Holiday Preparations - Step 1

Every year our days are pulled in too many directions. It's early November and we still have time to plan, sew, and ready ourselves for an amazing holiday season. Every year I wait until the last minute to think of myself. I always think I can pull something out of my closet, slide on those simple black pants, and all is well. This year - I need new. 

Does this sound at all like you? 

What is our solution?

I decided to pull an easy pattern out of my pattern stash and it is the Simple Elegant Tee by CNT Publishing. You may also own this pattern. It's not new to the market by any stretch, but it is a good standby pattern for a quick and simple tee. 

The pattern is designed as a one piece pattern. The center front and back of the garment are both on the fold. See the image below. The fabric in this image is folded with the selvedge edges touching. You purchase the yardage needed to make sure the length is right for your height and preferred length. I always start with 2-yards of fabric. The garment in the image above measures 32" long. I wanted a longer tunic length for this holiday season and this is perfect for my height which is 5' 7". 

The neck opening is cut from the center as marked. The pattern provides both a round neck and v-neck option. There are three sleeve options. Select from a traditional cap sleeve, open kimono sleeve, and a dolman sleeve. My tee shirts are always a dolman sleeve which is 3/4 length. 

So you can see how simple this top is to cut out and construct. The neck facing is a bias cut binding sewn to the neck opening. Serge or sew your side seams, hem your sleeve openings and the shirt hem and you are ready to wear your new beautiful batik rayon top. 

The Fit is Simple

The most important part of making a Simple Elegant Tee is the fit. Measuring yourself properly is the key to a successful top. Measure your bust and your hips and write these measurements on your pattern. Compare your measurements to that of the physical pattern piece. I truly never rely on the measurements given on the pattern jacket. I like to make sure I have approximately 4" of ease around my bust area. This gives me ample movement when working with a woven fabric like a batik rayon. 

Adjust your pattern to fit your measurements. I start with my bust measurement and base the fit of the garment on my bust. Then I compare my hip to that of the hip on the pattern. I typically have to grade my hip out just a bit to make sure I have enough fullness and movement. You may not need to do this. Again, I like about 4" or more of ease to make sure the garment has drape and movement. 

I then cut out my garment using my adjusted markings and save my pattern for all future garments. 

Include the Side Slits at the Hem 

Side slits on a A-shape tee shirt is a perfect way to add a bit of style and function to your tee shirt. It allows your garment to move a bit in the right place. I have found that adding only one side slit is my preference. This way the garment still has movement. 

I serge my seams to make garment construction easy and faster. If you don't have access to a serger, no worries. Simply use your sewing machine to finish the edges of your seams with a simple zigzag stitch or an overlock stitch along the edge. 

It's Simple

As you can see, the Simple Elegant Tee is the perfect simple pattern for making a beautiful garment for this holiday season. Making it extra special is sewing with drapey batik rayon. We hope you take a few minutes to shop our collection and share your makes on our social media outlets for all to see. Include @SewBatik in your posts and we will see your creations!

Until next time....