Coffee Inspired Embroidered Tshirt

March is the month of my boyfriend and my anniversary. This year for our 10 year anniversary we decided to go to Bali!

Even though our airline offered a very generous 45kg baggage allowance, I wanted to pack a few very versatile garments to mix & match.
Recently one of my favourite local pattern makers (Sarah-May of French Navy) released a free tshirt pattern, The Stellan Tee. The pattern was quick and easy to make which was a bonus as our trip was rather spontaneous and I didn’t have a lot of time to sew. The pattern has a cropped boxy fit which works well with my wardrobe. I can pair it with my favourite high waist pants & skirts and even wear it under strappy dresses and jumpsuits.

My boyfriend and I love coffee. We planned to visit a coffee plantation while in Bali so I decided to make a coffee inspired tee. The colour of the fabric paired well with so many of my garments.
My B535 afforded me the pleasure of extending the coffee theme with personalized embroidery.

I loved this pattern so much that I have made a white one and am even working on 2 long sleeved versions! Keep an eye on my instagram @hannah_rose.smith to see them.

What will be needed:

The Stellen Tee Pattern
Sewing machine
Embroidery Module
Overlocker
90cm Light to Medium weight knit fabric
Light weight Felt
Tear-away stabilizer
Water soluble stabilizer
Ballpoint Needles
Twin Ballpoint Needle (optional)
3-4 matching threads
Embroidery thread

Steps

Embroidery

Go to the font folder.
Choose a font. I selected the cursive font which is saved to my machine.
Type out your motto or quote and select the green tick when you’re done.
Adjust the size and placement.
Select the Add button
Coffee design by Igor Denisov
Select the design you want to add. I chose one saved on my USB.
Adjust the size and placement.
For the base layer in the embroidery hoop, use a layer of tear-away stabilizer and felt.
Using chalk or a fabric marker, mark out the placement for the embroidery on the Tshirt front.
Place the Tshirt front piece on top of the tear-away stabilizer and felt in the embroidery hoop. Place a piece of water soluble stabilizer on top.
Put the hoop in your embroidery machine and embroider.
Once finished, remove the tear-away stabilizer and trim the felt around the embroidery.
Tear away the majority of the water soluble stabilizer and remove the rest with water (or leave it until you wash the finished garment)

Assembly

For more indepth step-by-step instructions, please also follow the instructions provided by French Navy for the Stellan Tee pattern.

Using the 4-thread stitch of your overlocker, join the shoulder seams, join the ends of the neck binding strip and then join the neck binding to the neckline
Pin and sew the reinforcement strip along the back neck binding seam.
Fold the strip over the back neck binding seam to encase it.
Using a straight stitch, sew the reinforcement strip to the back of the tshirt.
Finish the hem edges of the Sleeves, Front and Back pieces with the overlocker.
Using the overlocker, join the sleeves to the body and then join the Front and Back pieces along the side seams, including the sleeve seams.

Twin Needle

I used the 4mm wide Stretch Twin Needle. I highly recommend that you practice on scraps until the stitch is to your satisfaction.

You may need to inform your machine that you are using a special needle.
When you thread your sewing machine, thread the threads at the same time to prevent tangling.
Select the double stitch. Make the stitch length a bit longer than normal.
Loosen the tension of the bobbin. The bobbin thread should want to zigzag.
Fold up the 2cm hem allowance.
Topstitch along the hem. Do not backstitch as the needles are likely to break.
Leave the threads long and gently pull the garment away from the machine, preventing it from creating gathers.
Knot the threads and thread the ends in to hem.
Do the same steps for the Sleeve hems.

Bali Pulina Coffee Plantation & Tegalalang Rice Terraces, Bali

Tips

The reason I used a layer of felt behind the fabric is to ensure the embroidery thread has something firm to embroider on to as the knit fabric tends to be a bit too flimsy.
The water-soluble stabilizer layer on top of the fabric helps keep the fabric from moving while being embroidered. The tear-away stabiliser below does the same.
For reference, I made a size XXS. As I have a short torso, I shortened the length about 5cm. The fit is also slightly baggier on me, which suits me fine, as I am a few cm smaller than the XXS measurements.

I would love to see the tshirt you make, please feel free to share with me!
And remember to use #thestellantee and tag the pattern maker @frenchnavynow_
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-Hannah-Rose