Easy to sew V-neck tee shirt
Christine Jonson Patterns V-Neck Tee. The first V-Neck Tee you should learn to sew! FINALLY, an easy-to-sew v-neck tee
At some point, almost everyone wants a V-neck tee shirt or five in their closet. They’re flattering on most people. But sewing a traditional banded neck V-neck tee isn’t for the faint of heart. Many a sewist has cried over her terrible neckband, turned to YouTube to find yet another mitered edge tutorial and generally decided that v-necks are over rated.
Not so with the Christine Jonson Patterns V-neck Tee. This unique sewing pattern features a clever, customizable and easy to sew neckline that even a first-time beginner can sew.
The tee is cut shapely, but not tight, just right, and can be customized to be worn sleeveless, cap sleeve, elbow length sleeve, ¾ sleeve or long sleeve. You can even make it into a tunic or dress by lengthening the top.
Beginner V-neck Tee Sewing Lesson:
1) Sew the neckline as per the instructions. Customize the depth of your V-neck tee by trying on the neckband and seeing where you should stop sewing for your perfect depth. The v-neck can be made higher or lower depending on where you want it, just by adjusting where you start the neckline stitching.
2) Once you’ve constructed the neckband and front facing, turn it wrong sides together and edge-serge the raw edges. This keeps everything together while you sew the body panels.
3) The body panels can be adjusted to help with full tummy or full bust adjustments – the princess seaming here adds shape but also allows for these adjustments. But you can make the top looser fitting, more of a boxy shape, by adding to the seam allowances here (either cutting them more generously to begin with OR sewing with smaller seam allowances – remember, you’ll be adding ½” to EACH side of the top just by sewing a 3/8” versus a 5/8” seam allowance on the neckband to body panel stitching. That’s a whole extra inch of ease just by adjusting yor seam allowances when you sew. If you’re chalking your pattern pieces, removing them to cut the pattern out (Christine’s recommended method, as this teaches you to “see” pattern piece shapes), you can cut on the outside of your chalk line for even more ease.
4) Once you’ve constructed the front panels, sew the shoulders, body and hem as per the pattern instructions.
5) Sleeves can be customized to any length you want. If you have another Chrsitine Jonson top such as the Take Along Dress, the Keyhole Top, the Princess Wrap Top, you can trace off the bottom of the cap sleeve onto your V-Neck Tee sleeve (copy). For the cap sleeve, make it double layered by sewing two sleeves, laying them right sides together, serge the hem, turn the sleeves out and serge the raw edges of the armscye before sewing into the top. You will sew the side seams first before inserting the sleeve into the shoulder for this method
The V-Neck Tee, short sleeves, with the Flippy Skirt sewing pattern on Ella.
6) You can also make ¾ or elbow-length sleeves just by hemming the top to your favorite desired length
Styling the Christine Jonson Patterns V-Neck Tee:
A great basic tee works well in your wardrobe no matter what, so make a white (or ivory), gray, black and navy tee so you always have something to coordinate with print skirts, shorts and pants. Make coordinating prints to go with your solid skirts, shorts and pants. Consider the V-neck tee a workhorse to extend your wardrobe with those “orphan” garments you never seem to have anything to wear with. It’s super fast to sew!
Make the tee with contrast neckband and the body of the shirt in a print
Lengthen it to tunic length and wear it with capri or full length leggings
Add the add-on Wrap Cuff pattern (also available in the Wrap Dress pattern from Christine Jonson Patterns) for a draped, wrapped cuff.
Choose 2-3 coordinating prints to existing items in your closet to extend your options for those garments in your wardrobe
Get the V-Neck Tee (and it’s counter part, with a bit more challenge, the Cross Your Heart v-neck tee) in the same sewing pattern! Two great tops that fit well and flatter.