I started this t-shirt before my trip back east, but I put it aside to finish some pieces for the trip. My local ASG chapter featured a "perfect t-shirt" theme this month, so I was happy to have an excuse to finish this top. If you look at view B, you will see that it flares at the hips. I knew I wouldn't like this look for me, so I did some altering to remove the flare without compromising the integrity of the side inset. I didn't want to take all of the fullness from the side seam and end up chopping the inset so that it lost its length. (If that makes any sense...)
Materials
- Heathered grey ponte from FabricMart. This soft ponte has a very subtle stripe. I also used this fabric for a pair of Marcy Tilton pants. I have enough for one more garment. :)
Alterations and Construction Notes
- I started with a size 22. Based on the finished bust measurement, I decided not to do an FBA.
- Rather than follow directions and cut the inset so that the stripe is horizontal, I cut it so that the stripe (which is very subtle) is on the bias. I did this because I felt that a horizontal stripe makes the bust larger - it's like a giant arrow. :)
- I shortened the sleeves by 3", but they were still a bit long.
- I narrowed the shoulder about 3/4".
- I removed fullness at the underarm from both the sleeve and the side seam.
- I did quite a bit of fitting in the "princess" seam and in the side seam. I removed as much as possible from the front piece, and as little as possible from the inset to preserve its length as much as possible. That length helps the top look more slim.
- By the time i got to the hem, I was in a hurry and I knew the top wasn't perfect to begin with, so I just slapped the hem allowance up and stitched. This is why it's a bit rippled. Had I wanted a nice flat hem, I would have used Steam a Seam Lite. I can always re-hem it later if it bothers me too much. :)
I transferred all shaping back to the tissue pattern, so that I can make this again. It's not quite perfect, but I like the fit overall. I removed perhaps a bit too much from the front so the side seam is a bit unbalanced. I'm not sure yet whether I want to play with the fit more and balance the side seam - it's non-trivial since I don't want to affect the front inset too much.
Anyway, I think this is a nice pattern, with good potential for the busty. It requires a bit of fitting for the hip-less, however, unless you like a flared hem. :)
I wore this tee all day yesterday and popped it on again this morning for a photo. So it looks a bit rumpled, aside from the hem. :)
