Scout!

I came across the Grainline Studios Scout Tee pattern on the web and decided to try it out last weekend. It’s a downloadable sewing pattern — a first for me.

I printed out the pattern on regular 8.5″ x 11″ sheets of paper — all 19 pages of it. As you can see below, there is a 3″x3″ square block on the pattern. This is a check to make sure that the pattern you printed is true to size. (I forgot to do this step.) Then I took my Exacto knife, a metal ruler and a roll of tape and proceeded to cut and tape the pattern together.

Then I rough cut the pattern before tracing them out.

I have a roll of children’s easel paper that I use for pattern making, along with some graphite tracing paper and a pointy stick. Pattern weights make sure all the pieces stay put while I’m tracing. This is recommended so that you don’t have to print and tape all over again, should you decide to make adjustments or sew a different size. This turned out to be a most excellent decision on my part (see below).

It took me over 6 hours from start to finish, that included cutting and taping the pattern out. Future shirts shouldn’t take that long. I used French seams so there are no exposed raw edges, then top stitched the seam flat because I hate the feeling of the seam. If you choose to not do any of that, you can cut your sewing time by quite a bit. I was too lazy to pull out the overlock machine, but that would be another option. (I know I created more work for myself this way, but you know I don’t do easy.)

How do I like the end result? Eh. There were several problems, most of them of my own making.

• It’s just too big. I made size 14 but I should have made size 12. I added too much ease to my measurements because I was worried that the woven cotton would not allow me to pull it on easy. I shouldn’t have worried. The top is cut generously.
• The quilting cotton is too stiff. Along with the generous cut, I look pregnant. It probably would be okay with a belt.
• The neckline gapes when I lean over (or slouch) and you can see all the way to China. This may be the fault of the two problems above. I won’t know until I make another one in a fabric with more drape and smaller size.

The pattern is clear and instructions are easy to follow. I like it well enough that I would definitely make another one. I won’t change the neckline until I see what the top looks like in a smaller size and different fabric.

I can also seeing lengthening this into a summer dress.