Free Pattern Friday: Stellan Tee for Women

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

The Stellan Tee pattern by French Navy Patterns has been on my radar for yonks, and I've been recommended it countless times. After my recent splurge on lovely fabrics to channel a French Girl Chic style, I was looking for a casual style top pattern to make out of some lovely, striped jersey. The Stellan also appealed because it has a more contemporary, modern aesthetic, with gentle, dropped shoulders the right amount of volume throughout the body. Thanks, as always, to all the sewing pattern designers who share their work with the sewing community for free.

Pattern type:

The designer says it best: 'A modern take on the basic T-shirt, the Stellan Tee has a boxy, slightly cropped fit, proportionally long sleeves (super cute when rolled-up) and a subtly curved hemline'. 

Sizing info:

This pattern is graded for 31.5" to 59.5" busts, making it a very size inclusive style. Larger busts might want to create an FBA, adding a bust dart perhaps. I made the size C, grading out slightly for the waist and hips, as per my measurements. 

Fabric info:

This pattern calls for light to medium weight knits with moderate stretch. I think you have some leeway here because of its looser fit. I bet it would be lovely in a super lightweight, slinky jersey. Or a slightly more hefty knit for a boxier look. 

Findings:

As you know, I loves me a layered PDF file so I can select only the size/s I require. I got this pattern printed out in A0 format so overall the prep was minimal. 

The instructions are excellent, and I feel this pattern would be suitable for a beginner if you omitted the back neck binding. And if the seam allowance wasn't a scant 6mm (1/4"). But speaking of the back neck binding. The instructions for that were excellent and I ended up with my most successful attempt at that yet. 

There were a few points in which I veered away from the instructions in favour of my preferred T-shirt making methods. Firstly, I stabilised the shoulder seams with clear elastic tape. The Stellan instructions do give you the option to topstitch down the shoulder seams, which would probably eliminate the need for stabilising the seam with elastic. I also chose to hem the sleeves and the curved bottom edges of the front and back pieces BEFORE constructing the garment. 

In general, this was a really enjoyable project to put together, and the resultant garment looks pretty cool. There is one thing about the fit, however, that would probably put me off from making it again. Perhaps it's more noticeable because my fabric is striped, but can you see the drag lines that are directed towards the neckline? My feeling is that those have occurred because the pattern is drafted for someone with squarer shoulders than myself. There is also the possibility that they're occurring because I made the neck band a tiny bit too tight. I'm not sure which.

Would I make this again?

I really like the fit of this T-shirt in the body, and the sleeves rolled up looks really cute. I would definitely reference this pattern for the fit, however, because of those drag lines on me, I don't think I'd make this pattern again. Which is not to say I'm not going to wear this garment a ton, because I already have! 

Free Pattern Friday: Women's T-shirt. Again

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

As you may have noticed if you've checked out my blog previously, sometimes I re-road test and re-review a free pattern or tutorial. Hopefully, this shows you which patterns I really think are worth your time! And the Free T-Shirt pattern by Closet Core Patterns is one such pattern. The first version I made using this pattern has been worn an absolute TON. The fit is ideal for wearing underneath dungarees and strappy dresses. It's become one of those garments that I really miss when it's in the wash, so I felt it made sense to use this pattern to make another in different fabric. I also took the opportunity to road test the fancy back neck and shoulder seam finishing that I didn't try last time. So, again, big thanks to Closet Core for sharing this pattern with the world for free. 

(image source: Closet Core Patterns)

Pattern type:

The Closet Core T-shirt is a standard crew neck style with set in sleeves. The fit is gently boxy, if that's a thing. View A is a slightly cropped length with short sleeves, and View B is hip-length with 3/4 length sleeves. Throw in a patch pocket piece, and with these options you can mix and match to your heart's content. The pattern files are split into two size ranges, and the larger range features a bust dart. 

Sizing info:

This pattern includes an impressive range of sizes, from 31" to 60" bust. Sizes 0-20 (full bust 31" - 46") are grouped together and sizes 14-32 (full bust 42" - 60") are grouped in together with the addition of a bust dart. 

