Neptune Tee

Taking pictures and recording my sewing here has taken a bit of a backseat lately as I have been busy.... Sewing, of course.

I finally managed to get some pictures of a T-shirt that I've been wearing quite a bit since making it one evening last week. The Neptune Tee by See Kate Sew

It's getting a bit boring with the old stand in front of the only blank wall in the house modelling style, but unless I wait months for nice weather and a photographer that's the only way I can document what I've made.

There's so much to love about this pattern, and one big glaring problem that I'll come to in a bit. Essentially it's a basic T-shirt with some neat instructions for creating these V shaped cut outs at the neckline and/or sleeve cuffs.

Initially I'd planned to put a little bit of Liberty fabric behind the cut outs, but then I figured I needed more go-with-everything T-shirts and any patterned inserts would, in my head at least, immediately make it a patterned T-shirt.

I made a straight size L in cotton interlock. There are options for a curved or straight hem (mine's the curved obviously), and as you can see above it's a slight hi-lo hem as well. I love the length, the neckline, the slight A line T-shirt shape, the cut outs... but I am really disappointed with the sleeve/armscye.

It's hard to see on my all black version but there's a whole heap of twisting in the sleeve and it's like Coco all over again for me. The armscye is not quite deep enough and I absolutely concede that's probably due to my flabby arms, but looking at the pictures on the See Kate Sew site and any blogged Neptunes I could find (only the Pattern Anthology tour, hence all complimentary) everybody has this icky twisting effect. The best photos are those where the wearer of the T-shirt is sticking their arms out, or has a hand on a hip.

Oh well, I can do that too. Here, this looks better....

The sleeve is cut on the fold, and with the exception of the awesome Flashback Skinny T (which is for kids after all!) I just don't think that works. I really should find the time to lay this sleeve pattern, and the Coco sleeve out next to the Metro T-shirt sleeve (armhole perfection!) and see where the difference lies.

Now, I'm sure if I'd done my homework I might have spotted the sleeve issue and shied away. Perhaps I should have consulted Get Off My Internets again ({waving} apparently they find you if you invoke their name!) In fact, what I want to do is trace the Metro T armscye into this pattern, 'cause I do love the T-shirt shape and I definitely want to make another, just without the dud sleeve/armscye.

Back to the good stuff.... Since I print out my instructions and work from the hard copy I really appreciate well written instructions and line drawings rather than photos for indie patterns. The Neptune Tee has excellent illustrated instructions and is a very well presented PDF pattern.

In summary, it's good, and I'm glad I made it. It will get worn. It's not perfect, but the V cut outs, the great instructions and the T shirt shape make it a pattern worth having. It's just that it could be so much better. When I get time I hope I'll revisit it and make it a pattern I can really love.