Kwik Sew 3299

This was at attempt to find a TNT pattern for t-shirts for Corey. The pattern reviews were promising. One person said that the neck was way too big, but they used a rayon jersey material so I assumed the problem was with the material. Corey wanted to pick the fabric and wanted to see the choices in person, so we went to JoAnn rather than buying a discounted fabric on line. He decided on a rib knit, rather than a thin cotton jersey. His choice was quite a bit thicker than regular t-shirt material, but I kept on, regardless. I made the large according to his measurements, rather than the x-large, his RTW size.

On the first attempt the neck stretched out about 3 inches and did not shrink back even when washed. It was also about an inch too wide through the sleeves and the chest/waist and a couple inches too long. I had enough fabric, so I recut the whole thing adding 1.5 inches to the pattern at the front and back of the neck and removing the inch in width and two inches in length. After serging the ribbing to the neckline, I double needle stitched the serged seam allowance to the shirt because the thickness of the fabric was keeping it from laying flat.

This time, the front of the neck was good, but there was too much fabric at the back, causing it to stick up and out in an unflattering way. I ripped out the stitching on the back neck edge only, removed about an inch of the 1.5 inches I had added to the pattern at the back neck edge, then re-stiched, serged and double needle stitched it back down. This seems to have solved the problem.

However, even though I was careful when I turned and double needle stitched the sleeve hems, they stretched out a bit and ended up looking like Corey was wearing bells on his arms. I am not hopeful that they will shrink back down when washed because the huge neck didn't on the first attempt.

I could taper the edge of the sleeves in on the pattern, but I think all this stretching is because of the rib knit. I am hopeful that when I make it out of cotton jersey all will be well. I just hope that the other pattern changes I've made will still work with the cotton jersey. Man, I thought this t-shirt business was going to be easy.

Update 9/10. Corey still hasn't washed the shirt to see if the bell sleeves went back to normal size. I'll post pictures as soon as he does.

Here are the photos. The sleeves aren't bells anymore but all the seams puckered causing a not very masculine lettuce edge effect. Corey is happy with the (slim) fit though. I'll try this again in cotton jersey and see what happens.

This last picture taken while chasing him to the next room because he heard cheering from the football game on the tele. Don't tell him there's a picture of his butt on the internet. ;)