I’m kicking off “Me Made May” with a bang. I have totally hand sewn a T-shirt! I bought this organic cotton fabric from Alabama Chanin and it is dreamy.
I’m wearing it here with a skirt I made years ago. The pattern is the Everyday Skirt from oliver & s. It is an easy sew and I love the pockets!
To make the top, I traced around a favorite T shirt that I owned. I used a folded knit band to finish the neckline and sewed it down with a decorative stitch incorporating small little chop beads as I went.
I hemmed the bottom of the shirt and the sleeves using another decorative stretch stitch found in the book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design.
All of the seams were hand sewn using a regular running stitch and then felled to one side also with a running stitch.
Practice samples
Fun beads and sequins from Alabama Chanin
I made this shirt specifically to wear with the Alabama Chanin skirt I am currently sewing. I guess I had better get going on that!
1 of 4 skirt panels. This is a double layer of knit that has been stenciled and then “quilted” together and the top cut away to expose the underneath layer.
Notes to self (or anyone else who’s interested):
- I used 2 layers of cotton knit on the front of this shirt and only one layer for the back and sleeves. I thought I might do some reverse appliqué on the front but put the bottom layer of knit with the right side towards the inside of the shirt. I could probably still cut and expose the layer with the wrong side showing, but it would bother me. Next time put both right sides facing the same way as I did with the skirt.
- I found the directions for Creating Mitered Binding for a V-neck in the book Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns on page 22.
- Directions for garment construction and the stretch stitches are in all of the books.Alabama Studio Sewing + Design has them on pages 24 – 27.
- Same book (as#3) has a page of pretty circular stitches – Pg. 81 These are used for a beautiful skirt on page 101 of the Alabama Studio Style book.
I Finally Have Time 
I am so impressed! Its beautiful. I love the decorative stitch details. The skirt is also going to be a work of art.
Thanks Nita. It is really satisfying to sew items like this by hand. I get a lot done on the skirt when I travel because it is so easy to take along.
Linda, I am so impressed. Hand Sewing! And embroidery and bead embellishments. It you tell me that you quilted and ” “trapuntoed” the skirt material I won’t know what to say!!! I have to find a master sewer badge for you!!
Alice
Thanks Alice. This has been an adventure. I may still add some embellishments to the shoulders and neckline of the shirt. I don’t want to do so much to it that I can’t just wear it any day though. I’m not sure where to draw the line. There are some photos in the Alabama Chanin book of white on white embroidery with a few beads here and there that I love the look of!
Linda, I love the beautiful embroidery stitches you used! And the skirt will be stunning. You do such beautiful work.
Thanks so much Sharon. This has been such a fun project and I think I’ll be able to wear it with anything and everything.
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Must feel so good to wear something you put so much love into. It’s perfect !
Thanks Jessie. I know I’m going to love wearing this all the time. I had to disassemble the shirt I copied to make the pattern and I wore that all the time! This is a much nicer version. The organic cotton knit is SO wonderful.
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Gorgeous shirt and skirt, too! Love the little chop beads – found this googling V-neck Alabama Chanin because I was too lazy to pull my books out for the 5th time – thanks for giving me the page number!
Linda! what an accomplishment. You seem to be very skilled at sewing and embroidery. I’m having a hard time starting…a little intimidated.