sewing: color-blocked chambray tee

This post is written by Meg of Cookin’ and Craftin’.

Hi Imagine Gnats readers! I am beyond thrilled to be posting for the first time here, in the company of so many talented and creative folks. What an honor!

I’ve had chambray on the brain for months (years?!) now, but for inexplicable reasons, have never sewn anything from it. After Rachael posted her extremely edifying explanation of the ins and outs of chambray, I knew I just had to get my hands on some. But what to sew? I decided to peruse my usual ready-to-wear sites for inspiration. Lightbulbs started flashing above my head when I stumbled on this fun colorblocked chambray tee at Anthropologie. Cute and stylish, comfy-looking. “Dude, I can make that!,” I thought, “And for a quarter of the price.”

Structure-wise, the raglan-sleeved Sewaholic’s Belcarra blouse, which I made recently and loooooved, is quite similar to my ready-to-wear inspiration. Plus my inspiration is made from a tencel chambray, which is a fabric conveniently found in the Imagine Gnats shop in several colors. Kismet, I tell you… off I went!

Here’s what I did:

I sewed up Belcarra blouse View C, with the turned back cuffs (although I skipped the pocket in favor of the triangle detail on the neckline) in Robert Kaufman cotton tencel chambray in powder (sleeves and triangle) and indigo (body, cuffs, neck binding). People… this fabric. So light and airy. I’d say it’s a bit like voile, weight-wise, but softer. It might be the perfect summer fabric!

As I did for my first Belcarra, I chose my size based on the finished garment measurements for a slightly closer fit. Construction was pretty straightforward based on the pattern instructions, other than a couple changes I made:

The triangle detail was just a scrap piece of fabric I cut using my quilting ruler… I tried several sizes/angles of triangle before settling on this one. I pressed the edges under on two sides and top stitched it down with contrasting thread before binding the neck. I also did some contrast top stitching on the seams connecting the bodice the sleeves, just for fun.

The neckline is bound with double-fold bias tape, rather than the bias tape facing as described in the pattern, for both aesthetic and practical reasons. I wanted a visible neckline binding for some more color contrast and I also wanted the neckline slightly smaller, as I was having trouble with my bra straps peeking out in my last Belcarra.

Wow, I love the final product! The blouse is the perfect summer mix-and-match piece and the fabric is to-die-for. It’s so lightweight and yet holds enough structure for details like the upturned cuff. Love it! Now I am inspired to make all the things from all the chambrays… how about you? Any ready-to-wear chambray pieces you want to try making yourself?

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