Sleeveless Red Tank
So, in this weeks installment of the DIY Capsule Challenge, I took on a short sleeve tee. Well, I would have until I redesigned it into a sleeveless tank. I had all intentions to make a short sleeve t-shirt but I thought making that and a long sleeve t-shirt would be too similar in content. This is a challenge after all. So with that being said, here’s the video of me, making a red sleeveless tank.
DESIGN
After trying to force an in-depth and complex design for last weeks satin wrap camisole, I approached this project with lower conceptual expectations. I mean, some things are just meant to be simple, and that’s cool.
Like I said a few lines up, this was originally supposed to be a short sleeve t-shirt but I ended up changing it while I was doing some style research. I came across an Express sleeveless tank and basically said “Alright, this is it.”
I wanted to keep the fit loose and comfortable but to take it to a level a little higher than basic, I added an edged-stitched seam down the center front and back and made it hi-low hem. This is the mood I was going for with this shirt.
PATTERN & CUT
While this shirt was inspired by the Express tank, I based the pattern off of an Old Navy shirt that I have…which I happen to love…and will buy more of because I just saw that they had a wine color and it’s probably the closest we’re getting to red…
Umm, but yea, so I traced around the shirt on my sales paper pattern paper and adjusted the neck line from a crew neck to a v-neck, which was also a differentiation detail from the long sleeve t-shirt to come.
Sew
With this guy, I went in with confidence. I’ve made a t-shirt or two before so I expected to knock this out in a couple of hours. How naive of me. I didn’t factor in the time it would take for me to thread, test and troubleshoot the machines. This was an actual factor this time around, and not during the satin camisole because 1) this is a knit and not a woven fabric and 2) because of that, not only did I have to bring in my overlock machine, but I had to bring in my coverstitch machine, too. That’s where shit went downhill. …So downhill.
While I glided through the majority of the project, I got to spend a lovely 3 hours of threading and rethreading the coverstitch machine because it didn’t want to act right. Prior to that dilemma, I started the project with stitches being too loose and wonky and just not up to par. When the quality of the stitch got to “decent” then I said whatever. The shirt would be my shirt, and to honest, I didn’t care that much. So with tolerable stitches underway, we got to rolling. Seams were done, edge stitches were made and it was time hem.
I bought this attachment for my coverstitch machine about a year ago and hadn’t used it yet. The purpose of the attachment is to neatly fold the hem of a t-shirt to sew a nice clean and straight hem. Well not only did the attachment not work effectively for me at that time, the threading of the machine didn’t either. While on the tail end of the project…like, I’m sewing the bottom hem of the shirt and I’m virtually finished…the machine thread starts to break at one of the needles. I was literally sewing 2 or 3 inches only to have to stop, rethread the machine and sew 2-3 more inches. It was an ugly, irritating and frustrating cycle. I even walked away with about 8 inches left because I just couldn’t take it anymore.
Critique
Overall, it’s a tank. I see myself wearing it. It’s red. It’ll work.
Construction wise…I give it a side eye.
Fit wise…I could alter it at the hip area so it doesn’t flare too much. I also don’t like how the fabric stretched along the center front seam line. As you get towards the hem of the shirt, it doesn’t lie flat
Design wise…I should’ve just copied the Express shirt, exactly how it is. Same shoulder width, same v-neck, same shirt. Yes, I would’ve questioned my design ethics all the way through the process, but I’m thinking that I would have liked the outcome a little better.
Construction wise…I should learn the proper way to sew a v-neck and it’s neck band. Taking the time to look it up would've done more good than bad. I’d also have a cooperating coverstitch that didn’t leave the hem of my red tank looking like trash…on the inside…because ya’ll ain’t getting that close to actually see it.
Evaluation
As I move onto the next part of the challenge, which is the long sleeve shirt, I’ll be keeping a few things in mind:
Give myself time and patience and give respect towards the coverstitch while in use. Also, have a back up plan if the machine continues to act like a diva.
Fit the shirt as I go. I’ve been lazy with the camisole and the tank and honestly, some of the disappointments with both projects could’ve been avoided if I just put them on.
So with that guys, what do you think? Did I do a good job? Was the design basic? What other design do you want me to try? Let me know in the comments!