A Little Black T-Shirt (LBT)

I’m loving Dorcas’s new black T-shirt.  Thank you for sharing j.jill’s method of making a T-shirt.  I’m definitely going to use it!  Follow my fellow Texan’s sewing adventures at Lone Star Couture.

What item in a wardrobe is more basic than the T-shirt? It can transition from flea market to cocktail simply by changing from jeans and flats to a skirt and heels. Well, and maybe a little spritz of your fragrance after powdering your nose!

I have had this j.jill tee for probably 10 years. It’s so ratty I don’t wear it any longer but I’ve hung on to it because one day I wanted to clone it. Roz’s invitation to participate in her Basics series was just the impetus I needed.

Here is a comparison of the old and new:

What I love about the j.jill shirt is the double layer front that creates a soft, becoming V-neck eliminating the need for neck binding, which on a V-neck can be fiddly. The best part of it, however, is the beefy rayon knit from Sew Much Fabric! I plan on buying this in every color that Roz stocks.

For my project I used my old standby Vogue 8536 which is no longer in print. Why, I don’t know because it is the most basic of basics for great tees. Grab it online somewhere if you don’t have it.

All I did was cut 2 fronts and use one for a facing and then treating them as one. At the back neck I made a binding from shoulder to shoulder. Easy peasy.

I wore the tail off of this shirt in Morocco. It’s a great layering piece as proven in this picture taken in the Atlas mountains. It was one of 7, yes seven, shirts I had on that day because it was so cold.

As noted above, a basic tee can go from work…

to an evening out in no time!

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