Based on the size chart cross-referenced with the finished measurements charts, I decided to make a size 8 at the top, blended to a size 10 for my waist downwards. This worked perfectly in my first version, however, in this heavily and drape-y knit, I ended up having to skim quite a lot away from the side seams to achieve a similar fit. 

Previously I made the cropped version and wanted to make a longer one this time. However, due to my fabric limitations, I had to settle for a length almost dead in between the cropped and hip length. 

Fabric info:

As per the listing: 'This pattern can be made in a variety of knit fabrics with at least 30% crosswise stretch. For a more structured look, choose 100% cotton interlock and jersey. For a drapier effect, choose cotton/spandex blends, ribbed or rayon knits.' Basically, you have quite a bit of leeway with your choice of knits, but bear in mind that it will effect the fit (and somehow possibly also the size!) of your finished garment.   

About six years ago, my boss donated me a stripe-y RTW knit dress. I love stripes but rarely wear dresses, so it's stayed in my stash all this time with a view to using the fabric at some point. It's a heavier knit with viscose, polyester and elastane content. The dress had some inseam pockets that were positioned towards the front rather than a regular side seam position, making it a bit challenging to fit the pattern pieces out of it. With a bit of tweaking, I was able to cut out this top.

Findings:

As you suspect from a major, well-established indie pattern brand, this pattern was a dream to work with. The downloads included A4/letter sized as well as A0/copyshop pattern files. I treated myself to some A0 printing because my home printer is close to death, and was able to specify which size layers I wanted. That saved the printers some ink and sparing me from loads of confusing, unnecessary lines. 

The instructions include diagrams to illustrate the steps. Unlike last time, I followed the instructions to bind the back neck and shoulder seam, which is a feature I've always like on RTW garments. Because my knit was pretty thick, I didn't end up with the cleanest of finishes, but I think it looks ok. It also makes it super easy to tell which is the back! 

Customisation ideas:

• use a different colour or printed fabric for the front, or for the sleeves, or for each piece
• cut the backneck/shoulder stabilising band from contrast fabric
• create seamlines and colourblock using scraps and leftovers of jersey
• cut the neckband from a contrast colour to the rest of the garment for a 90s indie-kid look
• shorten the length of the body for an exaggerated crop, or lengthen the top to create a tunic length garment, or even a dress
• shorten the sleeves for a cap sleeve look, or lengthened them for full length sleeves

Would I make this again?

Absolutely! Next time I'd like to try the long sleeved version. 

Free Pattern Friday: Women's T-shirt

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one. I try to publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

If you've been a reader of the Free Pattern Friday posts for a while, it'll be clear to you that I only ever review patterns for items that my family has a genuine use for. That means the patterns I pick won't always have mass appeal. So I'm happy to have found one for today that it both useful to me AND probably a lot of other people! It's the Free T-Shirt pattern by Closet Core Patterns. A useful basic with some cute options that's graded to a wide size range, woo hoo! To access it, you will need to sign up to their newsletter, but you can unsubscribe at any time. Big thanks to Closet Core for sharing this pattern with the world for free. 

(image source: Closet Core Patterns)

Pattern type:

The Closet Core T-shirt is a standard crew neck style with set in sleeves. The fit is gently boxy, if that's a thing. View A is a slightly cropped length with short sleeves, and View B is hip-length with 3/4 length sleeves. Throw in a patch pocket piece, and with these options you can mix and match to your heart's content. The pattern files are split into two size ranges, and the larger range features a bust dart. 

Sizing info:

One of the reasons I'm super happy to be shining a light on this pattern is because it includes an impressive range of sizes, from 31" to 60" bust. Sizes 0-20 (full bust 31" - 46") are grouped together and sizes 14-32 (full bust 42" - 60") are grouped in together with the addition of a bust dart. 

Based on the size chart cross-referenced with the finished measurements charts, I decided to make a size 8 at the top, blended to a size 10 for my waist downwards. I made the cropped version, so I didn't need to worry too much about the hip measurement. My fabric is very drape-y which obviously effects the fit, but I think my decision on sizing was good. I'd be interested to see what it looks like in a more stable knit. 

