A very green t-shirt

Last time I posted it was all doom and woe. I can't say I've really had a much better week this week -- the lingering effects of this head cold are proving hard to shake and there was all kinds of bad news delivered from many different sources -- but despite that I don't feel quite so fed up. I have spent an inordinate amount of my leisure time this week thinking about sewing and suddenly feel very enthusiastic about it again. In fact, my attitude today could best be summed up as I want to make all of the things! ALL OF THEM! I have a big list of plans and ideas about what I want to sew over the next few months and I'm not done thinking of things yet. :D

In the meantime this week I also nibbled away at a small project just to get going with some actual sewing again. Normally I can make a knit top in one sewing session, but I spread this one out over several days. This was mainly because I didn't feel very well most of the week and couldn't really spend hours on anything, but also because I wanted to just ease myself gently back into the habit of working on something every day. The outcome of this effort is this very bright green t-shirt:

Three quarter sleeved NL6150 tee with Ottobre 02-2007-05 'Rose Tee' neckline

I started with my (extremely boring by this point) New Look 6150-based t-shirt pattern with elbow length sleeves, but decided to experiment with a new neck line. I do like the scoop I usually use, but I had a yen for a V-neck. I therefore grafted the neckline from a popular Ottobre pattern, 02-2007-05, known as the Rose Tee, on to my basic tee pattern.

Ottobre Rose Tee drawing and picture

Alas, I did a completely rubbish job attaching the neck band and mine turned very oval and not pointy or V-neck shaped AT ALL, IN ANY WAY. In fact, I had no end of problems attaching the neckline and getting the fabric to behave, to the point that I wondered if I was going to have to give up on the top altogether at one point. I feel like the finished product passes muster from a safe 1m distance (and in the photo )but up close it is very clearly not the best top I have ever produced.

This is the fourth top I have made with this kind of double-layered shaped neckline (previously I've made up another Ottobre pattern , as well as the HotPatterns Weekender Sunshine which I made twice which have similar neckline treatements), and my conclusion after these four attempts is that I just don't LIKE this type of neckline. I don't like sewing them for sure, but I also don't really like them just in general. I find the shaped pieces add bulk through the neck and shoulder seams, and there's a rigidity to the neckline that I dislike. I don't like to say "never again!" but I'll probably give any future patterns with similar necklines a miss.

I don't hate my new green tee or anything, but it's definitely not my favourite. I've found an alternative pattern that I'll use next time I want a V-neck, which will hopefully be more to my taste and also, an actual V!

Up next on my sewing table: some easy StyleArc trousers in ponte knit. I'll probably cut out the fabric today but I can't get started sewing because I'm waiting for (a) some waistband elastic and (b) new blades for my overlocker to arrive in the post. One of my (many) problems with the green tee was that my overlocker was chewing most unhappily through the fabric at times. I think new blades might help.