Jesse Tee Hack: T-Shirt Dress

I made something that I 100% love, which is a pretty rare occurrence for me! Most of the things I make have at least a thing or two that I would change but there’s nothing about this dress that I don’t like! Hacks don’t always work out. This one was untested so I’m pretty pleased that it all came together!

For a few months, I kept turning to my closet and thinking, “Dang, I wish I had a casual t-shirt dress.” I have a fair amount of dresses but they pretty much all sit squarely in the middle of the scale that goes from casual to fancy–not nice enough to wear to a formal event but too nice to wear for running errands on a random Tuesday. I wanted to fix this!

At first I looked into getting a pattern but I quickly found that most t-shirt dress patterns come pretty basic. I didn’t find anything that I wouldn’t be able to hack myself with a pattern that I already had. Since it seemed like hacking something would be my best bet for getting what I wanted, I searched t-shirt dresses to find what features I wanted. I’ll be honest, I loved the dresses that were drape-y and ruffle-y but I had to steer myself away. I wanted something casual!

In the end I decided to use the Jesse Tee pattern. This is a t-shirt pattern that I LOVE. It’s a boxy/oversize tee designed to be used with a ribbed neckband, which makes it look a touch more professional. And it’s free!

I didn’t even have to tweak the pattern very much in order to make my dress. Because the pattern is drafted to be oversized, I just extended the seam lines straight down to make the top knee-length instead of hip-length. I added pockets because I could. And then I made a channel for inserting a drawstring that sat right at my waist.

For the channel, I just cut a long strip of fabric about 1 1/4 inch wide. I cut it along the selvedge because I wanted the least amount of stretch going on. I pressed the long sides in 1/4 inch toward the center. Then I realized I probably didn’t want a ton of bulk there so I trimmed just a bit what I’d pressed in. I measured where my waist fell (while the dress was on) and then pinned the channel (not while the dress was on). I used a lot of pins here! I didn’t measure the length so once it was pinned, I trimmed and tucked in the ends. Then I topstitched the top and bottom of the channel to secure it to the dress.

I made a drawstring with another strip of fabric cut along the grain (for less stretch). I stitched it right sides together and then turned it right side out. When I made my Orchid dress, one feature I loved was that the drawstring was made with elastic. Essentially you have 2 drawstring pieces that you attach to a length of elastic. The elastic shouldn’t be so long that it’ll come out of the casing when it’s stretched. I think I made mine 8-10 inches long which is about the right length to stay toward my back and not extend too much past the side seams, even when stretched.The elastic makes the drawstring experience just so much more comfortable! It’s a trick worth repeating!!

As far as adjusting the pattern, I did 2 other things. First, I did a 3/8ths inch forward shoulder adjustment (FSA). Maybe I’ve talked about this before but this has been a huge game changer as far as my t-shirt making goes. I had all but resigned myself to only wearing v-necks because most crew neck t-shirts ride too close to my neck. The FSA shifts everything down where it’s meant to be. With it, I no longer feel like I’m in a chokehold! And it’s an easy adjustment to make (I follow the instructions found on Melly Sews).

I also made the sleeves shorter. I cut out and sewed on the sleeves at the regular length but felt they were too overwhelming so I cut off a few inches and I’m happy with them.

For my fabric, I used the slub jersey from Isee Fabric. I looooove their slub jersey. It’s beautiful. It’s 100% cotton, has very little stretch, and a lovely texture. Obviously, it has to be paired with the appropriate project (I once made a Union St. Tee with some and that was NOT the appropriate project) but with the right pattern, it’s amazing. The only frustration with ordering the slub jersey is that I like ordering ribbing to match, and the colors between the jersey and ribbing aren’t always in sync. I usually have to go back and forth between pages and check names several times to find matches. This color is “Sea.” As with most their colors, it’s more subtle and muted, but still really pretty (and somehow exactly matches the color of the Cielo hacked dress I made recently).

I was extra pleased with my Isee haul because between a couple gift cards and a coupon I had, I was able to get 9 yards of fabric only paying 87 cents. If only all my fabric shopping looked like that! I mostly stocked up on their slub jersey while treating myself to matching ribbing. Isee deals mostly in earth tones and I was excited to snag some of the brighter colors they are offering for spring and summer. Most of my fabric will be turned into more Jesse tees because I like what I like ha!

The first time I wore the dress, we went picnicking and as we sat and ate, the wind kicked up a container of soy sauce that splattered all over my dress. I was so bummed! But before that happened, a woman complimented my dress, saying I looked “bright and happy” wearing it. I felt that! Thankfully, the soy sauce washed out (not to mention, the bao buns we had with said soy sauce were utterly delicious), so the dress made it through its first outing and has been worn many times since.

I really am completely content with the dress. I don’t have any, “next time I will…” or, “If only…” No. I’m happy with it. It’s casual and comfortable. It’s easy to move around in. I have at least 3 pairs of shoes that go with it. I like the color. You get the point! I’ve loved wearing it this summer and know I’ll be wearing it a lot more!

Pattern: True Bias Jesse Tee (Hacked)
Size: 10
Adjustments: Lengthened (to knee); shortened sleeves; 3/8″ FSA; added pockets, drawstring channel and drawstring
Fabric: Cotton slub jersey in “sea” from Isee Fabric with coordinating 2×1 ribbing
Cost: pattern free when you sign up for the newsletter; fabric free with gift card (!), elastic and thread in stash
Would I make this pattern again?: Jesse tee-yes, always. This hack-still a yes!