This tee may seem very familiar….that’s because it uses the same pattern and fabric as my Sunday Afternoon Dress! I was so happy with the dress, I decided I wanted a t-shirt version. A quick flick through my ‘Sewing Inspo Tees’ Pinterest board brought me to this Modcloth Ready To Relax Tee.
I used the same pattern, Knit Wit 3300, this time drafting a swoop at the hem. I used the same neckline draft as the Saturday Afternoon Dress. If you have a fave tee you’d like to copy, check out this tutorial to find out how. I had just less than a yard of the spotty fabric left, enough to fit the front and back plus a little for the cuffs. I decided on navy jersey for the arms, neck band and micro pocket.
Once again I overlocked everything together. I overlocked one shoulder seam together, overlocked the neckband on, then finished other shoulder. I set in the sleeve in flat and overlocked it. To make the cuff and button tab, I made a tube of navy fabric, turned it and cut two pieces to be my button tab. I centered the tube on the wrong side of the sleeve hem. I cut some spotty fabric for the cuff, pressed it in half and laid it on the right side of the sleeve hem. A little sandwich of fabric – tube, sleeve hem, spotty cuff. I overlocked my sandwich and pinned the tab out of the way so I could finish the construction. I overlocked from the cuff, down the sleeve, down the side seam to the hem. I stitched the hem on the regular sewing machine.
The last things to do were the buttons and the micro pocket. As my button tabs were purely decorative, I didn’t bother with a button hole, I just stitched my button on through the tab. I had no idea how to explain how I made my micro pocket (trial and error and a piece of card). But somewhere between sewing this and blogging it, the wonderful Steph at Cake posted this tutorial on micro pockets! How lucky is that? You can even download her Perfect Tee Pattern for free (it included a micro pattern piece).
I’ve worn this so many times since I made it, I think I might need a couple more! It’s perfect for wearing with jeans – casual yet cute. I’ve had a number of comments on it, including my dentist who was gob smacked that I made it! I have some orange knit that would work so well with the two fabric dynamic and I’d love a nautical one too….. I think I have a new fave tee pattern! What’s your favourite tee? What hacks have you made to it?
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4 Comments
looks great on you, very flattering 🙂
Thanks Wendy! I have lots of more fitted things that are perfect for skirts, I needed something perfect for jeans. I’ve been wearing this non stop..
[…] to some leisurely food shopping. Which I love doing, I know I’m sick! I will be wearing my Modcloth inspired tee to scope the supermarket. Then it’s back to my PJ’s for some hand sewing and movie to […]
[…] I would give myself. I started with my new fave pattern, vintage Knit Wit 3300, that I used for this tee and this dress. I also used the same size I used in those projects to allow for The Besties […]