Friday, October 28, 2011

The Quest for the Holy Grail - A New TNT T-Shirt Pattern

Many of you know that I have had a wonderful TNT t-shirt pattern. I've made it over 20 times and have done nearly a dozen design changes to it. The pattern is an altered version of KS 2900.


Some of the alterations I've done include an increase to the hip, shorten the shoulder seam, shape the front hem for extra bust length and add a center back seam to give it some shape and give it a sloping shoulder. Here are some examples of what I have done with this pattern:


The top two photos are the pattern as cut right from the envelope. The brown one is me using the selvage on a seam down the center front and the pink one I borrowed some flutter sleeves to make a summer top.


The red top was made using a scoop neck traced from a RTW top. The black print top has the neckline details from Textile Studios Marseilles Shirt. The green/brown top has an added collar. This detail I copied from another KS pattern. The yoked shirt has a design detail that I copied from a WOF Burda Plus pattern.


The red/black top is an early attempt at pattern drafting. I raised the neckline and added an asymmetrical yoke feature. The green top is my first try at copying RTW. I saw this sweater in a JC Penny's ad and wanted to create my own. The purple top was a 2XL t-shirt that I re-cut using my pattern. The pink one is the t-shirt with a scoop neck copied from a RTW top that I like better than the red one above and I cut the sleeve to cap sleeves length.


This set of tops is where I really started to get creative with this pattern. I started to troll RTW on-line catalogs and found some really great t-shirts with cute details. The green/black top is a Coldwater Creek clone, the black and white one is just a yoke added with gathers above the bust and the red/black one is the same pattern, except I replaced the gathers with a box pleat. The blue top is a Coldwater Creek clone that has a really nice neckline tie. The black one below is the same pattern. I think I've blogged about each one of these tops, just do a search on my blog for KS 2900 or t-shirt and you'll find them.


Again, I think I've blogged about each one of these shirts. The black and brown top are both a Coldwater Creek clone. The turquoise one was a RTW top that someone on Patternreview asked how to make, so I made it, and the brown floral top is the details to the Jalie Sweetheart top cut onto my pattern.


The last item I made with my TNT pattern was this dress. I blogged about it as well. After I made this dress, if I remember right, I put all the patterns together in a safe place. In fact, I put it in such a safe place that after tearing my house apart at least 3 times and my sewing room apart many times, I can't find it. I can't find any of the patterns. None, nada!

I'm almost over the morning period. Actually, I'm ready to move on to find a new TNT t-shirt pattern. At the same time, if you want to look on the bright side, it gives me a great opportunity to cull out some of my more ugly knits. I do have some ugly ones too. I really hope I don't bore you all with my quest for a new TNT t-shirt pattern. However, I really feel like I'm lost without my pattern and this search is a necessary evil. Wish me luck.

13 comments:

  1. Wow loads of great tees there! I hope your pattern does turn up soon. Would buying a basic from the same pattern line speed up the alterations?

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  2. I love the idea of a TNT pattern! Can save so much frustration in the long run.

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  3. Wow, I am so impressed with how you made one pattern do so much. I also feel your pain about losing it. I also am glad that that sort of thing happens to others besides me!!!!! I bookmarked this post to use for inspiration for developing a TNT top pattern.

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  4. Pamela's Patterns has a great simple t-shirt pattern (#104), just waiting for your customizing expertise. Of course, once you buy a new pattern, you'll find the old one. :D

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  5. Oh my gosh, that is awfull I really feel your pain, TNT patterns are ust like gold.

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  6. Crap!! I put things away in " areally good place" as well. It happens so frequently now, that I announce the "place" to my husband and co-worker, in the hope that one of us will remember where the really "good place" is. So frustrating.Arg...

    At the same time it might be a sign that it's time to move on to something new, and I look forward to hearing about your search.

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  7. This is a great post on Kwik Sew 2900.
    I looked through my stash to see if I had it but I don't. If you do decide to buy it again - your really special stash place will cough it up.
    However, with your expertise, you could take your favorite RTW t-shirt and draft a new TNT pattern.
    I like your RTW knock-offs.

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  8. I use 2900 all the time! Besides different styles of knit tops, it's also my favorite nightgown pattern--thermal knits for winter, nylon tricot (in a larger size) for summer. I also use the larger size for sweatshirts.

    Right now, I'm knitting a sweater by holding my knitting against my altered version of 2900. Don't know how well this will work, but I've never been satisfied with my usual knitwear fitting solutions.

    Kathy's right--if you buy a new copy of KwikSew 2900, your old copy is bound to turn up.

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  9. You won't bore me at all because you know how much I love a TNT pattern. I'm sorry to hear that your beloved pattern has gone missing, though. And even though you are getting ready to start a new journey, I really hope that you find the missing pattern.

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  10. No, it must be around somewhere! I hate misplacing stuff. You have made so many beautiful tops from that pattern that if all else fails, you could do a rub-off of one of them to make a new TNT, right?

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  11. You just know that when you least expect it, the pattern (and it's variations) will turn up! ..at least I hope they do :) I bought the HotPatterns SunShine Top pattern 3 -yes- 3 times because I lost it (them) 2 times, LOL! Ottobe Woman has a great fitting basic T...I LOVE it. It great for petites like us who are not "stick-thin" (iykwim) :)

    ..and you have some new interfacing to play with too ;0

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  12. How devastating to lose such a perfectly tweaked pattern! Can you rub it off one of the existing tops so you have someplace to start? You have definitely made the most of it.

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  13. Holy cow! You sure did get good use out of that pattern! Sorry to hear that it's grown wings and flown off, but good luck on your quest for a new TNT pattern!

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