A How To - Plantain Tee with Yoke

1.31.2014

Hey bloggy readers, I made a plantain....just like everybody else.
But wait, there's something a little different here...is that some sort of contrast yoke?
Why yes it is a yoke and I even got fancy and put some stretch mesh lacy fabric on it.
The old gray cells and I were trying to think up a way to jazz up this pattern a bit. It took a few weeks, but finally we and hit upon a way to use that stashed stretch mesh. Add yoke with overlay, sooooo easy. It really is easy and I've put a little tutorial in the pattern changes/alterations section.

Pattern
Deer & Doe Plantain (free pattern)

Fabrics used
Soy/cotton jersey and stretch mesh. I got the stretch mesh from Marcy Tilton some time ago.
It's a fabric that I'm not sure how to use most of the time. But come on, a cool feather design, I couldn't pass that up.  Marcy stocks a lot of stretch mesh if you're looking for that type of fabric for any reason.

Pattern changes/alterations
I traced a straight size 42 and only added about a 1/4" of extra ease at the hemline.  The real change made to the pattern was to add at yoke design.  It's a fairly easy to do and I'll show you how.

1. You'll need to grab the front and back pattern pieces of Plantain.  Make sure the seam allowance is drawn in on the shoulder seams.  I also added the seam allowance to the other edges to make measuring the finished yoke more accurate.
 2. Starting with the back, measure 4" down the seam allowance at CB and mark.  Use this mark and the CB to draw a perpendicular line across the back. This will be your back yoke seam line.
3. Cut the pattern apart on the line, then tape extra paper to the cut edges so you can draw in the seam allowance.  Once you have the new SA trimmed up your back piece is done.

4. Next take your front and draw in the seam allowance on the the neck and arm edge.  We're going to measure down on the SA for the front yoke line.  On the neckband edge measure down 2 3/4"and mark.
On the armhole edge measure down 3 1/2" and mark.
Then draw a diagonal line connecting the two marks for your front yoke line.
5. Once again cut the yoke line and then add seam allowance to the cut edges.
6. The last step is to connect the two yoke pieces.  Take the front and lay the shoulder stitch line on top of the back shoulder stitch line. Tape in place and trim up any overhanging edges.

You'll want to mark both the armhole and neckline shoulder points as notches.  Then when you're sewing the shirt up later you'll still have matching points for the sleeve head and neckband even though the seam is no longer there.
Now your pattern is ready to sew!

Confessions/Advice
I was a bit worried about sewing on the elbow patches on the old sewing machine.  Turns out if you use a stable knit, stretch needle, and a longer stitch length then elbow patches are easy peasy.

Husband Comment
"It's kind of like a Star Trek uniform with the stuff on the shoulders. What is that fabric? Isn't that bra fabric? You have bras on your elbows."

My Final Thoughts
This is a nicely drafted pattern with clear directions. If the style pleases you than go make a bunch of them. :)
It's time for the leopard scarf drawing results!  Thanks to everyone who put their name in, wish I had a scarf for each of you. Mr. Bee did the picking honors and the winner was Maris Olsen. Maris just send me your mailing address to knit(dot)n(dot)frog23@gmail.com and I will dispatch the scarf.

26 comments:

  1. i did exactly the same with a yoke (but i used the reverse of double faced fabric). al least i did it the right way!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for the yoke info and I LOVE the feathers!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It looks great! That's a nice colour on you. And also - Dukan is really paying off! This is the first post where I can really tell that your body is changing! (Which is something I feel odd typing, but I know that's the goal, so yay!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. such a great detail! love this tee. and love the husband comment... bwahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very Cool! Thank you so much for sharing how to do this! I love your husband comments. Sounds like things my dad and brother would say. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really like how the yoke comes over the shoulders - it's insanely flattering!

    ReplyDelete
  7. So cute! I love this! The purple color looks great on you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. How chic! The black insets make it so modern. The color is gorgeous in itself, but the insets really make it modern.

    ReplyDelete
  9. OMG! I am such a lucky winner Heather! And those bras look GREAT on your elbows! ;-) Sometimes I wonder why we even bother them them, don't you?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for sharing how to do this! This is such a fun top, and so quick to make.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Pretty purple color and I think the yoke rocks!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank so much for the tutorial Heather, I am going to use this for me & my sis! If your tee gets too big for you, I'll buy it off you, I loovvee it a lot & it should fit me :-p

    ReplyDelete
  13. Awesome! I beat that was cool with a double sided fabric with two faces.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You're welcome MaciNic. I hope you have fun putting yokes on your shirts. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. LOL, I don't feel odd reading your comment. Personally I'm having trouble noticing a difference in some ways. I had Steve give me positive feed back so that's good.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hee heee. My husband also said it was a nice shirt, but bra's on your elbows was too funny not to quote.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Excellent, now your brain need not be taxed with the pattern drafting. If you have any other tutorial things you want Em, then let me know. I'll do it for you man!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank you Morgan. Isn't great when simple changes give you a lot in return.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you Ginger, Maybe future future Heather should buy more purple. Blue fabric seems to take my money first.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks Becki, I was making one with teal insets and a black body. Then realized that one was really star trek uniform. Oops!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wooo Hooo, winner winner chicken dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your welcome Laura, I think there are more plantains in both of our futures. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thank you Kristin, I've got more purple to sew up. Hooray!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Awesome it's on your list along with some bra elbows. heee heee!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wooo hoo, sister shirts. I should probably ask my sister if this is on her list. As far as lists go I'll put your name next to the T-shirt if I shrink down to nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Yeah Margo, hop on the band wagon! You'll have fun, I promise.

    ReplyDelete

Proudly designed by Mlekoshi pixel perfect web designs