Fabric info:

As per the listing: 'This pattern can be made in a variety of knit fabrics with at least 30% crosswise stretch. For a more structured look, choose 100% cotton interlock and jersey. For a drapier effect, choose cotton/spandex blends, ribbed or rayon knits.' I have nothing to add to that in regards to suitable fabrics. 

My fabric is a lightweight, slightly sheer, slubby jersey of unknown fibres (although I suspect it's a poly-blend of some type). It was leftover from this Lou Box Top kit that was given to me by Amy from Craft and Thrift, back when she sold deadstock fabric. I wear that black Lou Box top ALL THE TIME during the summer, so I'm pleased to have another option that will feel similarly slinky, but with a different silhouette and garment pairing suitability!

Findings:

As you suspect from a major, well-established indie pattern brand, this pattern was a dream to work with. The downloads included A4/letter sized as well as A0/copyshop pattern files. I treated myself to some A0 printing because my home printer is close to death, and was able to specify which size layers I wanted. That saved the printers some ink and sparing me from loads of confusing, unnecessary lines. 

The instructions include diagrams to illustrate the steps. I liked the option they included to bind and reinforce the shoulder and back neck seam. I chose not to do it for this version because my fabric was so thin, but I would definitely include that as a cute, contrast feature in future versions. 

The fit of the finished item is exactly how they described. It's a great basic that I can image using heaps in warmer months with high waist trousers and shorts.  

Customisation ideas:

• use a different colour or printed fabric for the front, or for the sleeves, or for each piece
• cut the backneck/shoulder stabilising band from contrast fabric
• create seamlines and colourblock scraps and leftovers of jersey
• cut the neckband from a contrast colour to the rest of the garment for a 90s indie-kid look
• shorten the length of the body for an exaggerated crop, or lengthen the top to create a tunic length garment
• shorten the sleeves for a cap sleeve look, or lengthened them for full length sleeves

Would I make this again?

Absolutely! I will definitely keep this pattern in my arsenal for when I come across a suitable length of nice jersey. I'd like to try it in a more stable cotton or cotton/elastane jersey or interlock. 

Tips for Teaching Kids to Sew

Last year I made an episode of my podcast about encouraging kids to sew. I deliberately didn't call it 'teaching kids to sew', in case you have no desire to do to the teaching part yourself. In the episode. I set out the argument for the benefits that kids get from learning to sew, and followed up with heaps of tips and ideas for how to successfully encourage them to do so. 

Fast forward a few months to January this year. I set myself four sewing-related goals for 2023:

1. Continue to work through my fabric stash, turning it into lovely, useful items. Initially I set out to help myself do this by limiting my fabric purchases, but I have since signed up for the Last Sewist Standing challenge which bans fabric purchases entirely! (More info on this in this episode.)
2. Alternate 'from scratch' projects with mending or altering an existing item (#makeonemendone). 
3. Continue to find more fun and useful projects to make with scraps and leftovers. I truly believe that they are a valuable resource, but like many sewers, I feel like I'm drowning in them!
4. Teach my kids some specific sewing skills. I think I already do a good job in modelling that sewing is fun, creative and expressive, as well as a possible option for clothing yourself. However, I feel that my daughter in particular could do with some more actual skills to help her make her project ideas a reality, and to do so more successfully. 

To make good on that fourth goal, I recently helped my daughter through a T-shirt project. I tried out some tactics that I'm going to share with you here, in case it will help you, or someone you know, teach a young person to sew in the future!

Tip #1: Give them lots of agency

This may sound obvious, but by giving them as much creative input into the project as possible at the planning stage and through the creation process, the more invested and interested in it they will be. Like many kids, my daughter doesn't have a very long attention span and quickly loses interest in stuff after the initial buzz of a new idea. So allowing her to effectively design the whole thing and make further choices throughout kept her more engaged in this than any previous sewing project we've tackled together. 

She was the one who decided she wanted a lilac T-shirt. I passed her a stack of Ottobre magazines, explained how to look for a style that included her size, and let her sift through to choose a pattern she liked. She selected a long-sleeved raglan top with a slim fit.  

