Micks warm T shirt top

I made a blue hoodie for my Mick a few weeks back. I needed to alter the pattern for that because it was just too short and after repeated disasters I had to bite the bullet and change the pattern. It was a big success so this time I decided to have a go at making something similar for him. Well no, not at all similar. This is a different pattern and never needed to be altered for fit. It was pattern hacked though, to get this design. Its the same pattern I used for the striped top:

Its based on Newlook 6142 which is meant to have a zip front and be a jacket, but I traced the top to make a yoke and removed the hood. Front the photo you can see how this got pinned onto the fabric. I forgot to add seam allowance on the tracing so I added a guiding line of pins and I did the same with the main part of the front where I just folded the pattern under at the tracing line. Cuting on the OUTSIDE of the pins then gives me a seam allowance so that I do not alter the length. Previous problems with the blue top pattern have proven how crucial a correct length is for Mick's tops.

To be perfectly honest, although this top worked, and would be counted as a success, it is not. I designed it with a collar with the idea the zip would go to the top of the collar. Then I went and cocked it all up. 

The yoke is double thickness.  I did the zip first which was attached to the first layer of yoke, then I attached the yoke facing to give double thickness, then joined the main body piece and then top stitched accross the join. The problem was having put the zip in and sewn all this I realise at this point I should have had the collar on first before the zip was sewn in. That would mean the zip went right up the collar to make a tube necked top. I do not believe I can unpick all this without making holes in the fabric, and I do not have enough fabric to redo the front. If I then added the collar I had cut, it would have had a shirt collar which is not at all what my other half likes so I ended up leaving the collar off all together. What I should have done is sew the collar on as a single layer, add zip and then add facing and second part of the collar. So after having realised all this I then decide to just overlock round the neck and hem it. Its now a zip front Tshirt which is OK, its just not what I was aiming for. I then had a slight disaster with the front neck and cut the edge off with the overlocker unevenly so its not quite right. I actually thought it was going to be scrap at that point, but when I did the neck edge hem its kind of ok and despite the problems is wearable.

I am very happy with my pattern hacking despite the problems because I have made a basic hoodie into a totally different top. I can make another top as I intended because I have the patern pieces for the collar and the yoke and I have marked the pattern where to fold it over with fluorescent highlinghter for future reference.

Mick seems to like the top and has worn it a few times but I keep seeing the mistakes whcn he does. I want to get some more fabric now to make a perfect version of this top as I originally designed it with a collar and a zip.

As usual we got photo-bombed by the dogs!

They do like to be involved.

Originally, I made the sleeves really long - as in I chopped 6  inches or 15cm off them and even now, they are still probably a bit long. Personally I like mine long and Mick has not complained so I have left them.

No doubt about it its his kind of top so at least I made something good.

. I feel I am getting better at making mens clothing now so have cut a few more tops out.  I will show you them once I sew them up.

 Thanks for visiting,

Bracken