Sewing for Me: Perfect Pattern Parcel 1 // Summer Concert Tee

There’s a reason that the Summer Concert Tee has been in the spotlight of the Perfect Pattern Parcel tour going on right now. Have you heard of PPP? It’s an innovative collaboration with multiple prongs, e.g. a name-your-price bundle, a charitable educational cause and a rally for indie designers. I’m a huge supporter of indie designers and educational causes, and I like the unique approach to pricing.

I chose the concert tee because it’s a quick sew, to be sure, but it also has the key elements I look for in a garment: comfort, style, and versatility. And that’s a plastic spider ring left over from Halloween by my feet. K “styled” the shoot.

At first glance, the dark olive knit I used probably looks as plain jane as can be. But no, it’s burnout knit! Do you remember the burnout knit trend back in circa 2007? The only reason I remember this is because I had an illustration client back then that paid me in trade. Since the client owned a boutique, she would send me of-the-moment clothes in exchange for postcard illustrations. I received a burnout tee that I absolutely loved and wore to death.

I received this fabric from my mom, and I really had no plans to use it. It’s super see-through and thin and the edges curl like crazy, and all in all, it spelled h-e-a-d-a-c-h-e. Yet, when Rachael invited me to participate in the tour, I couldn’t stop thinking about this burnout knit (jersey?) for the tee.

I’m not one to ignore siren calls from fabric, and I’m glad I used this finicky one. It drapes fabulously and the sewing was shockingly smooth. A few words from having sewn this pattern: I LOVE the style. It’s the kind I would shell out good hard cash for with its generous silhouette and flattering cut. The sizing, I discovered, is also extremely generous. This is an extra small I made, and I’ve never worn extra small in my life. It made me feel petite and dainty instead of like a sumo wrestler, which was an unexpected bonus. The instructions were clear and straightforward, but I did have a beef about the 1/4 inch seam allowance. With the challenging knit I was using, there was ample opportunity for disaster, so I fudged a bit and used a 3/8 seam allowance. Plenty of room in spite of that, as you can see.

I definitely recommend this pattern! I really like the asymmetrical hem, and lower neckline (I find that most necklines are too high for me). I considered adding some length to the front to accommodate my alien-esque long torso, but I opted to stick true to the pattern. I did leave the hem and sleeve edges raw because (a) I was feeling a little lazy and (b) I don’t mind how it looks and (c) I was afraid I would jinx my good sewing karma because I always mess up knit sleeve edges and hems. A wise, wise move if I do say so myself!

And that’s not all! I’m working on another goodie from the Perfect Pattern Parcel and here’s a sneak peek…

************************************************

So. Onto the really good stuff. This is a cool project on so many levels, and there are prizes! The parcel comes with five top-notch patterns, and as mentioned before, you set your own price.

Additionally, there are over $200 worth of gift certificates available and you can enter the giveaway here. Make haste, friends, make haste.

 

And make sure to check the other lovely creations here:
One Little Minute
SeamstressErin Designs
One Girl Circus
casa crafty
the quirky peach
Kadiddlehopper
Sew Caroline
Groovybabyandmama
Fishsticks Designs
the Brodrick blog
verypurpleperson
sew a straight line
Adventures in Dressmaking
true bias
Idle Fancy
La Pantigana
Crafterhours
Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts
Max California
YoSaMi
la inglesita
Diary of a Chainstitcher
four square walls
Lauren Dahl
Sewbon
mingo & grace
Dandelion Drift
VeryShannon
Sanae Ishida
buzzmills
Sew Jereli
Figgy’s
Froo & Boo
a happy stitch
Disaster in a Dress
Things for Boys
mama says sew
sew Amy sew
Sew Busy Lizzy
Made With Moxie
imagine gnats