Rebel Sewist

I hinted at gave away that I had made the Hey June Union St. Tee pattern in my last post (where I MADE PANTS!), but since this t-shirt pattern was on my #2018MakeNine list and I made four different versions I figured that it deserved its own post. For those of you who don’t know, the Union St. Tee is a basic t-shirt pattern from Hey June that comes with a range of sleeve lengths and necklines. It’s a looser fitting style and Adriana specifically recommends against using cotton-spandex unless sizing down to make a more fitted tee. So what did I do? Made one out of cotton-spandex. What can I say, I’m a rebel.

In fact, I made TWO out of cotton-spandex, in two different sizes. The first is an XL (my size according to the size chart) and the second is a size L.

size XL (with my serious “I’m trying to accurately document the fit of this t-shirt” face)

size L

The difference between the two is a bit subtle – a more relaxed fit tee in XL, and a slightly more fitted (but still relaxed) in L. Honestly, I like them both for slightly different vibes. Here’s a side view where you can see the difference a bit better:

size XL

size L

I graded down a bit at the hips for both tees – my hip measurement is always a size or two smaller than the rest of me, so this is a typical adjustment for me. I suppose that I’d call my body shape an hourglass that is slowly morphing into a rectangle – that’s what time and a baby will do to a body :). The XL tee has a very similar fit to the Lark tee (by Grainline Studio), although the sleeves are a bit wider in the Lark. I’ve had trouble with puckers at the sleeve cap on the Lark tee, probably due to a bit too much sleeve cap ease.

It turns out that Adriana was probably right – I like the smaller sized one a bit better, although I still wouldn’t really call this one a true ‘fitted’ tee.

Isn’t there just something so classic about a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans? I could (and do) live in this!

Selfish Sewist

After experimenting with the white cotton-spandex, I decided it was time to follow the recommendations and use something with a bit more drape. And so I made a third tee in some double-brushed poly – a cactus print on a black background that I originally bought to make PJs for The Boy…but then I just couldn’t help myself:) This one is an XL (my ‘true’ size) and you can see how differently it drapes compared to the cotton-spandex one in the same size.

Confession: I’m totally not sorry that I kept this fabric for myself! 

So here is where the madness comes in (you’ve been waiting for it, haven’t you?).

Question: What is a sewist to do when she realizes about an hour before heading to the lake that all she packed for the weekend getaway in the mountains were jeans…and fabric?

Silly question. Make a Union St. dress, of course!

I really hadn’t intended on making a dress out of this fabric (a long-sleeved boat-neck tee and some PJs, perhaps), but I did have 3 yards of it and the Union St. Tee pattern with me on my trip (and my serger, of course, because isn’t that what all good sewists pack for vacation?). I cut out a size XL scoop neck tee, lengthened by about 18 inches, and ever so slightly widened (0.5-1 inch) at the hem. Instead of sleeves, I trimmed 0.5 inches from the arm holes and finished them with bands.

Despite my rush to complete this before we left for the lake, I managed to get the stripes matched up pretty well – except that the front is one stripe shorter on one side (oops, must have cut it at a slight angle). No worries, the hem is the only place you’d notice it and I don’t think anyone is looking that closely.

I used a scrap piece to make a tie for the waist. I considered making an elastic casing to cinch in the waist a bit, but I kind of like the versatility of the dress without it – easy to throw on over my swimsuit at the beach or pool, but can also work for a day or evening around town (dinner and drinks at Moody’s?). Heck, I can even sleep in it.

So there you have it – Union St. Tee, four ways. There are many more possibilities with this pattern, and I know it will become a staple in my sewing and my wardrobe.

Details

Pattern: Union St. Tee by Hey June Handmade
Size(s): XL for looser fit, L for tighter fit, both graded down a bit at hips
Fabric: white cotton-spandex, cactus double brushed poly, and white and black striped double brushed poly, all from Fabric Outlet in SF (online at Cali Fabrics)