Tip #2: Do the bulk of the boring bits

Because the pattern chosen was in an Ottobre magazine, the next step was to trace out the pieces and add seam allowance. Nothing would have turned my daughter off this project quicker than if I'd made her trace out those pieces herself. NOTHING. So instead, I traced out the pattern and added the seam allowance, but asked her to sit with me engaging her in conversation as I did it. Then, at least, she witnessed that part of the process so it was no longer an alien concept to her. I then got her to cut one of the pattern pieces out of paper so she had experience of that, and cut the rest out myself later on.

When it came to cutting the pattern out of fabric, she wasn't into the idea very much. So I positioned the pieces on the fabric and pinned them in place, and got her to carefully cut round the edges. She moaned a bit about having to do that, but I felt I could push her a bit to take on this step without the project being a bust. It was a gamble, but we got through it!

Tip #3: Balance trickiness and familiarity

For the actual construction, I decided we should use my regular machine rather than my overlocker for all the seams on this T-shirt. As Judy Williment-Ross' daughter once so cleverly articulated, using an overlocker is 'like sewing, but faster and with knives'! My daughter has tried using my overlocker once or twice, but this was her first 'proper' project with jersey fabric, and I felt that a new type of fabric that is trickier to handle was challenge enough. She is far more experienced with, and confident on, my regular machine so I decided to stick to that. 

I pinned all the seams for her, and she stitched them all using a new-to-her stitch (the lightning stitch). So there was a blend of new and familiar elements at play. I also decided to do the neckband myself, because pinning and stitching a neckband into the neck hole of a child-sized garment is super tricky! I felt that if the neckline looked a bit of a mess, it might put her off from wearing the finished item. Doing the neckline myself kind of felt like a risk; would she feel less ownership of the project if I did a major part of it without her? I decided to engage her in that step instead by getting her to choose a cute label to insert so she could tell what is the back at a glance. She picked this 'My best work yet' label from Kylie and the Machine: perfect in both context and colouring. 

Tip #4: Add a fun, unique design element 

As seasoned garment sewers, we know the joy of getting to wear garments we have customised to our own specifications. Everywhere we go in our me-mades, we are free from the risk of turning up somewhere wearing the same garment as someone else! That's really powerful, and something we can use to our advantage when teaching kids to sew. Find ways for them to express themselves further by making little additions to the overall design. We did that with this project with the back neck label, but labels can be inserted into or applied onto the garments pretty much wherever they choose. Ribbons, braids, buttons, contrast panels or pockets are all opportunities to let the child's wield their design prowess and 'own' this project/garment further. 

I have a little collection of iron-on patches collected from all over the place, predominantly so I can mend my kids' clothes super quickly when a whole appears. My daughter had a good rummage through them and selected a patch to apply to her T-shirt, and decided where she wanted it to be. Her choice was linked to a narrative she had about the character she would personify when wearing the garment. But obviously it doesn't have to go that deep!

Tip #5: Get it off the machine and into their wardrobes as quick as possible

My daughter had no interest in hemming the garment, so I did that whilst she was at school. Then one final press and it was done! I could have done this quicker to be honest, but you want to capitalise on the pride and accomplishment of a completed project and make it available for them to wear as soon as possible. 

Tip #6: Tell everyone they made it

Whenever my daughter is wearing this T-shirt, I make sure to tell whoever we're with that she made it herself. Cue lots of 'Oh, wow! Well done! That's really impressive's, and therefore external validation. Refrain from listing the various steps you, yourself actually did, and remind them of the work they put into it, e.g. 'You sewed all those seams so neatly and stuck to the seam allowance so well', etc. 

Summary:

Did my daughter love this whole project? No. Was there a lot of moaning at various stages? Yes (I managed to keep mine internal though). Was this a gorgeous, bonding experience? Maybe a little bit. Has she declared she wants to sew her entire wardrobe going forwards? No. But I do think/hope that she feels more agency over what she wears now, with the knowledge (and proof!) that she can make (most of) a T-shirt. I don't know when we'll embark on another project like this, but when she mentions a desire to do so, I'll be ready to try this formula again. I will help her build on her skills further, project after project, until she barely needs me (blub)!

