Have you ever had trouble deciding which fabric to use for a pattern? Often there are several options in the fabric recommendations section of a pattern. All are suitable, so how to choose? Sometimes I use personal preference, but this time I decided to make a t-shirt pattern with 3 different fabrics and share the results. Keep in mind, all of these fabrics are recommended for this pattern, so the nuances are up to personal preference in the end.
Fabric 1: Black on Offwhite Horizontal Pencil Stripe Stretch Modal Jersey
Substrate: modal and spandex
Price: $5.99-$7.99 per yard
Width: 60”
Drape: very drape-y, the most flow-y of the three
Weight: lightweight midweight
Stretch: 4 way 125% horizontal 100% vertical
Recovery: great, no problem especially with steam on the hems
Feel (temperature): slightly cooler than body temperature when worn
Fit: skims over curves and drapes beautifully on body
Breathability: good fabric for any season
Weave: tight, not transparent at all
Texture: very smooth and super soft
Care: machine wash cold, tumble dry low
Ease of sewing: serger=great, sewing machine=great
Pattern notes: Union St. Tee by Hey June Patterns used. Sewed my daughter’s regular size with a full bust adjustment. This pattern is fitted through the bust, then has ease through the waist and hips.
Fabric 2: Light Grey Camouflage Print Slubbed Linen Knit
Substrate: linen
Price: $7.49 per yard
Width: 60”
Drape: stiffer drape, but nice for linen
Weight: lightweight midweight
Stretch: 2 way
Recovery: not awesome, but steam will shrink the hems
Feel (temperature): slightly cooler than body temperature when worn
Fit: skims over curves, soft folds at hem
Breathability: great fabric for summer
Weave: loose, semi-sheer
Texture: softer than plain linen, with a subbed texture
Care: machine wash cold, air dry (we’ve actually been throwing this in the dryer to get it back to original shape
Ease of sewing: serger=fine, sewing machine=fine, stretched out some, but returned to original shape when steamed
Pattern notes: Union St. Tee by Hey June Patterns used. At my daughters request after she felt the fabric, I sewed 1 size larger for a slouchy tee. I used white cotton jersey/spandex for the neckband due to the lack of recovery of the linen jersey.
Fabric 3: Double Brushed Poly (this one is sold out, but you can see some really great ones here.)
Substrate: polyester and spandex
Price: $6.74-$9.74 per yard
Width: 60”
Drape: flowy, but stiffer than the other two
Weight: lightweight
Stretch: 4 way 100% and more
Recovery: great, no problem especially with steam on the hems
Feel (temperature): normal body temperature when worn
Fit: clings to body, but not excessively unless the pattern used has negative ease
Breathability: less breathability, good fabric for fall and winter
Weave: tight, not transparent at all
Texture: very smooth, and slightly sticky
Care: machine wash cold, tumble dry low. If line dried, problems with static cling can occur in winter or drier regions of the country.
Ease of sewing: serger=great, sewing machine=stretched out some, but easily returned to original shape when steamed
Pattern notes: Union St. Tee by Hey June Patterns used. Sewed my regular size.
Now for some side by side comparisons. Here are each of the 3 shirts from the front. You can see the differences in drape especially in the area around the hips. The modal flows and drapes like liquid. The linen has soft folds, and the double brushed poly shapes straight to the body. You can also see the differences in the thicknesses of the three fabrics in the underarm area. The modal is thicker, but because of the beautiful drape, it folds easily. The linen is a bit stiffer which can be seen in the underarm folds. The double brushed poly is the thinnest fabric, and has soft folds, and is very comfortable next to the skin.
From the side you can see the differences in the fit caused by the 3 fabrics. The modal falls softly into the curve of the back and drapes over the hips. The linen stands out away from the curves of the body. The double brushed poly skims the curves on the front, but does not fall into the inward curvature of the spine.
In the back view, you can once again compare the drape and fit. The modal just floats around the body and softly flows over the curves. The linen folds nicely where there is excess fabric around the hips, but stands out away from the inward curvature of the spine. The double brushed poly skims the upper back, and touches away from the waist, then skims across the hips.
In conclusion, each of these tees are exactly what we were hoping for! They fit well, the fabric is appropriate for the pattern, and we wear them often. If you’d like a comparison of the pattern and the different options I used to create the shirts, please visit my Skirt Fixation blog. Did you find this side by side comparison helpful?