Thursday 23 December 2010

Cycling t-shirt

My husband bought himself cycling parts and do-dads from me for his Christmas present, which was rather unsatisfying. I have no interest in bicycle pieces.
To have something under the Christmas tree, I made him a couple of t shirts. Usually I find man sewing rather dull, but I really enjoyed this project.
I made a pattern by chalk tracing over interfacing a t shirt he bought in London, from mega expensive cycling shop Rapha. (I did have a photo of the original shirt, but it has fallen off my camera).He really likes this t shirt, and has been wearing it as a casual shirt, but on making my version, I was struck by several excellent design features.
1. This appears to be a t shirt designed for cycling. The back is slightly longer than the front, and the sleeves are drafted for a forward position. This works just as nicely for sitting with terrible posture at the computer as it does for leisurely rides on the bike.
SDC10205
SDC10204
2. The side panels, like a cycling jersey, allow for a slim fit in the t shirt. I have used a wide coverstitch in black to emphasize these seams.
SDC10206
3. The back pocket is a fun place for embellishment, as well as practical for keeping coffee money safe whilst on the bike. The original shirt has a stop watch. I have made 2 versions so far, one with a bicycle, and this one with a wheel on the back pocket.
I am quite pleased with this Christmas present. If possible, I will try for a modelled shot after Christmas.

5 comments:

Sharon said...

Great T-shirts and interesting observations about the design features.

Mary Nanna said...

Every good tee needs a pocket for coffee money, not just cycling ones. Lucky husband to get custom made shirts and you are once again filling me with coverstitch envy. Perhaps it is also a good tee for blog reading as I seem to spend a lot of time hunched over a computer myself!

SewRuthie said...

Oh that's great fun. I really like your versions. Never thought of pockets on T shirts.

Anita (Summer Gypsy) said...

Great shirts. And I love the way you studied carefully the technical version... interesting that the sleeves are DESIGNED for a forward position, and I see why the back should be longer. Very professional job!!! Looks great.

velosews said...

Light coloured cycling tops are always a car safe option. He'll love it. Any design feature that makes cycling more comfortable is always appreciated.