Stripey Slouchy Tee

Here she is.  Slouchy Tee number two.

This one took me a hell of a lot longer than the spotty version.  First of all I cut the first piece with the stripes in the wrong direction, argh!  Then I just couldn't get the neck right.  Technically it should have been cut on the bias but the stretch was none existent, the fabric was super stretchy (like super stretchy!!) in the horizontal direction of the stripe.

Anyhow, I did manage far less tucks around the neck this time (woo- high five!) and I even put the seam for the neck running adjacent to the shoulder seam (that big seam on the spotty slouchy tee neck was just driving me crazy!)

Looks so much better (although the mis-matched stripe and tuck on the neck will bug me, but hey!).

Check out the pattern matching - what - where's that seam you ask...oh yeah, sewn like a boss!

So to get these sleeves I took what I had learnt from sewing the Archer shirts, why bother with all that faffy sleeve ease when you could simply attach the sleeve in one straight piece like this... 

Then simply fold back over and pin right side to right side at the seams and sew as one big lot, side and sleeve together, easy peasy! No fiddling about with trying to make the sleeve band fit into the sleeve hole!

I have also been trying out various ways of finishing the overlocked seam.  I tried this...

Make sure there is plenty of overlocked stitch available before lining up the seam then pull the loose stitching under the foot.  Make sure it's pulled fairly tightly and lined up to be stitched over and this will secure the starting stitches.  To finish the stitches I used a large eyed needle and by hand pulled the loose stitches back through the existing stitches to secure it.

You can see this here.  This was my first attempted hence the bulk at the end but after practise I had this nailed!

Fabric: Guthrie-Ghani cotton jersey

Slouchy Tee

Here comes the sun...

Here's my first ever T-Shirt ready for the summer.  In true Sewing Sarah style I'm going to make an army of these.  I find that I'm only getting near to happy with my results after a good few attempts with the same pattern.  I learn as I'm going along.

I got the free pattern from icandy's self drafted pdf (someone on twitter recommended this for me- so sorry I've lost the tweet to give you a name check and I've a terrible memory!).  Hers is designed for a shoulder insert but I didn't want this so just stuck the shoulder inserts to the front to make a full front pattern piece and hey presto!

I love the cute little sleeve bands.  Ignore the mis-matching dots, hey it's a slouchy tee after all!  My priority was in getting that slippy jersey nailed not perfect pattern matching.

I cut the neck band on the bias as apparently that gives a little more stretch.  The neck band is always cut shorter and stretched to fit when sewn in.  I was terrified of overstretching it but I think it worked out ok.  There are a few little tucks around the back and front right but for my first attempt I'm pretty pleased!

I overlocked/serged everything, everything!  I wanted to do a faux cover stitch hem but opted for a stretch stitch instead.  I'm learning so much about my overlocker.  Can you believe I've only just realised you can opt not to have the knife cutting! *note to self-read the instruction book!*

The Topshop Gingham Archer Shirt

The cotton gingham hidden button placket Archer shirt I copied from Topshop (sorry Topshop!)

Left: Topshop

Right: Me made Archer!

I saw this shirt in Topshop and immediately thought Archer!  I'm so in love with this pattern that this is now Archer number IIII!  I used a light cotton gingham in a large and small check.  I found this hidden button placket tutorial on Youtube, which was pretty simple to do and hey presto!

For the yoke and collar I used the small check gingham cotton again.  I'm still struggling with Jen's video on the sewalong tutorial for the collar.  I can't seem to get it neat and tidy at the front where the button hole is, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong there but apart from that I've pretty much nailed the Archer now.

The cotton is so light that it barely needs ironing when it comes out of the wash!  I can pretty much just throw it on!

This time for the sleeve plackets lovely Carolyn pointed me in the direction of this tutorial.  It worked a dream and was so easy to follow, and I didn't have any issues with lining up the button holes either!  Fab.

I used my new overlocker (the overlord as it shall now be known as, thank you Claudia! #GBSB) for the inside seams and I'm soooo pleased with the results I could actually wear it inside out!  Georgina was asking me about it, just for you lady here's a pic - it's awesome get one!  It works by stitching over the edges to prevent seams from fraying.  As you can see I'm still getting used to it as I'm a little way off the main seam stitch.  I aim to get closer for a neater finish!  The overlocker (sorry overlord :-)) works by cutting the fabric as you feed it in and stitches as it goes.