Zero Waste Cap Sleeved Tee for Kids

I'm really into the idea of zero waste sewing patterns and had a lot of fun preparing an episode about them for my podcast, Check Your Thread, a couple of months ago. I'd experimented with Birgitta's Helmersson's Cropped Shirt pattern which I had a lot of fun with, and I was keen to try more zero and low waste patterns. Thread Faction Studio is a Australia-based sewing pattern company that has a range of ZW patterns for children, and as far as I'm aware they are the only ones experimenting with zero and low waste patterns on a little scale (i.e. for kids). I've bought a couple of them and decided to start with the ZW cap sleeved tee pattern (pictured below) for my daughter because it looks like such a useful style.

(image source: Thread Faction)

I was also keen to try this one because it requires a really small amount of fabric! It's potentially a great way to make wearable pieces from strips of leftover jersey. The pattern can be oriented either along or across the grain, depending on what you have to hand, as long as the fabric has a four-way stretch. I cut this tee across the grain (so perpendicular to the usually way you'd position T-shirt pattern pieces), and it only required about 55cm of fabric for the size 8. As well as requiring a four-way stretch for this to work, you also have to keep in mind any print design, otherwise the resultant garment might look a bit odd. The fabric I chose for my daughter's top was a piece of slinky jersey with an abstract print design so I could get away with the alternative pattern positioning. 

The pattern actually more of a low rather than true zero waste pattern because the neckband strip isn't part of the tessellated layout of the other pieces. It's also unlikely that your fabric would be the exact width, but I can't see how a true zero waste pattern could be created whilst also offering a wide range of sizes (this pattern runs from ages 2-14). 

The only change I made was to cut the neckband deeper than the pattern called for. And because it's not part of the main rectangle formed by the other pattern pieces, you could easily cut it from a scrap of contrast jersey or ribbing from your stash, or even from the neckband harvested from an unwanted T-shirt. Putting the garment together was very fun, but also pretty fiddly. I made the size 8 and I wouldn't have enjoyed trying to stitch the neck or sleeve bands on a smaller size. 

My daughter wasn't thrilled about my plans when I showed her the pattern and fabric. However, she didn't outright veto it so I pushed on regardless. Now that it is complete, it has actually had quite a lot of wear already, and we're still in winter. I think she actually enjoys the feel of the slinky jersey, and the colours work pretty well when paired with a number of other garments. I'll definitely keep this pattern in mind when I'm next in possession of a suitable piece of fabric. 

Scrap Busting Jersey T-shirts

 

During the winter lockdown, I was without an overlocker. Now, I know that you can sew any garment on a regular machine: that overlockers are entirely optional. I have told people this a million times during sewing classes I've taught. However, I just didn't want to make anything that wouldn't look as neat on the inside as I've become used to. 

Because of this, the only things I made were oven mitts that have no exposed seam allowance plus a couple of items with french seams. I also cut out a few projects to stitch together in the future, and I allowed myself to go down a rabbit hole that resulted in these wild patchwork tops! 

I'm really into the idea of using up fabric scraps and leftovers from previous projects to make new garments. Most examples of this kind of thing, including most of my previous attempts, involve woven fabric. However, in the autumn I made a couple of sweatshirts for Frankie using up pieces of sweatshirt fleece and ponte roma pieced together, which really helped me get those types of scraps under control. So the next logical step was to try something similar with jersey scraps. 

My jersey scraps tub was becoming overwhelming. I'd cut out as many pairs of adult and kids undies as possible from suitable pieces of jersey, but I was left with so many pieces that were too small or odd-shaped to squeeze out any more. I decided to try piecing some of them together to make a top for my daughter. And when my husband saw what I was creating, to my enormous surprise, he commissioned one for himself! 

Method:

My approach to piecing was to play around with how I could combine some of the shapes without needing to trim too much away whilst also keeping the grainlines in roughly the same direction. If the edges weren't straight, or at not quite the right angle, I'd trim away a bit from the edge, then I stitched two pieces together using my regular sewing machine. I stitched them using a narrow seam allowance and a narrow lightning flash stitch which meant the seam allowances weren't too bulky. I kept adding more and more shapes until the bigger pieces could be combined, and eventually became big enough to fit the pattern pieces within them. 

