So, back to normal programming!  Don’t think that I have suddenly started sewing in a frenzy since returning from holiday.  I have managed to sew one garment during the past fortnight but I think that there are over 30 items from last year that are still unblogged.  So I’ll gradually get them all up here.  The problem with not blogging soon after making is that I do forget some of the details.  Lesson learned – this year I will blog new makes soon after making!

This is the Morrison Tee from Hey June Handmade.  It is part of a line of Junior’s Patterns in sizes 6 to 16.  This is a great idea – the tween market is an underserved market in sewing patterns, in my view.  There is such variation in height, weight and shape among tweens that it can be very difficult to find things that are suitable.  Many children’s patterns stop at around size 10 or 12.  Although adult patterns kick in then from a height perspective, plenty of tweens/teens aren’t shaped like adults!  I often reflect on this as I look at my daughters’ friends (Clare’s in particular).  Many of these tweens and teens are shaped like adult women, but plenty aren’t.  There are super tall ones still to develop boobs and hips; there are short ones still to develop as well.  There are short ones who are already developing but don’t have the shoulder width of adult patterns.  I suppose that the lucky ones are the taller, developed ones – they can simply fit into women’s clothing (and sewing patterns).  Then “age appropriateness” becomes an issue.  It can be complicated!  These Hey June patterns go to girls size 16 with a height of 162cm – which is taller than me.  I have noticed that Simplicity and New Look in particular have a great range of fashionable girls patterns that also go to girls size 16, and Ottobre magazines have a terrific range too.   Options are there, you just have to look for them a bit harder!

Anyway, this is not a problem for Stella. I sewed her size 8 in this tee. It’s an oversized style, so it plenty loose through the body, but the armholes and length are well proportioned. The pattern description is as follows: The Morrison Tee is a casual boxy fit dolman tee for juniors.  Options include banded sleeves, cap sleeves, or long sleeves.  Choose a hi-low hem, a straight hem, or either version with a front tie hem.  The Morrison is perfect for 4 season wear and can be made dressier or more casual.  Make a slubby gray front-tie tee for lazy Saturdays or use a pretty floral for a cap sleeve top to pair with a pretty skirt and sandals for fancier occasions.  Personalize your Morrison Tee with cute iron-on decals, fabric paint, tie dye, or applique.  This versatile top will be a wardrobe staple for your tween or teen!

I chose to sew the banded sleeve with front tie and hi-low hem.  It was very straightforward to construct.  The fabric is a printed cotton/viscose (?) spandex from Clear It – it’s terrific quality.  Construction was straightforward, as you’d expect if you’ve sewn multiple t-shirts before!  I really can’t remember the instructions much.  I assume that I sewed the shoulder seams, applied the neckband, sewed side seams, attached sleeve bands, then hemmed.

Oh, the shorts! I forgot about the shorts! They are from McCalls 7150, and are very straightforward elastic waist shorts. I sewed them in viscose/cotton chambray, and used pink thread to topstitch the hems.

A few more words about McCalls 7150.  The pattern description is as follows: Pullover top, tunic and dress are sleeveless and have yoke back and purchased bias tape for neckline and armholes. A: Yoke front, overlapped tulip-hem back. B: Hemline ruffle, wrong side shows. C: Applied ruffles, raw edge finish on heading. B, C: Bias bow, knot. Lined shorts, and leggings: Elastic waist. D: Thread carriers and purchased ribbon. E: No side seams. A, B, C, E: Narrow hem. Headband: Elastic, bow, knot.  

I sewed the view A top, in the same fabric as the shorts.  It was TERRIBLE.  I used bias tape to finish the edges, as per the instructions, and the results were horrible.  Take a look at the line drawing for this pattern.

Using “purchased bias tape for neckline and armholes” absolutely does not work on armholes with such extreme curves!  It was fine around the neckline, but those armhole curves at the centre back of the armhole are quite extreme.  There were puckers galore.  It really needed to have a facing of some kind, or be sewn only in a stretch fabric.  Definitely a wadder, which was disappointing because I’d used lovely fabric and bias binding.  You win some, you lose some.

So, back to the tee! This is a nice basic tee pattern, and one that I am sure I will come back to in the future, both for Stella and for Clare.