Jungle Ave. Knit Shirt

My rolls of Jungle Ave. knits came yesterday (the knit will be available on the Dotted Boulevard print, seen here, and also in Elephant Skyline), so I dropped everything to make myself a knit shirt. The pattern I used was the Kitschy Coo Trifecta Tee, which is a great pdf pattern for knits that allows for lots of customization: v-neck, pocket, different sleeve lengths, etc. I thought it would be a perfect everyday shirt.

Pattern Pieces – The pattern pieces are tiled when printed, and approximately 21 pages need to be printed and taped together before cutting. There is the front of the shirt, back of the shirt, sleeve, optional pocket, and optional v-inset, as well as pieces for the neckline, waistband, and arm band. I had everything cut very quickly. Besides the knit fabric  (I used 1 yard, plus 1/4 yard for the pink bands) and a stretch needle, I did not need to purchase any special supplies.

Instructions/Illustrations – The instructions are very helpful for those that are new to sewing with knits, and there are also additional web tutorials on the designer’s website for more information. The steps are accompanied by clear color photos. I have sewn with knits a couple of times before, but I needed the extra hand-holding, so I read through all of the ‘Sewing with Knits’ tips before beginning. I had to bring out my old sewing machine, as my new one is straight-stitch only, and this was not recommended for sewing with knits.

Modifications – I didn’t make any changes to the pattern – I followed it exactly. The pink knit fabric that I purchased at Joann’s was not as soft as the Jungle Ave. knit, so I wasn’t 100% pleased with the pink, but I ordered a different colored knit fabric on-line and I’m going to try making another top in the Dotted Boulevard and see how it goes.

Conclusion – Definitely making this again! I’m going to cut out some more knit over the weekend. I’m also looking forward to using Indelible in knit by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery. Those look really fun as well!