I've done so many Archers now I think it's time for a new challenge.  My next projects will hopefully be some jersey t-shirts for the summer.  I've got my fabric just searching for the perfect pattern (I'm so fussy when it comes to style!).  I'd also like to make a paperbag skirt - can anyone recommend a pattern?  I have been looking at Salme on Etsy - are they any good?

I've been lucky enough to have been gifted these fabulous fabrics and can't wait to play!

Things I want to sew

Things I want to sew. . .

I'm thinking about summer.  I'm all about tees and jersey at the moment, hard to resist with Maria's free pattern.  I'd also like to knock up another Moss skirt, a shorter length this time. And as I'm currently working with gingham I love this little scrunchie (hello 1990s!) from topshop, what a fab idea for left over scraps!

Left: Maria Denmark Kirsten Kimono Tee (free pattern!)

Top Right: Grainline Studios Moss Skirt

Bottom Right: Topshop Gingham Scrunchie

Needs

Se w i n g   N e e d s...

Large Left: Pattern, Named -Blair Bat Wing Shirt €9.00

Top Right: Feltfolk Scotty Dog Buttons 50p

Bottom Right: Backstitch Fox Ed Emberley Quilting Cotton £3.50 per quarter metre

Mmmm!

Archer II and III

 Hello Archer number 3 in giant plaid.

Pattern:  Grainline Studios Archer Shirt

Fabric: Plaid pattern farbic from Ikea, heavy cotton.  Black plain cotton from Ikea.

I matched the plaid pattern with the help of  Lladybird's tutorial (couldn't have done it without you!).  It took the second attempt to get it right after cutting and matching everything except the front, epic sewing fail. (It does match now trust me, in my excitement to blog I quick some quick snap shots!)  

 

I cut off the left button band and replaced it with the plain black cotton and added the same for the right button band.  I kinda copied this from a shirt I'd seen on the high street.  I think the black collar and button band really adds emphasis and breaks up the giant plaid pattern.

The yoke is cut on the bias as most tutorials advise to break up the plaid.

I decided to keep the cuffs in the plaid and not add pockets, I don't think it needs them.

I haven't been able to post for a while as I'm in the middle of some pretty intense study but I have also managed to knock up Archer number 2 as well.  This is a just a simple version I wear for work.  It's not my best, there are a lot of errors but it's wearable.  I'm totally nailing topstitching now, the key is a denim needle and make sure your machine is threaded properly (another sewing fail here). Here she is...

As with my first Archer the only adjustment I made is the length.  I'm a tall gal and like a good length so lengthened it by a good 4 inches.  I adore this pattern so much and it's so easy to make.  As I've mentioned before Jen's (Grainline) tutorial is a lifesaver!

I'm already onto Archer number 4 and it's gonna be amazeballs! But I'll leave you with this for now.

PS- Happy Bloggerversary to me, I'm one year old!

Archer Shirt - Grainline

Behold...my very first shirt and I absolutely love it!  So much in fact that I've already started Archer shirt II!

The only alteration I made to this was the length.  I lengthened it by a good 4 inches, mainly because I'm so tall and I wanted to be able to wear it tucked in.  I love Andrea's (Four Square Walls) white version so opted for a shameful copy.  I figured it would make a great wear for work.  The fabric is a medium cotton.

You can get an idea of the length here.  I'm wearing it with my Grainline Moss skirt too!  

I initially put the pleat in my muslin the wrong way around on the back (oops) and after reading around blogs I realised just before starting this one! Phew!

I love the detail of the top stitching.  It was my first time with top stitch, I had a few "moments" when my machine kept jamming on the collar but with a little help from twitter I changed the needle to a denim and messed about with the tension.  I'm not thrilled with the finish under the collar as I couldn't get the tension right but it can't be seen so I can get away with it!  

I'm amazed at how easy it was to make.  The Sew Along certainly helped, to be honest I mainly used that as I'm more of a visual learner and prefer pictures but the pattern instructions were pretty straight forward too.

Here's how I usually wear it.  Overall a huge sewing success!