Free Pattern Friday: Super Basic Tank for Adults (Adapted for Tweens/Teens)

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 anyone who has tried sewing for tweens and teens will most likely have found, there aren't a lot of sewing pattern options out there, much less free ones. Most children's sewing patterns stop at age 10 or smaller, and the small sizes of adult patterns are usually the wrong shape, length and proportions. But where there's a will there's a way, and to fill a gap in my big kid's wardrobe, I adapted the Halfmoon Atelier Super Basic Tank. 

This isn't the first time I've made and reviewed this excellent free pattern. I'm sharing my initial review below and adding information about the pattern alterations I made for my big kid. If want to get your mitts on the pattern, then you can get hold of it by signing up to the Halfmoon Atelier newsletter. They don't seem to be adding to their existing range of sewing patterns anymore, so you're unlikely to get inundated with emails. However, you can, of course, unsubscribe at any time. 

Pattern type: 

Super basic tank top by name, super basic tank top by nature. The scoop neck, skinny fit style is great as standard, warm-weather wear, but is equally handy for layering under jumpers when it's cold. The arm and neck holes are finished with bands of fabric, and the straps are wide enough to cover your bra straps. 

Sizing info: 

This pattern has been graded to ten sizes, which cover 30" to 44" busts. Information on how to grade between sizes is included in the instructions for this pattern. It is also worth noting that this pattern includes not one, but two methods for making a full bust adjustment on this pattern (depending on how much bust you need to accommodate). 

For my big kid's version, I wanted to alter the proportions to better reflect their own. I decided to print out the pattern at 95%, and accounting for this (by doing maths), based on their measurements, I selected the sizes 2 and 3. The pattern file includes the layers function so I worked this out prior to printing and just printed out those sizes. Referencing the size chart and my child's measurements, I graded from the size 2 at the bust, out to the size 3 at the waist, and back down to the size 2 at the hips. 

Fabric info:

Light- to medium-weight knits like jersey, rib knit and interlock with a 4-way stretch work best for this pattern. Details on ideal percentage of stretch are included, as are some suggestions of suitable fibre types. Personally, I wouldn't like to use a knit that didn't have a lycra/elastane/spandex content, which this striped jersey that I scored at a fabric swap does. 

Findings:

The pattern PDF and the instructions for this pattern cannot be faulted. The detail and info included in the instructions goes above and beyond what you'd expect for a basic tank pattern, and the level of both make this an ideal pattern for those new to, and nervous about, sewing with knits.  

From the images on the Halfmoon Atelier website it wasn't clear if it was designed to be worn bra-less, but I was relieved to find that the width and positioning of the tank straps covers bra straps with zero tweaks required. And the alterations I made for my big kid worked really well. Initially my kid complained that the straps are a little long and slip down, but I think they were looking for something to complain about, and I don't think I'll bother altering this tank as they're likely to have another growth spurt before long. The only thing I probably would do next time is shorten the length by perhaps 2cm. 

Customisation ideas:

• Try contrast coloured bindings round the neck and arm holes (solid bindings on a printed knit tank would look great)
• You could try using some stretch lace on the back with a solid or print opaque knit on the front
• You could break up the front and back pieces to create a scrap-busting colour blocked effect
• If, unlike me, you can use a twin-needle successfully on your machine, or you have a coverstitch machine, you could use contrast thread to stitch down the arm and neck hole bindings and hem the bottom edge. 

Would I make it again?

Clearly yes! I plan to make more for my big kid. And now that I'm a bit smaller than the first time I made this pattern for myself, I might make some more for myself also when suitable fabric appears. 

Free Pattern Friday: Petite Pegs for Babies

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.

This wasn't the project I had planned for this month's instalment of Free Pattern Friday. However, I decided to make a last minute panic new baby project for a family we recently met, so I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. I'm out of the loop with baby sewing these days, but my Fabric Godmother colleague Phoebe reminded me of the excellent Petite Pegs pattern by Patterns for Pirates. I have absolutely downloaded and printed this one out before but, for some reason, I must have chucked most of my baby wear patterns into the recycling at some point. Anyway, huge thanks for Pattern for Pirates for sharing this great free pattern, along with the many other free patterns they have available, including more for babies. 

(image source: Patterns for Pirates)

Pattern type:

The website describes this pattern as 'a traditional legging with a knit waistband. They are a bit looser for baby to have growing room and a higher rise to cover diapers/nappies. They come with shorties (great for under dresses!), bike, capri and ankle length.

This pattern consists of just two pieces, the legs and the waistband. You could have a lot of fun mixing and matching prints, patterns and solid coloured jerseys. 

There is only one PDF file to contend with which includes both the instructions and the print-at-home pattern pages. 

Sizing info:

The pattern is graded into six sizes, from premmie baby to 12 months. I made the 3 month size because I wasn't sure if the family I was making these for had been swamped with new baby clothes. 

