A Bunch of Scout Tees

The Scout Tee from Grainline Studio is one of my tried and true patterns. It's a simple woven t-shirt with short sleeves and a loose fit. I love that it looks nicer than a plain old t-shirt, but is just as easy to wear. I also love that it works well with many different types of fabric.

Last month, I whipped up five more Scouts over the course of a weekend, assembly line-style. I used two rayon fabrics, a chambray, a quilting cotton, and a double gauze. The rayons are the drapiest fabric I used and the quilting cotton is the stiffest. They all hang a little bit differently so it's easy to wear them every day without them feeling boring or repetitive. Not that I wear them every day, but some weeks it's pretty close.  

These were on my Make Nine list, so I can check off another pattern. I actually chose ten items, since I'm a rebel and I'm not afraid of  a challenge. So far, I've made a Lottie dress, a Driftless cardigan, Toaster sweaters, and a Talvikki sweater as well. So five out of ten are completed! My Coco and Marianne dresses are both almost done, leaving just an easy Astoria sweatshirt, a more challenging button-up shirt, and the quite intimidating J-E-A-N-S. Good thing there is plenty of time left in the year to complete this list. 

Now let's look at all these new Scouts!

This first one is made of Cotton + Steel and Rifle Paper Co. Les Fleurs Birch Floral Navy rayon challis fabric. Could the name of that fabric be longer? It's good stuff, and so pretty. It's excellent quality and makes great-looking clothing.  

This second shirt is made of chambray: Kaufman Union Small Herringbone in Indigo. It's soft and has a nice drape. Up close, the fabric has a nice pattern. 

The third one is made from a rayon challis black and white gingham, which is no longer available. I love making shirts from rayon challis. It's easy to work with (not too slippery) and it feels and looks so nice when it's done! 

Now comes the stiffest fabric, a quilting cotton. This ikat medallion fabric is no longer available. I love it and kept it in my stash for a few years before finally deciding what to make with it. I think the Scout is a good choice, since it's something I'll wear a lot. I really like the print, and this way I'll get to enjoy it often. 

Quilting cotton is probably the easiest fabric to sew, since it doesn't slide around or stretch out. It also comes in a million cute designs! It does tend to get wrinkled easily, and it doesn't drape well enough for most types of clothes, but it's fun to use when it suits the pattern.

This last one's made of Michael Miller Sommer Double Gauze Mini Painted Gingham in Navy. I love the way double gauze falls, and how it feels. It's so lightweight and breezy, it keeps you cool in the summer, yet it's nearly opaque and it isn't wimpy. It's a little annoying to sew with, since it can get stretched out really easily. Stay-stitching is a great idea, and just being patient and careful while cutting and sewing will help it stay on-grain.

With this pattern, you need bias binding to finish the neckline. I just cut strips from the fabric I'm using for the shirt itself and sew them together. I don't fold and crease it ahead of time, but just sew the flat strip onto the front of the neckline first. Then I press the seam up, fold the bias binding over twice, press and then stitch it down. That method works well for me and seems easier than pre-folding it.

Have you tried the Scout pattern? What are your tried and true patterns? Do you use pre-made bias binding, or make your own?