Kirsten Tee Three Ways

I love the Kirsten Kimono Tee pattern from Maria Denmark. It's the perfect light layer to wear under a cardigan or jacket. You can sew one up in about an hour (or less if you're faster than me). It's almost sleeveless but not quite, so you can feel cool and stylish but keep your shoulders covered. It takes just one yard of knit fabric, leaving enough leftovers to cobble together a pair of undies if you're so inclined. The boat neck is flattering yet modest And did I mention it's free?

I had a little Kirsten sewing frenzy week before last. My friend Lisa and I had a fabulous birthday weekend at The Claremont in Berkeley. To further my diabolical plan to suck her into sewing, we stopped by Stone Mountain & Daughter and I made her advise me on Minoru fabric as well as some knits for Kirsten tees. And sure enough, she left with some knit for a Kirsten of her own.

It's interesting to sew the same pattern several times in a row. For one thing, I was getting pretty darn efficient by the time I got to Kirsten #3. For another, you can really see how different fabrics behave. The top Kirsten is in a heftier and not very stretchy fabric. Think of a men's tee. Kirsten #2 is in a lighter and stretchier knit, and Kirsten #3 below is in the lightest, drapiest knit of them all.

I'm trying to get better at picking the right fabric for the job, and knowing how to manage their properties when I work with them. I had to tweak the neckband length for these babies, based on my guess of how much bounce and recovery they'd have. I didn't do too bad, if I do say so myself.

Practice, practice, practice! And how nice to end up with three new wardrobe staples at the end of it all!