The Varied World of the Cut Make Trim Tee

The World Cut Make and Trim tee from the Home Sewn book has become a very favourite garment, made both in its original form and modified. For the recent batch sewn I even made the sash to give a bit more variety to my travel wardrobe.

The finished garments

Green and black stripe long sleeve wool tee with Untouched World Ecopossum graphite coat cardi, Andrea Moore Endless trousers and United Nude Step Mobius ankle bootie

In its original form it is a short kimono sleeve t-shirt. Adapted it is a long sleeve t-shirt with creative options for the long sleeves.

So proud of the stripe matching to make the chevrons at the shoulder seam

The Travel Wardrobe tees with the sash for added variety

Adapted even further it is a dress! The Cut Make Trim Tee extended to knee length using the Silhouette Patterns #2010 three-piece yoga skirt.

Left: with United Nude X-sandal in silver and mint
Right: with Untouched World Lofty scuba merino cardi and United Nude Mid Fold Horizon booties

The fabrics

Always a knit fabric but with different degrees of stretch and fibres - cotton, merino, wool, and viscose.  I am tempted to try this in a non-stretch woven fabric as the size I use doesn't rely on lots of negative ease.

For four of these t-shirts the fabric came from the Fabric Store. I don't have a picture of the navy stripe fabric.

Liberty of London Clifton jersey, design Mayrose in colourway C

180gsm merino in colourway seafoam

180gsm merino in colourway black

The yellow viscose jersey was purchased long enough ago that I don't remember exactly where it came from. The paisley mesh used with the yellow viscose jersey came from Gorgeous Fabrics and the green/black striped wool was a Marcy Tilton purchase.  The Missoni inspired zig-zag jersey used for the dress came from Elliott Berman Textiles.

The pattern

I have only used two patterns from the Home Sewn book by the New Zealand Fashion Museum but those two patterns (Cut Make and Trim Tee and Starfish Swirler dress) have become firm favourites, making this book very good value for money.

The pattern alterations

No fit alterations have been made to this pattern but I have made a variety of style alterations.  It is fascinating that all of the tees in this post have a v-neckline like the original pattern but others in the wardrobe have been made with various depths of scoop neckline.

Some of the tees are a longer length than the original and some have a shirt-tail back. Not that you can see either of these variations as I have only used photos taken from the front - sorry.

Even when I have used the v-neckline sometimes it is bound, other times a band. To get the v point after the neck band is sewn on a small dart is made at the point that tapers to nothing where the band is stitched to the neckline edge. It is difficult to photograph but hopefully you can see the small protruding triangle in the photograph below.

For the dress the technique used came from a Craftsy class by the Tilton sisters.  You need a fabric that is the same on both sides, as you twist the fabric as you sew the band to the neckline. Start sewing the band on with wrong sides together then twist the band so that right sides are together. The closer to the twist you hold both sides of the fabric together the tighter the twist will look.

The outfits

Sorry about the facial expression I was squinting into the sun.

Long sleeved yellow viscose knit tee with mesh insert in the sleeves worn with Andrea Moore Fur Bomber jacket, Kaleidoscope trousers and Mi Piaci Martha ankle boots

Long sleeved black merino tee worn with Bargello Quilt Kimono jacket, French Dressing Olivia jeans and United Nude Mid Fold Rainbow booties