New HotPatterns Fringe Festival Knit Top - One Pattern, a Million Possibilities

I am always on the quest for versatile patterns that I can use over and over. A good tee shirt pattern is like gold. It's shockingly difficult to find one with just the right shape and drape that also goes together quickly. Good news: The Hot Patterns Fringe Festival Knit Top is one of those!

First, I wanted to make the pattern as-is without tweaking any of the details.  I used this Lightweight Starlet Jersey Knit because it has a nice fluid drape and is perfect for a late summer transitional garment. It'll carry me right into fall because it will make a great base layer that has virtually no bulk.

Cutting this pattern is a breeze. It's just three pieces, none on the fold -- easy peasy. Seven seams and you're done (plus hemming/finishing). My kind of pattern! The scarf piece is left unfinished on the edges, which is great for keeping bulk to a minimum and maintaining drape. I opted not to cut the fringe on the edges of the scarf.

The contouring through the body of this shirt is very figure-flattering and feminine, not the least bit boxy. Exactly what you want in a tee!

With the first shirt under my belt, I was ready to experiment with the pattern. It's no secret that pink is my favorite color, so selecting a pink knit was a no brainer. Since fabric flowers continue to be popular, I decided to try turning the scarf into a floral trim. I assembled the shirt just like normal, but then I cut the scarf pieces lengthwise, and played with twisting them into loose rosette shapes. As I worked, I pinned the flowers into place with safety pins. Once I settled on placement, I hand stitched the flowers down, and voila! All done.

Now that I have made this shirt twice, I can't stop thinking of other possibilities for this pattern. I want to elongate it into a tunic and make it out of a performance knit so I will have a new running dress to wear over leggings. I want to make it without the scarf in a rainbow of colors so I have a well-fitted tee for any outfit. I want to play with color blocking by making it with two colors (or maybe four). The pattern is so quick, even if I make a woeful design blunder, I won't have lost days and days of time stitching it.

The other great thing about this pattern is that you only need about a yard of fabric for it. I am seriously considering splurging on one of the yummy and butter-soft Liberty of London knits for my next version.

It's like a blank canvas to play with -- and I do love to play! Is your creativity flowing? What will you make with this versatile little number?