Patterns:

If you are attempting to create jersey tops from scraps and leftovers, you either need to use a sewing pattern that already features a lot of seams (like the new Shift tee pattern by Misusu patterns), or you need to do the piecing yourself and choose a very simply sewing pattern with minimal seams. For my daughter's top, I chose a very basic top pattern (see the two images below) from a 2014 edition of Ottobre Design magazine. 

It's effectively just a front and back, with a neckband. I forgot that the armholes were also meant to be bound, and I just turned those under and stitched them. I love Ottobre Design for these basic, knit fabric garment patterns. Their styles tend to be really wearable and comfortable, and IMO don't look dated. I got a year's subcsription back in 2013 when I was pregnant with my daughter. As she's grown, she's fitted into the different styles in the magazines, so it's been like getting new sets of patterns every few years.

For Mr SoZo's T-shirt, I traced round one of his very favourite T-shirts that was starting to fall apart at the seams. Next time I make him a T-shirt from the pattern, I'll add a little extra width at the hips, but other than that, it's a great fitting garment. 

Having cut out the main pattern pieces from the pieced together fabric, they then lay dormant for a few months. During that time we moved house, seasons changed, and I bought a new (secondhand) overlocker! So a couple of weeks ago I took them out again and finally whipped them together. 

It's so pleasing to reduce the amount of scraps in my stash (particularly the pieces that I'd owned for years and was sick of the sight of) and turn them into useful, wearable garments. I'd say that the colour palette in Lola's top works better, but Pat has definitely got more use from his T-shirt so far. The scraps bins will never be completely emptied of course, because new projects results in new scraps. However, I'd like to try making undies from pieces together fabric next, with wearability being even less of a consideration when combining a wild selection of fabrics.

Frankie Baseball Tee in Isewlation

This garment was the first thing I sewed during lockdown. That was just seven weeks ago, but emotionally speaking, it feels like a whole year may as well have passed. Seven weeks ago I was definitely in shock, but also trying hard to make the most of the situation, and had a Blitz-era, 'What would Nella Last do?' spirit about me. I decided it would be a great opportunity to tackle my fabric stash, and make what I could from the things I already owned safe from the temptations of new fabric, seeing as I wasn't going to work. Pat was still at going to work during that first week, so I had decided to carve out an hour to spend sewing each day, when I would plonk the kids in front of some CBeebies and give myself a little break.

But the following week brought a less chipper attitude about the whole lockdown/global pandemic/thousands of people dying/the world being broken situation. Plus, Pat had to start working from home, so my sewing area became a permanent 'office' set-up in the daytime, as our bedroom is the only place we can shut the door on the kids and be able to concentrate. No daytime sewing for me anymore.

I've still be working through my stash, and making some great things, but it's all been in the evenings when I'm exhausted and sadly it feels like more of a slog. Anyways, I'm soooooo lucky in so many regards. Including having this great new baseball tee! (See how I brought things round there? Pretty smooth, eh?!)

Fabric:

You may recognise this fabric from a previous creation. I used some of this amazing hands-print interlock a couple of years ago to make a Freya top, and I had a weird-shaped piece left over that was burning a hole in my stash. The interlock came from Cotton Bee, a fabric printing service based in Poland that is similar to Spoonflower. They kindly offered me a voucher to test out their process and products to help promote them amongst my readers. I had been dwelling on how best to use the funny-shaped leftovers, and it eventually dawned on me that I could combine it with something else to eek a new, adult-sized garment out of the situation. 

This black knit, also an interlock, has been lurking in my stash for sometime too. In fact, I cannot reliable tell you how it got in there, or when. It's thinner than the hands-print, which concerned me a little, but they seem to behave well together. The black interlock is particularly soft and makes this garment the very definition of 'secret pyjamas'. 

