I actually made this knit tee back in February and wore it for the first time at QuiltCon 2017 in Savannah, GA.
First thing that morning, I met Monika Huelsebusch on the boardwalk while waiting for the ferry to take us over to the convention center. Monica and I 'met' while participating in Modern Quilts Unlimited year long challenge when I made Navigating to Pluto.
And then, while on the ferry ride across the Savannah River I sat right down by Sophie who blogs at Luna Loves Quilts. Check out Sophie's posts about QuiltCon 2017 Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
Notice my bag sitting on the floor...I could have a thing for limey chartreuse green.
After I cut out the bodice, I realized the neck looked too wide. So what was I to do? I decided to add at pleat or tuck to the neck line and hopefully it would end up being be a design element.
This is what it looks like with the tee wrong side out. To reduce the bulk in the neck line seam, I snipped the tuck or pleat just a bit.
It had been so long since I had sewn garments, I found this neck band tutorial, How to Bind Knit Edges, by Colette. I followed the directions for the Self Fabric Band and on my first attempt I made the divot in the band to deep, and rejected this one. The purpose is to reduce the bulk in the back of the neckline so it will lie flatter. The second attempt turned out great.
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| Self band reject |
I was even pleased with the top stitching around the neckline.
I should mention that the fabric is Alison Glass Jersey Knit in Lime. I love the weight of fabric. Although it too thick for the heat of summer, it's great for three of the four seasons.
Although my eyes are closed, here's a fan girl moment taken with Alison at her demo at QuiltCon.
This bright lime green needed just the right thread and I found the closest match in a Gutermann 100% poly used for garment construction and top stitching. Although I used a ball point needle, I still had a few skipped stitches.
I made vents in the sides and top stitched around the vents and the 1 1/8" hem. For surging the raw edges, I used Aurifil 50 wt. 1147 (Light Leaf Green).
As if you haven't seen enough green, here's a picture of my varigated canna lilies just coming up.
Linking to Let's Bee Social with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts.
I love that shirt and by fixing the "flaw" in the collar, you made the perfect touch to the shirt.
ReplyDeleteNice shirt! Love the colour. I have not made myself any clothes in years.
ReplyDeleteYou would never know it had been 15 years. It' looks great! Enjoyed seeing the details of this project. Will you be making more of your own clothes? What inspired you to start again?
ReplyDeleteThanks Janice! And yes, I hope to sew some more tops. My grandmother was an excellent seamstress and I leared to sew from her. There's so much more great fabric out there now from which to choose.
DeleteI would never have known that the pleat was not a purposeful element of the shirt if you had not brought it up! The color looks wonderful on you, no wonder you are drawn to it. :)
ReplyDeletePaige that turned out great. The pleat looks good. I can't imagine venturing into making a shirt. The knits scare me.
ReplyDeleteI'm drawn to that color too in bags and stuff although I don't believe I have an article of clothing. Nice job with the shirt!
ReplyDeleteYour shirt looks great--very professional! The little pleat is a nice touch too. There's never too much green--isn't it the Pantone color of the year--lol?!?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful top - looks great on you! I'm with you! I hate those wide necklines that every knit garment seems to have these days (whatever happened to crew neck?)
ReplyDeleteI have a question, being kind of a novice garment maker: For finishing knit edges, do you need a serger or serging attachment? i have two old (vintage) singer sewing machines - there may be some kind of serge attachment and i will buy it, if so. I really want to make some knit tops to my own design. Thank you for showing the wonderful details in your top; it's a lovely design and solution to a too-wide neckline!
I totally agree about the larger necklines!
DeleteAlthough the knit edges will not ravel, I used a serger or overlock machine (Baby Lock-BL3 418) to clean finish to the edges. The machine trims the seam and adds a 3 thread finishing seam all at once.
That looks good on you. I love the style, too. Necklines are stupid now days! I have narrow shoulders and those over-large necklines tend to slip off my shoulder, you know, constantly pulling it upon my shoulder. I mainly just like comfort. That top looks comfortable to wear. You did a great job on that. Great color, too.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing what you sewed this month, Paige! You know I sewed garments for many years before I started quilting, so making clothes will always have a fond spot in my heart. What I love about sewing now is that I can find nice knits in bright colors that I can wear here in Florida. So I adore your bright chartreuse! Now you make me want to sew something for myself... but I dare not. It's FMQ for this quilter, until four quilt tops are done this summer. A worthy goal, huh? Wish I could have spent time with you at QuiltCon. We were so close... yet so far. Nashville, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteLove that color! You did a great job on the shirt, Paige. Making a stylish, flattering piece of clothing that actually fits is outside my skill set, so I'm impressed :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on pulling off a dressmaking project, Paige! Quilts are far easier in that nothing needs to fit! I'm a big fan of lime green although unfortunately it doesn't really suit me so I stick to accessories around the house. Love the canna leaves!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done and looks great on you Paige ! Thank you for the link to my blog and for sharing these pictures. Seeing them brings back good memories :-))
ReplyDeleteLove your T. Failed attempt at a shirt last year. Gonna try again this summer, but making a "muslin" first. I have some great embroidered seersucker with lobster that deserve a summer shirt, but I want it to fit and look good. Congrats on making something to wear!
ReplyDeleteWell done Paige . And to sew a jersey fabric isn't easy either - I'd imagine ! Great to see you too
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that was the shirt you were wearing when I met you at QuiltCon, and I absolutely associate you with lime green (and the turquoise in your logo). Lovely shirt!
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