It’s nearly the end of March and I can show you my second make for Sew Frugal 2025, where we have to make something using a free pattern or fabric from our stash. This make uses the Closet Core T-Shirt pattern, which is free, and which I’ve made before. I made the long sleeved version.
I used the remnants of fabric from this dress, with the main fabric and the matching rib being free at the local recycling centre (REMida Perth).
I’m wearing it with my white Fibremood Gizeh trousers and was going to style it with a few things from my wardrobe but we’ve had a heatwave and it’s been too hot to put the tee shirt on. These photos were taken in the morning whilst it was still relatively cool.
The sleeves on this tee are three-quarter length but I like long sleeves in cooler weather so I used the matching rib to extend them. I didn’t have enough fabric to make the sleeves longer and this seemed like a good solution.
The back isn’t too bad. Everytime I see photos like this I think I should do a sway back adjustment, or maybe I need to go up a size as I can see pulling under the arms.
I used my coverstitch to sew the pocket on and it finished up a little wonky; I really should have unpicked it, but this fabric tends to go into holes when it’s unpicked so I stuck a flower over the top of the dodgy bit. From a distance it looks as though I’ve got a stain on the top, so I may pull it off and hide the crime a different way.
I can’t really report on the wearability of this one as I haven’t had it on for more than a few minutes, but I think it will be handy.
A photo of my granddaughters with Pepper the puppy. She has really made herself an integral part of the family. She’s more gentle with them than she is with me!
You look like you have a wide (and round) back. You might need both adjustments.
This is my preferred wide back adjustment.
It also looks like the armhole may not be deep enough.
These instructions are for knitting, but they work for sewing too.
It looks like it’s catching on your butt. This happens when you need more width. The high hip looks too small, common when your lower torso is squarish rather than gradual increase to hip. You might also need full butt adjustment.
I wouldn’t bother with sway back until you’ve allowed enough room so it’s not catching.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7573004@N06/4578342450/
https://pattylyons.com/2016/05/tuesday-tip-how-to-measure-armhole-depth/
Thank you for this. I’m a swimmer so do have a wide back, but was holding my arms in front of me for these photos which would round my back more. I think you’re right about the armholes – I will lay my block on the pattern and see what the differences are.
I have really narrow hips and I did smile at the full butt adjustment comment – that would be a dream as I have no butt at all! I am quite rectangular, but my hips are smaller than my bust, so things are usually baggy in this area. I can’t remember but I may have graded the pattern to the hips, as this is standard for me, and I’ve gone too far. I shall get it out and have a look. thank you so much for the comment, I shall follow up the links you provided.
Yes. I thought you’d said you had flat butt, so thought that was unlikely.
I have to make very similar adjustments. My high hip is usually a couple of sizes bigger than my hip.
I Thought you had typical swimmers back. I have wide back from working out using small weights to compensate for damage to spinal disks as a child.
I have a high waist but hadn’t thought about a high hip. I need to investigate! There is clearly no such thing as a standard body, which is what all patterns are designed for! thank you again, your comments are much appreciated.
Very nice T-shirt and I’m sure with some tweeks the next one will be perfect.👍
Have a nice day/night
Jeannine
P.S. Loved the picture A LOT . 🤩
Thank you. That dog is so good with them.
Every time I see someone sew the Closet Core tshirt, I want to make one too!
I have a ready to wear shirt which has those fabric wrinkles near the arm pit like your photos, but the wrinkles are only on my right side. I wondered why I was getting the asymmetric wrinkles so I pulled and tugged on the shirt till the wrinkles disappeared, and lo and behold, my right shoulder slope is “slopier” than the left-by pulling the right shoulder up the slightest bit, I could get the wrinkles to disappear. (And then I started to notice that almost all my shirts have the right side armpit wrinkling…)
Thank you, I think it’s a good pattern, but I do get more wrinkles around the arms than with other patterns. I think many of us are asymmetrical, and the beauty of sewing is that we can make clothes that disguise our problems. I wore this top again yesterday and it had no wrinkles, so I’m not sure what’s going on. I must investigate!