Pattern:

I can't see a baseball tee and not think of my best friend. We've both been fans of them since the 90s, and she still has one or two, I believe. However, when I first received the Stretch! book by Tilly, the Frankie baseball t-shirt (despite being one of my very favourite names!) wasn't one of the patterns that jumped out at me. Then, more recently, one of the women who attends the sewing class I teach made a couple of fantastic Frankies, and I was sold. The fit looked great, casual and comfy but flattering. It's funny that I ended up making two garments from the same fabric, both using patterns from the same sewing book. Yet they perform quite different functions in my wardrobe. The Freya looks and feels a bit more formal to wear. It works very well under pinafores. Yet the Frankie definitely wants to be paired with jeans.

To make this Frankie, I made my usual pattern alterations. I blended between sizes, going up a size for the waist and hips, and I folded out 2cm from the length of the body to account for my short-waistedness. The only other monkey-ing that this project required of me, was to create a seam in the back because because my limited fabric wouldn't allow me to cut it in one piece. You can see the join in the image above, but I doubt you would have noticed unless I pointed it out. No offence. 

Thoughts:

So this will probably always be my 'Isewlation' garment, when we were all a bit excited in the early days of lockdown about how much sewing my might possibly get to do. Although there has been, and will be other garments made during this time, this is the one that I will remember as having been made in the strangest of circumstances. Whilst I was making this top, I would have been shocked to learn that almost two months later, little has changed. Apart from having made over 150 face masks. Also from my stash! But that's another post. 

Free Pattern Friday: Women's Carine Tee

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes a women's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Right, at the top of this post I should say that I've sort of messed it up this month. When I was deciding which pattern to write about, I figured it was high time I shared an adult's garment, as I suspect they are the ones that more of my readers are interested in. So I planned to review a free pattern that I used last year to make to my lovely friend Harriet a garment. Because she lives in Spain and I'm not sure of her current measurements, I tried the Carine tee pattern by Elbe Textiles, my thinking being that the loose-ish style made from knit fabric was likely to create a garment with fewer potential fit issues.

EXCEPT, now that I'm trying to write about this pattern, I discover that it is no longer available (*face palm!*). I messaged the designer to check that this was the case, and she confirmed that yes it was no longer downloadable as that pattern didn't reflect the unisex/menswear style she wanted to take her brand in. Fair enough. I discovered all this very recently, so didn't have time to make and photograph a different free pattern for this month. So I'm going to share pics of it anyway, but not go into all the usual details I put into a review. Therefore, I'm sorry if you like this T-shirt but didn't download the pattern when it was available! However, you could get a similar look by taking a basic T-shirt pattern with close fitting shoulders and sleeves then straightening and slightly flaring the side seams, and then drawing in a curved hem (the below flatlay pic gives you a clearer idea of the pattern's attributes). 

I was given this fun zigzag print jersey from my lovely friend Claire (@clairesews) a year or two ago. I'm assuming it is 100% cotton, and has reasonable stretch and recovery, but not enough for a more fitted garment style, so I thought it would work well for a garment such as this that it quite a boxy shape. I had enough leftover to squeeze out a pair of sleep shorts for Dolores (see below), which have been worn a lot. 

See you next month for another free pattern review that actually is available, and hopefully before then with more tales of my sewing shenanigans. 

Free Pattern Friday: Kids' Ester & Ebbe Top

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes a women's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

If you're into making kids' clothes, then you're in luck. I've got an awesome and very useful pattern to share with you today. We're talking a unisex pattern in a wide size range that's thoroughly customisable. AND it's available in Swedish as well as English. You're welcome! Obviously, full thanks should actually be extended to the generous designer: Threads by Caroline. If there's a scamp in your life that likes comfy clothes, do read on...

(image source: Threads by Caroline)

Pattern type: 

The Ester & Ebbe top/T-shirt pattern makes a great, basic, close-fitting, knit top. The side seams are straight (no shaping), the neckline is finished with a knit band. Two sleeve lengths are included as well as optional sleeve-head ruffle and patch pocket pieces. 

Sizing info: 

The pattern is graded between EU sizes 74 - 146, which equates to height in cms. This translates to approx. 9 months to 11 years. I've found the sizing to be spot on, aside from the length (more on that below in 'Findings').  

