Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Sew House Seven Tabor Top Three Ways + a Fundraiser

Y’all, this is the t-shirt trio of my dreams. All three of these are now vying for the title of Meg’s Favorite T-shirt.


I made these babies using the Sew House Seven Tabor V-neck pattern, yet another fabulous pattern from one of my favorite designers. For this comparison, I had the opportunity to try three killer knit fabrics from the Imagine Gnats shop, all of which paired wonderfully with the pattern! 

Thanks, Imagine Gnats, for all the fabulous fabric!


The Tabor is a loose fitting drop sleeved knit top with a deep v-neck and a ton of options: long sleeves, short sleeves, cuffs, curved hem, mitered corner hem, cropped hem, wide v-neck, narrow v-neck… I could go on and on. There are six views listed, but you could mix and match options endlessly to find your perfect Tabor top!


This Tabor V-neck is Version #2, which also has a curved hem, but has short, cuffed sleeves and a slightly wider v-neck.


I’ll admit that I messed up the neckline on this version by playing scant attention to the instructions. I thought the neckband was meant to be mitered at the V, but this version was made to be lapped. Oops! It wasn’t sitting right, and I had to unpick and resew it, so it’s a bit tortured now.


This version is made from a linen blend jersey in heathered ash grey. Lovely stuff! Lightweight, slubby textured, and ever-so-slightly sheer, it’s perfect for a slightly oversized casual tee. I wouldn’t use this stuff for anything with negative ease, but it’s great for a top with positive ease like the Tabor v-neck.


This is lovely green number is Tabor Version #1, long sleeved with a curved hem and the narrowest v-neck. I made this version in Dana cotton/modal jersey, which might just be the perfect t-shirt fabric.


The Dana jersey is not too heavy, not too light, super soft, nice drape, great recovery, excellent colors. I went with the lovely shade of fern green.


I love this top! The long sleeves are slim, but not tight, and the bodice is pleasantly slouchy. Curved hemlines are the best, as are v-necks.


This Tabor is probably my current darling. It’s Version #4, with a 2-inch wide lapped neckband, a split hem with vented sides and narrow, long sleeves. It’s so, so good.


I used this tri-blend organic stretch french terry. It’s a tencel, organic cotton and lycra blend dream fabric. I want make an entire wardrobe entirely from this stuff. It’s thick, soft and has great recovery.

Plus, the french terry is certified to Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 and made from GOTS Certified organic cotton yarn, so I feel pretty good about its origins. I chose the moss color, which is really rich and beautiful.


All of my Tabor V-necks were sewn in size 16 with no alterations. The fit is definitely loose, as described, but you can see from the photos that the looseness of the look also depends heavily on fabric choice. The linen one feels the largest, and the thick french terry version the snuggest.


My verdict on the Tabor V-neck pattern paired with all three of these fabrics: yes. I am super happy with all of my new tees!


Imagine Gnats is spending this 4th of July raising money for organizations that help serve families in their time of need:

50% of the purchase price of all digital patterns will be donated to The Florence Project, Texas Civil Rights Project, and New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. Sew House Seven is donating 100% of the proceeds, so get thee a Tabor V-neck pattern