Fabric info:

In the pattern itself you are recommended to choose four way stretch jersey with at least 50% stretch horizontally and vertically with good recovery. They advise using a fabric with spandex/Lycra, which I would say is essential for making a waistband like this that isn't elasticated. I used a scrap of cotton/Lycra jersey I found in the scraps bin at work. It's a lovely blush colour with denim-blue stripes that I hope gives a gender neutral vibe. 

Findings:

This is a great little pattern that could only be improved, in my opinion, with more professional line drawings showing the style more clearly, and a different choice of typeface in the instructions. 

I like that there are lots of additional resources in the form of videos and blog posts to help beginners get to grips with using sewing patterns generally, and this one specifically. 

The only thing I'd add to the instructions is the suggestion to add a label to the back, because it's hard enough trying to dress a wriggly baby without making it clear what is the front and back. 

Would I make this again?

Absolutely! I've kept all the sizes in tact and traced off just the one size, so this will probably be my go-to baby pressie project going forwards. 

Free Pattern Friday: Stellan Tee for Adults

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.

I guess that sharing another version of a previously road-tested-and-reviewed pattern might be considered cheating! Or at least unhelpful for blog readers who might be on the hunt for new-to-you free sewing patterns to try. Well, in each case, sorry. I have reviewed this pattern before and subsequently I won't be writing a whole new review post. But hopefully you can find some value in seeing which patterns I return to, and seeing what I chose to do differently this the second (or third) time round. 

The Pattern:

For the second time I made the Stellan Tee pattern by French Navy Patterns. Thanks, as always, to the designer for sharing this great resource with the sewing community for free. The designer describes 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'. 

What I did differently:

This time I chose a jersey with a very different handle. I picked up this slinky, drape-y, viscose jersey at a London fabric swap last year, which has very different properties to the cotton/elastane jersey I used for my first version. I extended the neck band piece because this fabric isn't super stretchy. 

I also decided to create a straight hem. I like the look of the original curved hem when it's untucked (or fully tucked in), but I think it looks a bit odd if you're tucking in just the front bit of the top, which I imagined I'd do with this slinky version. 

For speed, I omitted the back neck seam binding. And lastly, I shortened the sleeved by 2cm and turned them up without hemming, and stitched the turn ups in place. 

Thoughts:

My favourite part of the Stellan pattern is the neckline. I think it hits the sweet spot of not too low and not too high. This fabric suits the general volume and design ease of this pattern really well, I think. What I'm still not entirely sold on is the squareness of the shoulders, and the way the sleeve seam is dropped down the shoulder. Despite these small misgivings I'm sure, however, I'll get a TON of use from this tee. 

Free Pattern Friday: The Worst/Best Vest Pattern 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.

So I'm describing this pattern as the worst vest/camisole/singlet pattern because in many ways it is. It's got a ridiculously limited size range, there's no proper size chart to speak of, and the instructions are poor. But it's the best because I wear one of these almost every single day of the year. I wear them as an additional layer basically October to June, and I wear them to sleep in during the summer months. Who created this dichotomy of a sewing pattern? ME! I drafted and released this free pattern back in 2012, before I even became a mum. And because shortly after I became a mum, I never found the time to improve it. But it's here if you want it! 

Pattern type:

As you can see, the SoZo Vest is a close fitting jersey vest/camisole/singlet that uses fold over elastic to finish the upper edges and form the straps. 

Sizing info:

I didn't feel very confident with grading when I drafted this pattern (to be honest I still don't) so I kept the size range small: roughtly UK sizes 8 - 16, which is US sizes 6 -14, Euro sizes 36 - 44. Obviously, time has moved on since 2012 and producing such a size-exclusive pattern isn't cool these days. So apologies to those who don't fit within this range. I hope that, if you wish to, you can use it as a basis from which to grade to the sizing you require. 

Because I didn't include a proper size chart, I'd recommend you lay the pattern over a close fitting jersey top to work out what size might be for you. If you can't decided between two sizes, cut the bigger of the two, stitch up the side seams and then try it on to see how it fits. 

Fabric info:

I'd recommend using a jersey that is blended with elastane/Lycra/spandex for stretch and comfort, like cotton/Lycra or bamboo/spandex etc. This is a great pattern for using up smaller amount of knits that you might have left over from previous projects. You can also use this pattern to make vests out of T-shirts, I wrote a post about that here, but you might need to size up if you're using a 100% cotton T-shirt due to the relative lack of stretch content. 

Findings:

I'm the first to admit that this pattern is very much lacking, particularly compared to the expectations we have of even basic sewing patterns these days. But the actual pattern, I feel, is pretty good: well drafted and easy to use, thanks in part to my lovely friend Claire who digitised it for me back in the day.