Fabric info: 

It is advised that knit fabrics with at least 30% stretch are used. With a close-fitting style such as this, ignoring that recommendation would probably result in an uncomfortable top that needs to be wrestled on and off! Caroline has helpfully included two neck band pattern pieces, depending on the amount of stretch your chosen fabric has, so you could go for a rib knit neckband if you wished without fear of a baggy neckline. Phew. 

For most of the versions I've made that you can see in this post, I used fairly light-weight jersey with elastane/Lycra/spandex content. The pink and red deer fabric used for the long-sleeved version made for a 6-year-old's birthday present (pictured above) doesn't include elastane, but I think the jersey had sufficient mechanical stretch to work ok. However I didn't trust the 100% cotton jersey for the neckband, which is why I went for a contrast effect using a jersey with elastane for that crucial piece.  

Dolores's stripy long-sleeved top (pictured above) started life as an adult's Boden top that my best friend no longer wanted (pictured below). The glittery lightning flash print was awesome, and I love how its scale is so massive on 6 year-old Dolores's top! I also used the Ester and Ebbe pattern to get me out of a minor parental emergency when it was announced that Dolores and her friend Samuel's class would all need to wear plain black tops for their school dance concert. Samuel's mum and I were determined not to promptly file into H&M or Primark like the other parents, so I volunteered to whip up two of the these tops from repurposed fabrics instead. Dolores's was cut from a previous adult-top-project-FAIL, and Samuel's was made from one of Zoe's old nightdresses and a bleach-stained old maternity dress! 

Findings:

You can access the Ester & Ebbe top pattern by signing up for their (unobstrusive) newsletter in either English or Swedish. Both the top pattern and their free Vera skirt pattern will be emailed to you shortly after. Alternatively, you can access both patterns by signing up to their Facebook group, if FB is your jam (it is not my jam). Both patterns include print-at-home and copyshop files, plus the print-at-home version of the Ester & Ebbe includes the layers function, which stops you wasting ink by allowing you to print only the size(s) you require. Both the pattern files and instructions document are beautifully produced: it really feels like you're accessing a high quality product for free. 

I've made a fair few knit tops in my time by now, so I must admit that I didn't follow the instructions word for word, however they appeared very thorough and seem to give clear guidance for each construction step, including how to add the optional shoulder ruffles and chest pocket. I have yet to try out the shoulder ruffle style because I recently made a similar top also with a shoulder ruffle for Dolores and the jersey curled quite a lot, and I didn't trust any of these jerseys not to do the same. 

As for the garments themselves, I think the number I've made so far shows that I'm a big fan of the finished product. I love the skinny fit through the body and sleeves. The shoulders are quite narrow, which suits my little scamps but might be something to keep in mind if your child is a bit squarer. The first two I made were Dolores's long-sleeved, upcycled, lightning flash version, and Frankie's short-sleeved, black-and-white-with-lemon-pocket version. As you can see in the pictures of Frankie above and below, this pattern does come out pretty long (I may go back and shorten his before the summer), and I have removed 4 or 5 cms from the length for all subsequent versions. 

Customisation ideas:

Aside from the two sleeves lengths, shoulder ruffle and chest pocket options already included, you could get yet more mileage from this pattern by trying the following:

• Add a gathered rectangle skirt at either the empire line, waistline or dropped-waist/hip line to make it into a dress. 
• Try 3/4 sleeves, as per the bird box stencil version pictured below.
• Make different patch pocket shapes, eg, hearts, animals, clouds and so on. A classic hoodie-style kangaroo pocket would also be cute.
• Get seriously scrap-busty and use a different jersey for each pattern piece to make a crazy (or subtly tonal) patchwork-esque version.
• Screen-prints, decals, patches, applique would all pack a punch this simple garment style. I plan to add a cute, shop-bought, unicorn patch to jazz up Dolores's aforementioned plain black version, now that her dance concert is over.

Would I make it again?

Yes. Clearly, yes. This has become a firm favourite, and I can't imagine needing another skinny-fit tee pattern until they have grown out of the largest size. Between this and the more boxy, oversized (also free) Rowan tee, I feel that basically all my kids' jersey top pattern needs are covered.