Sunday, March 27, 2011

saddle up! {another boy's t-shirt}


This is my favorite shirt so far.  I spent some time a few weekends ago modifying the t-shirt pattern that I made for a boys size 4-5 into a boys size 2-3.  I'm sure this would have been easier if I understood the dynamics of pattern grading, but I consider myself a confident beginner and that it beyond the scope of such skill level.


Anyway, I just trimmed a little here and measured a little there and voila!  A new pattern size for kids ages 2-3 was born.  This was my test piece and I couldn't be happier with it.  The white part of the t-shirt was transformed from a ready-made woman's shirt that my sister was no longer enamored with (and she admits that it is much cuter this way).  The sleeves were refashioned from t-shirt scraps that I used to make a t-shirt quilt (top) for the hub.


I just love the raglan sleeve, particularly on little boys.  Girls gets all kinds of fun ways to dress up their wardrobe like ruffles, shirring, and other frilly things.  This is my way of making boys' t-shirts more interesting.  And the dual color style always reminds me of baseball . . . my favorite sport and a sure sign of spring.  These sleeves are sewn with wrong sides together, and the seams are folded to one side and sewn down.  I just love this look.  I've seen this type of seam finish on a lot of other blogs lately; they have been using a pattern from Patterns by Figgy.


And I am experimenting with neck seam finishes to give the shirt a cleaner look.  For this one, I took a scrap of white knit and folded it like double-fold bias tape.  I wrapped it around the back neck seam to hide the stitches.  I like the look, but I will keep looking for something a easier.  This takes a lot of concentration.


I just love this shirt!  At first I thought the shirt was a little too big for my 2.5 year old, but the pattern seems to lean a little more toward the 3 side.  So it really is perfect for boys clothes that will last at least another year.


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