As I say, I find these garments incredibly useful. I'm wearing one now because of course I am. I like to have one in a light colour and a black one for wearing under various garments. They're great to wear under tops that otherwise might feel a bit revealing. 

Would I make this again?

Yes of course! I just did: the white one you see in these pictures. I have another black one I need to finish also as my previous black one is almost more hole than vest at this point. 

Emergency Free Pattern Friday (on Wednesday): Speedy Pants for Kids **UPDATED**

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 (or in this case, Wednesday) 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.

**UPDATE: Waves & Wild have just announced that the brand is being bought, and therefore their patterns will continue to be available. It is currently unknown if that means their free patterns will continue to be available for free going forwards. So you should probably download any you want now anyway**

Forgive the dramatic post title: I needed to catch your attention because this is time sensitive! Longer term readers of this blog might recall me posting about the excellent, free Speedy Pants pattern for kids by Waves & Wild here (and even further back, here). 

Well, W&W are set to shut up shop THIS FRIDAY! I don't know at what exact time the plug is to be pulled, but pattern purchases will cease to be an option. I believe the website will still be up for a while to give people a chance to download the files they've purchased, but the clock is ticking for any new acquisitions of their free or paid-for patterns. 

I don't know why the designer behind W&W (and formerly, Made by Jack's Mum) has decided to close up, but I wish her all the very best and send huge thanks for this phenomenal free pattern that has clad the bum of both my kids at various points for years!

Completely coincidentally, I recently printed out the pattern again and traced off a bigger size, as my little boy is in dire need of new undies. According to the size chart, my skinny 9yo should be wearing the size 5 undies, but I cut out and made these ones in a size 7 because I want them to last for yonks. And yonks they will last, as the fabric I used (that I picked up as scraps at this fabric swap) is excellent quality and perfect for this type of garment. 

You can read my previous reviews if you wish, but I would like to emphasise that these undies can be make ENTIRELY on your overlocker. Which is a total win if you, like me, often cannot be arsed to swap between my overlocker and regular machine during a quick project such as this. 

Now, GO!!!!!!!!

Free Pattern Friday: Noelle Underwear 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.

Ok, so elephant in the room: yes, I am posting pics of myself in my pants on my blog. Now we've got that out the way. So I've fallen down a Pinterest underwear inspiration rabbit hole recently, in advance of trying to make myself some nice sets of undies that actually fit and feel supportive. If you're interested, you can see my board here. Although Pinterest has made it virtually impossible to tell which pins I've added and which they've suggested. ANYWAY. A lot of the undies I've been pinning are what can only be described as Big Pants. Now, I'm usually a committed hipster undies wearer, but I thought it'd be fun to experiment with a different style. Enter: the Noelle pattern by undies designer Madalynne. 

I first discovered this pattern when searching for free patterns to suggest to the Patrons of my podcast, Check Your Thread, when I was planning an online undies sew-together session. Thanks, as always, to all designers, including Madalynne, who offer some of their hard work up to the sewing community for free. Onward...

(image source: Madalynne)

Pattern type:

What I would describe as Big Pants, the website would describe as 'feminine, everyday high waisted underwear'. The waist and leg holes are meant to be finished with picot elastic. 

Sizing info:

The pattern isn't the most size inclusive, covering natural waist 23" - 41" and hip sizes 33" - 50", which is divided into sizing XS - 3XL. I made the size M, as per my measurements which I felt was the correct choice. That said, the stretchiness of your fabric will effect the fit greatly. 

Fabric info:

This pattern seems to have been designed mainly for stretch lace with a power mesh/net lining. However, the list of suitable outer fabrics does include jersey or any fabric with a 4-15% spandex content resulting in a 30%-40% stretch. I prefer cotton jersey with Lycra content for undies, so I used a scrap of such a fabric that has a little less stretch than perhaps would be ideal, but ultimately was fine for this project. I chose not to line these undies because honestly who lines undies?

Findings:

The biggest surprise for me, aside from that I quite like wearing Big Pants, is that this pattern doesn't include any instructions! From what I understand, this pattern appears in Madalynne's book, 'Sew Lingerie: Make Size-Inclusive Bras, Panties, Swimwear & More; Everything You Need to Know', which, I assume, tells you how to make them. The instructions can also be accessed in the form of a Creativebug online class, which currently costs $9.95. Aside from those definitely not-free options, you're on your own. 

That said, if you've ever made undies before, you will be able to figure out the construction easily enough. The head-scratching occurs, or at least it did for me, with trying to work out how long to cut the elastic. In the end, I did some maths to work out the percentage difference between the leg holes and waistline, and the lengths of elastic required on my own free undies pattern, and then measured the leg holes and waistline of the Noelle pattern to which I applied the same percentage difference. This worked out well for the leg holes, but I feel the elastic at the waist should have been a tiny bit tighter.  

