Introducing the Nora Tee

The feedback from the Pisco Tank and Dress was amazing. All of you loved the customization that it offered, but the number one question I kept getting was, "Can I add sleeves?"  Well, umm, not exactly... it wasn't really engineered for this but I knew I needed to come up with something. That something is now the Nora Tee, a new style for the SBCC lineup that ticks a lot of boxes to make her your go-to tee. 

Customizations

The Nora tee is totally customizable. I'm not even exaggerating. You can choose from the following: 

• Petite or average height bodices that match to lower torsos that offer the same combinations.  (same as the Pisco)
• 3 different sleeve lengths- short, 3/4 & long sleeves
• 2 different necklines- boat neck and V-neck
• B, C, D cup sizes so you have lots of chest options to match to what will fit you best. 
• Even your printing preference is now more versatile as a projector option has now been added to the lineup of tiled PDF's and A0 Copyshop. 

Sizes

As with all SBCC patterns, the Nora Tee comes in sizes XXS-4X as two separate size ranges. Each range is fit separately because fit is important and I don't want anyone at either end of the size range scratching their heads trying to sort out the weird fit issues. The important part is that you have a project ready to sew with few modifications, because it is designed for your body. 

A t-shirt for larger chests

The Nora Tee is what I would like to call an "elevated tee". Nora has front and back offset princess seams and omits the side seams. This is not only a design detail, but for those that have always struggled to find a t-shirt that fits a larger chest without the gaping at the armhole, this one is for you! With the seaming detail on the Nora Top, it's much easier to manage any fullness or pulling at the chest. 

What type of fabric works best? 

A knit fabric with at least 35% stretch is preferable. I made all the samples you see in a wide range of knits. To be honest with you, each one had a slightly different look to the end result so here's my full unfiltered report: 

• 3/4 sleeve boat neck made in grey cotton jersey. This weight was somewhere between a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. The fit is comfy, but the overall length appeared shorter because the dense knit did not have a lot of lengthwise stretch. 
• Long sleeve dusty rose (pictured below)- this was a rayon cotton blend waffle knit. It is super stretchy, like 70% so that's why it looks a little looser. I also made the mistake of hanging the sample overnight so the body got longer. Just keep this sort of thing in mind if you choose to work with a looser knit. 
• Red long sleeve boat neck was made from a lightweight rayon spandex. It's also close to 70% stretch and very slinky. 
• Short sleeve grey V-neck tee was made from 100% cotton slub knit. This was probably the most favorite of all the fabrics. 

As we all know, I love knits. There is so much variety and so many options for different looks. The best part of knits is how comfortable the fit is. And with the Nora pattern designed for comfort and style, it's going to be a staple in your wardrobe. 

More to come

If you are feeling a little uncertain about sewing a V-neckline, stay tuned for a quick how-to blog post where I walk you through the steps.