Sewn Christmas Presents

This year I only sewed presents for one person: The Man.

Two Tee Shirts

The Man wears jeans and a tee shirt most every day, and looks very classy and attractive doing so. He has very specific requirements for his tee shirts, to wit:

1. high, round neck
2. pocket (he's a fountain pen guy)
3. no logos, writing or designs anywhere
4. no scratchy labels at the back of the neck
5. slim fit
6. extra, extra long (he wears them tucked into the jeans and hates when they pull out at the back)

After several fruitless trips to Macy's and Nordstrom's we had to admit that this kind of tee shirt is almost impossible to find. Actually, for us it was impossible to find.

Luckily, I can sew! I got my hands on his favorite tee shirt and traced it to make a pattern. I was a little worried about getting the arm scythe and sleeve cap right, so I trued my pattern by comparing it to the Pete men's tee shirt pattern on the Burdastyle site.

I hied myself to Hart's and got 1.5 yards of some nice, 100% cotton knit in three colors I thought The Man might tolerate. While he was out of the house, I quickly cut my fabric and sewed those babies up, using the stretch stitch on my Babylock.

I wrapped them up and put them under the tree. And when he opened them, he actually liked them! Even the colors were OK. In fact, he said it would be swell if I could make him a couple more. Success! Ah, a sewist's life is sweet.

Why are there only two shirts pictured above, if I got three lengths of knit? It's a sad story. In my rush to finish up before The Man returned, I sewed the second sleeve of shirt #3 in upside down. Doh. In my defense, the stretch factor of this knit was different from the other two, but still, I should have known something was up.

I tried to pick out the seam, but no go. I was making holes in the fabric. I asked myself whether The Man might enjoy a flutter-sleeve tee shirt as a change from his usual style. Also no go.

So I'll save the carcass to use for undies for myself, and I'll pick up another 1.5 yards of the fabric for Shirt #3 next time I head out for Hart's. And now I know that he's approved of the color!