Tomato tee

Because it's summery and lush and red, like a tomato. Nothing exciting, it just is what it is - but what it is, is good.

 

 



 

 

More specifically, it's a knit Scout with a full swingy back, and it's also apparently ridiculously difficult to photograph. The above shows it off best, I think: all drapy and airy and cool. 

 

 



 

 

This picture is ok, but I feel like a twat just looking at it because I was resorting to desperate smiles at my sewing machine in an attempt to avoid face weirdness.  Let me distract you with the fact that this tee goes well with leggings as trousers. So ok, I will die a long, slow style death, but I don't care - I shall do it in comfort.

 

Some details:

• Fabric is a medium-robust four-way stretch from the Chien Vert (again). It has great depth of colour; the closer you get to it, the more you see. It also has the absolute perfect balance of stretch, swish, sturdiness and breathability.
• Pattern: Grainline Scout woven tee, except not woven. Size 8.
• Pattern changes: my usual no-dart FBA, the above-mentioned full back, 4cm length added to the sleeves, and I scooped out the neckline a bit. With the full back and amount of stretch in this fabric, I think I could also have gone down a size and it would probably fit better - but the difference is pretty minimal.
• Construction changes: I made this as I would a knit pattern, not following the instructions for the woven version. This meant doing a few things differently: I sewed one shoulder, then did the neck binding, then sewed the other shoulder and topstitched down the neck band seam allowance. Then I put the sleeves in flat before sewing the sleeve and side seams all in one go. I also just folded up the sleeve and lower hems, pinned and stitched them down with a long straight stitch - no edge finishing or pressing beforehand. I've recently found this gives me the least wibbly hem results. Does anyone know if this (i.e. not pressing up the hem allowance) is an actual technique, or am I just amateurishly winging it (again)?
• And finally: apart from the hems/topstitching, I sewed it all on my serger: 

 

I've been not mentioning this baby for a few months, but I feel we know each other well enough now to introduce it to the world. It's a Janome 8002D, and understatement alert I like it a lot. Simple to use and excellent results. Like my other machine, it's from Espace Machines à Coudre, and if you're in the vicinity of Brussels I cannot recommend them highly enough.

And FINALLY finally - I am uploading this on Kollabora where there's a Scout sewalong happening. I just signed up, lured in by the promise of Scout prizes, which I'm under no illusions about winning :-) . I like the site and might take to using it regularly - it seems quite a bit like Burdastyle, but easier and prettier.

Are you on Kollabora too? Or do you just think this proliferation of social sewing stuff is getting out of hand? And how about making up woven patterns up in knit fabrics (or vice versa)? Have you done it - and if so, how did it go?

And the real burning question as far as I'm concerned: just how do you finish your (knit) hems?


PS. that's one idea complete!