sorry it's been such a long time between posts - I didn't lose my mojo as such, but I haven't had much energy for sewing, blogging etc lately... there seems to be so much to keep track of for school / childcare recently, my job is keeping me ridiculously busy, and my recent fitness efforts are sending me to bed NOTsolate.