5 Tee-Shirts down and how many to go??

I have been on a quest to get a tee-shirt pattern to fit me. My measurements are very wonkie, as I am different sizes all over. I did the dumb thing and went through 4 different patterns to see if I could alter them to fit me. So on Saturday I began this journey........

I tried New Look 6813, fitted a raglan sleeve. After doing a FBA for raglan, I used some bright pink cotton knit and it still fit tight in the bust area even with the FBA and very wide in the neck. Not a pretty look!! I threw it to the way-side, questioning myself as to why did I choose a raglan sleeve to begin with. This pattern will have to wait for tweaking - I need a true basic tee.

Next up was LaFred's Tia Tee, cute and sassy top. I did not do a FBA on this top as it had a dart drafted into the pattern. I sewed it up to my measurements but without the vertical darts on front and back waist. It was good except the bust darts are way below where they should be on me. (the dart could be moved, but...) The shoulders are drop shoulders, I have narrow shoulders and a large bust which this look ends up very sloppy on. I placed this pattern on the pile to tweak late on.

Then to try and cheer myself up I pulled out Simplicity 4076 wrap top (yes, I know its not a basic tee). Did a FBA for wrap tops on the top using my upper bust measurement. I came out good but I must have messed up when doing the extra bit of the FBA for wrap tops because it was a tad big and one of the two front pieces is bigger and it sits funny.

"Ok, lets try a Burda now" I say with a smile, Burda 8244. I border on the plus size so I thought why not. I measured (Burda's are drafted for a C cup, I think that's what I have been told) and used the full bust measurement and used a size 22 (get a clue here Kira!! I measure a 16 in the upper bust). It sewed up beautiful, has a bust dart and it's a basic tee. I tried it on and it was way to big! I took up a whopping 1" fold (2" total removed from front and 2" from back). The arm scye was way too big and left a lot of fabric between the bust and underarm. What went wrong? I have not a clue - duh the size was to big! All fabric removed and the neck is out of whack, yes I could redraft it, but I am delirious at this point.

I took a break, had some tea and a thought came to me: I love the back of Simplicity 4076, it fit great from the back with the exception of adding a swayback adjustment. The wrap top fit somewhat good in the front but the addition of the FBA made it baggie/loose and off keel to match by my mistake, on the plus the arm scye was good on me. What if I used the front of Burda for the neck and the arm scye from the Simplicity and morf it into the front of a basic tee??

Using the very last of my pattern ease I did a ruff draft from the Burda and Simplicity by matching center fronts of the unaltered Burda front over the unaltered Simplicity wrap front (the side that is not gathered). I redrew the arm scye, shoulder and side seams of the Simplicity but leaving the Burda neck alone and no bust dart. Sewed this in some more of the Pepto explosion fabric and it came out "OK" ! Now we are getting somewhere. Just need to do a swayback adjustment in the back and the fit check fit without the bust dart.

Somehow in all of this I am learning something, what it is yet I don't know. But at least I have a beginings of the basic tee, and lots of wierd shaped pepto colored rags.

(sorry, no photos of this adventure as of yet, and there very well might not be as most of then are to bad to wear out of the house, but more to come on the franken-tee)