There's a bit of faff involved in actually obtaining the pattern pieces: you go through the online shop to access a download that is actually just a page from which to then access a document that includes the pattern pieces and some info on supplies and cutting. The pattern consists of a front piece and back piece, with a shaded area on the front piece to show the shape from which to cut the crotch lining piece. Rather than tracing that crotch lining piece off the front piece, I just printed out the lower part of the front piece twice.  

The pattern pieces came together easily, using only my regular sewing machine because I couldn't be arsed to rethread my overlocker for what I was hoping would be, at best, a wearable toile. My fabric wasn't the greatest quality, but they've definitely come out wearable. That said, because I was using fold over elastic, rather than the suggested picot elastic, the crotch has turned out a bit wide. If I were using FOE again, I'd narrow the crotch area. 

I also found them to be too high, particularly at the back. Even with my highest waist jeans, they peek out over the top! For future pairs, I'd skim off about 2cm from the waist edge, but leave the waist elastic the same length or even tighten it a bit as that came out a smidge loose. 

Would I make this again?

With the adjustments stated above, I can DEFINITELY see myself using this pattern again with some nicer fabric. I'll even bother to thread up my overlocker to make the seams on the inside neater. I'd also like to play around with creating seam lines and panels with different fabrics. This pattern is a great canvas for all sorts of potential undies making. 

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: Racerback Tank for Kids, Tweens & Teens

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.

(image source: Life Sew Savoury)

Anyone who regularly sews for a child will have noticed that the number of pattern options for kids above ten years or so drops significantly. Of course, there are a whole bunch of companies catering for tweens and teens, and I've been meaning to collate them all in a blog post for yonks, but even so it's a small fraction compared to the offerings for younger kids. And if you're a maker who relies on free patterns here are there to make your sewing budget stretch further, the pickings are slim. That makes the Life Sew Savoury blog a valuable resource, because there are a bunch of free sewing patterns for kids, with many that span tweens and teens sizing. It seems that, as Emily's own kids get bigger, she releases patterns in bigger sizes! Thanks to Emily at Life Sew Savoury, and all pattern designers who release their work for free for us to enjoy. When my kids were small I made a load of the Life Sew Savoury tank tops, so when I came across the racerback version for older kids I was excited to give it a try...

Pattern type:

A classic, racerback tank designed for knit fabrics that includes two methods for the armhole and neck bindings. To access this pattern, you add it to your basket and go through the checkout. No payment is required but you are then automatically added to their mailing list, which is fair enough. The download includes the pattern pieces only, the instructions are shared as a blog post. 

Sizing info:

This pattern has been graded from approx. 4 - 18 years, which equates to 22.5" to 35" chest, or 39" to 64" tall. Going on my kid's measurements, I used the size 10/12 for the top part, grading out to the size 14/16 at the waist. 

Fabric info:

'Knit fabric' is the only specification on the blog post (with an affiliate link to an online fabric shop). I made two versions of this pattern (read on to find out why you only see one of them pictured in this post!), the first in a cotton/elastane single jersey that I harvested from an adult's rollneck top that I was no longer wearing because it was too tight in the arms. And the second I made in a 100% cotton single jersey (pictured) that was harvested from a toddler bed sheet. The fabric of the bed sheet had lost a fair bit of its mechanical stretch so probably wasn't the most suitable choice. But the print is super cute and reminds me of when my children were tiny, so it's nice to find a use for it.

You could also use a fine rib knit for this pattern I reckon, or even a thinner pointelle perhaps, which might be nice for nightwear. You cut your own strips for the bindings so the fabric you use for them does't need to have any particular percentage of stretch. Just be mindful as you apply them to not do so too tightly if the fabric doesn't have much stretch and recovery. 

Findings:

Accessing the pattern was easy, and it was simple to print out and put together. Generally speaking, I think the pattern is well drafted, but I did notice that the side seams weren't the same length, so I ended up trimming one down. As for the instructions, if you've been following this blog feature for a while, you know by now that I don't love instructions that are in the form of an ad-riddled blog post, including the extra distracting animated ads. Obviously, I understand the business model: that's one of the ways the designer makes their money, but there's also the affiliate links AND you've given them your email address to access the actual pattern. As Danny Price would say, moving on...

I did like being given two options for attaching the bindings, which they differentiate as 'bands vs bindings' (I prefer the bands method). And all in all the project was a fun, quick and satisfying sew. 

What didn't work out well, however, was the fit. My kid found the armholes to be too high in the first version, and in fact refused to wear that one at all because they found it too uncomfortable (I haven't plucked up the energy or motivation to unpick all that top stitching and overlocking yet). I lowered the armholes considerably for the second version and which worked out well and this second one has been worn to sleep in. 

Will I make this pattern again?

Possibly. There's also a question over whether or not my kid actually likes the racerback style after all (eye roll).