To make a long story (not even that) short, this t-shirt is an excellent example of what happens when I:
- Decide to use a 65cm long, 1.5m wide piece of fabric to make a ¾ or long sleeved t-shirt. People, this doesn’t fit unless you are a child or possibly when you wore a size XS pre vanity sizing. Why I didn’t simply make a short sleeved t-shirt with this fabric? I’m not sure.
- Leave the left-over fabric of my previous t-shirt in the vicinity of my cutting mat after completing said t-shirt.
- Decide to make ¾ length sleeves because that length could be cut out of the striped fabric.
- Don’t want a sleeve that is just stripes because that might look weird.
- Think it would be cool to have a strip of stripes down the length of one of the sleeves, preferably the left (guess where it ended up…)
- Piece a strip of striped fabric in between 2 pieces of purple fabric to create a new piece of fabric to cut out the second sleeve.
Realise I must have made a calculation mistake because the new piece of fabric that I created is too narrow after a certain point to cut out the sleeve (the purple fabric was slightly weirdly shaped at the sides due to other pattern pieces having been cut around it).
- Decide to make short sleeves instead.
- After cutting the sleeve realise I still have some purple fabric left that is wide enough to be added at the bottom of the sleeve!
- Realise it is too short to convert the short sleeve to a ¾ length sleeve.
- Wish I hadn’t already cut the short sleeve.
- Attach the piece of purple fabric anyway.
- Attach more stripes at the bottom of the sleeve to make it ¾ length.
- Start construction of the t-shirt.
- Use the striped fabric for the neckband so the stripes on the sleeve won’t feel lonely.
- Put it on and feel relieved it’s wearable.
What do you think? Is improvisational piecing going to be the next big thing or should I instead make sure to buy enough fabric for future projects?
I like it! You did great and you are hilarious!
Thank you!
I vote for both! Buy enough fabric for your projects, but your improvisation is really awesome! And you create one of a kind items that no one else will have. I love the way this turned out!
Thank you, I think I am going to experiment some more. I bought several pieces of knit fabric in different colours two weeks ago so I have some options.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with next. I love the wardrobe you’re building for yourself. 🙂
I hope to finish something else this week, also based on the same pattern but right now it’s still only an idea. I have a lot going on at work right now and find it hard to concentrate on more complicated sewing patterns. Luckily, t-shirts are good wardrobe staples and the weather is really improving so I can immediately wear what I make.
I think it looks like a lot of planning went into making a designer original. It looks great!
Thank you!
It looks fine! I did much the same thing the other day making a top. I had to piece the sleeve with a seam down the centre and 3/4 of the way down, and make a very, very deep border of contrast fabric for the main body because I just didn’t have enough for what I wanted to make. I’m very happy with the result.
Piecing can make a garment more unique but if the proportions aren’t done right it can also most definitely end up looking really weird. In your top it looks as if this was how the pattern was originally designed so you did a great job!
Is that another lady skater hack t shirt? It has great fit and looks really good on you. Personally I would struggle to wear unsymetric sleeves as it would make me feel uneven, but I’m a bit strange when it comes to evenness (for myself, other people can be as uneven as they like, except my husband).
Yes, I used the Lady Skater pattern. I really like assymmetry, my boyfriend usually gives me a bit of a strange look though when I wear my assymmetrical garments for the first time.
Wow! I wish I could come up with something like that instead of pouting. I’m glad you remembered what you did so that you could do it again.
Thank you!
It looks great, well done for persevering with it, I think I’d have given up!
The purple fabric was too expensive to just give up and I suppose I could always have gone back to the short sleeves if I really hated the final longer sleeve.
I really like the way it turned out! Very cool.
Thank you!
It is beautiful! You did a great job! I never tried making a blouse or a shirt because I am afraid of making the sleeves. Looks so complicated to me. I guess I am more used to straight lines because I am a weaver. 🙂 You look lovely in your creation.
Thank you! Sleeves in a knit are a breeze to set in because they ease in almost effortless. I usually insert them flat, so the sideseam of the bodice is not yet sewn when the sleeve is attached to the bodice. The sleeve seam and the sideseam are then sewn in one continuous line.