i knew i wanted to try out grainline’s hemlock tee the minute i saw it. it looked super comfy and lounge-y and quick to make up. i picked up some lightweight striped knit and knew it would be a perfect match. i made a couple changes to the pattern, first i scooped out the neckline by 2″. i may have overdone it, in the future i’ll probably add an inch back in. i cut my neck binding on the bias because i think that looks best when you have striped fabric. if you cut the binding as usual, any wiggly sewing is really obvious (because of the stripes). you can cut the binding on the grain, but i always feel the stripes look too jarringly angular; the bias stripe feels more subtle.
the other change i made was to cut the front piece 2″ shorter than the back, giving me a split hemline. i’ve been wanting to try this out, and i think it worked well here. to do this, i hemmed the front and back separately then serged the sides, leaving the last 2″ before the shorter hemline open. i pressed back a small hem, then took a 1/2″ wide strip of fabric and sewed it along the inside edges. if you look at any polo shirt in your closet, you’ll see what i mean.
i didn’t even bother turning in the raw edge of the binding strip… but it’s held up just fine
this is a fun and easy top to sew and is perfect for lounging. sure, it is entirely shapeless, but that’s kind of the beauty of it. actually, i wouldn’t mind lengthening it for more of a tunic or even a dress for belting. the only thing i’m not super happy about is the sleeves. they’re awfully wide at the hem, so i may narrow them or cut them down and add a cuff instead. as they are, they don’t stay up when i push them away and it kind of annoys me how they flap around. anywho, that’s just a minor detail and easily fixed. overall, it’s a great FREE pattern and i’m absolutely loving it!
happy lounging 
—lisa g.
