Blue Tops – Maya and Knit Raglan

The Maya pattern by Marilla Walker is a popular “boxy top” pattern with extended shoulders, wide facings, and without any darts for shaping. It was the first independent sewing pattern I bought in 2017, but never made until now.

My fabric is a lightweight India cotton, as best as I can recall. It was only a yard, and not very wide.  The fabric is not stiff and drapes well. When I put my pattern pieces on it, I found I would have to do some piecing.

I cut a size 4 (this is not ready-to-wear sizing) which gave me about 2 inches of ease in the bust and about 5 inches of ease in the hips. It floats around my body in a way that feels good to me.  Goodbye fitted clothes, hello relaxed boxy fit!

I used a scrap of chambray for the neck lining.  I changed the neckline to be a little lower but also widened it a little too much.  It stays on my shoulders though. I also cut the sleeves longer.  I finished the seams with flat felling on the inside.

I love the way it doesn’t catch on my high hip in the back.

I also made another raglan tee shirt using the free pattern from the “It’s Always Autumn” website.  I didn’t have quite enough fabric for the sleeves so used a different shade of blue.

I think I will add a little more ease the next time I make it.  There are pull lines pointing to the bust and it catches on my high hip in back. This is just a plain tee that will get a lot of wear for around the house and walking the dog.

Two blueberry tops : one woven, one knit.  I wear lots of woven sleeveless tops in summer, but then tees for the rest of the year.  I’d like to make some nicer woven sleeved tops, and this Maya is a good step in that direction.

 

 

No Fuss Quick Raglan Tee

I got out of the habit of sewing after the holidays, and didn’t plug my machine back in until January 20th.

After writing my 2018 Make Nine list to get me motivated, I decided to start with an easy tee.  I had taped the free pattern by It’s Always Autumn together previously. Then on a windy Saturday I cut and sewed to completion my first raglan! This was my first ever one day project, and after this instant gratification I understand the allure of sewing with knits.

I wanted to make the baseball jersey type of shirt and found a XL tee for the body and a size small for the sleeves.

I find using the fabric from thrift store tee shirts to be a cheap and practical way of sourcing knit fabric.

I made a few small changes to the pattern taking away 1/2 inch from the length of the raglan, and adding 1/2 inch to the hip.  I used a rotary cutter which made cutting the bodice front, back, and sleeves so quick and easy.  I cut the elbow length sleeves.

I put in a stretch needle and sewed with a zigzag width of approximately 1.5 width and a 2.5 length. I have a manual machine, so I’m just twisting a dial.

I love Autumn’s method of attaching the neck band.  Instead of measuring the neck and using a mathematical calculation to figure out the length of the band, I simply stretched and pinned the unjoined band to the neck, and sewed it together where it meets in the back.

Another no fuss technique I used was to bypass the double needle. Instead I used the same zigzag stitch to hem the sleeves and top stitch around the neck. No changing the thread either.

I loved this sporty look so much I decided to do it again!

This time I cut the shirt tail hem of the pattern, and short sleeves.

This shirt would look more dressy made in one fabric, but I was enjoying coming up with the color combinations too much to stop.  I didn’t buy any new tees;  I was working with the colors I already had on hand.

These shirts already feel like old favorites.  They’re a hit!