The Results are In | The Search for the Perfect T-Shirt

Wow! What a journey it’s been to be reviewing so many t-shirt patterns over the past couple of months. I started my search in April and reviewed 8 different t-shirt patterns that varied in style, type, variations and designers. While I don’t think my journey is over – there are still a lot of other t-shirt patterns I didn’t try out – I wanted to take a break from the search and do a summary post of how the patterns shook out!

Since April, I’ve made the following t-shirts:

• Plantain Tee from Deer and Doe
• Sunny Dress from Friday Pattern Company
• Seamly Basic Tee from Seamly x Indiesew
• Panama Tee from Alina Design Co
• Molly Tee from Sew Over It
• Union Street Tee from Hey June Handmade
• Briar Tee from Megan Neilsen
• Lane Raglan from Hey June Handmade

I came up with some “categories” to rank them. The main thing I learned over the past 8 weeks was that there are SO many different definitions of the “perfect t-shirt.” I tried throughout my posts to share all of the different aspects of each t-shirt so you could decide if it fit your “perfect t-shirt” so I plan on doing the same here. So here we go!

What defines my perfect t-shirt?

My perfect t-shirt is a fitted t-shirt through the bust and roomier (but still fitted) through the waist and hips. I like a scoop neck tee that isn’t too deep of a scoop neck (like Goldilocks…) and multiple sleeve options. I don’t love elbow length sleeves and prefer those aforementioned sleeve options include short sleeve and 3/4 length.

What t-shirt offered the most “options”?

One thing I tried to point out in each review was the number of options each t-shirt pattern had. I hope you all don’t have to buy ALL the t-shirt patterns like I did – so finding one with a variety of variations helps in that cause! I think Hey June Handmade wins this category with both the Lane Raglan and the Union Street Tee. The Union Street Tee offers two necklines (scoop and v-neck) and three sleeve options (short, elbow and 3/4). The Lane Raglan offers so many options and even can be a sweatshirt! It offers four sleeve options (short, 3/4, full or full with banded cuffs), two hem options (curved or banded), optional pockets and thumb hole and a hood option. With these two patterns, you could make a million different t-shirts.

Winners: Union Street Tee and Lane Raglan

What was the most fitted t-shirt?

Of all the tees and t-shirt dresses I made, I think the Sunny Tee and Sunny Dress are the most fitted of the bunch.  I loved it for the dress to be really fitted throughout to make a really pretty silhouette but unfortunately the tee was way too cropped for me.

Winner: Sunny Tee and Sunny Dress

Best T-shirt Dress?

I really enjoyed making the dress version of the different t-shirts that I made if it had a dress version. I never thought I would like t-shirt dresses, until I made them! My favorite t-shirt dress of the bunch was the Panama Tee Dress. The Panama Tree Dress is easily adjustable to your style depending on if you prefer it more fitted or not. I prefer a more fitted dress and decided to choose the smaller size closet to my measurements and ended up with a really cute everyday dress.

Winner: Panama Tee Dress

Best Work Dress?

This is a no brainer for me – the Molly Dress from Sew Over It really really shocked me how much I love it. Even though its about a million degrees out these days in Virginia, I am constantly reaching for my long sleeve Molly Dresses. It is such a cute dress and has such nice shaping. I also am the biggest fan of the neckline on the dress. It is just so feminine and pretty – like all of Sew Over It’s patterns!

Winner: Molly Dress

Favorite Notions/Tools for T-Shirt Making?

I think what is so great about t-shirt making is that it really requires just a sewing machine, a jersey needle and thread. I am super lazy about hemming my knits, but a twin needle is also really helpful if you don’t have a coverstitch machine. The last thing that can be really helpful in sewing with knits on a sewing machine is a walking foot. My machine has a built in walking foot that I use on almost all sewing projects but for knits it really makes a big difference.

Serger or Sewing Machine?

I feel like this is something I flipped back and forth about throughout the past two months. I think sewing knits on the sewing machine is a little bit easier for sewing neckbands and the sleeves that are curved and harder to sew on the serger. But, when I sew knits on the sewing machine, I try to finish the seams with the serger because I think it’s a more professional finish. So it’s a tie? I like sewing on both the sewing machine and the serger — but the serger is a lot faster.

I may be back with more t-shirts but that’s my summary so far – are there are any t-shirt patterns you’d like me to add to my list? What is your favorite t-shirt pattern?

**Note: this post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.**