Alabama Chanin - T shirt project toile

First, I'll start with the t shirt pattern and get my fit right, that's what the toile is for.  They recommend that you go to a print shop to print out the patterns, I've some experience with taping PDF patterns and elected to do it at home.  The pattern pages do not have registration marks, like some later patterns do, but if you get the scale right, and are patient, you can get it taped up in less than an hour. If I weren't so excited to start, I would go to the print shop.

 As my first toile, I'm using the t shirt pattern to see if I have to make any changes to it.

The toile... black rayon knit, 

I needed a sway back adjustment, I could take 1" from the small of my back.  What to do? I elected to open slits up on the side seam up to the small of my back.

  It's still pretty snug, so I'll be adding to the side seams.  The black toile is being put to the side, and instead we are cutting into the final fabric.

1" was added to the pattern at the side seam hip, and once it was on, it was still snug.  My design decision was to add panels on the side seam.  It now drapes snug in the back, and loose in the front.  That's ok.

Next... the panels were joined at the front side seams, and the design was stenciled on the front. There was cutting involved....

The embroidery thread is a DMC embroidery floss, 3 strands, I'm experimenting with Golden paints mixed with their textile additive.  The backing fabric is applied only to those areas that will be cut out. This jersey is already pretty heavy, so I don't want it to be too hot.  The backing fabric is a piece of Qiana from my mother's stash.  That white you are looking at, is about 50 years old.

As if by magic....

The neckline and sleeves are basted. 

I don't like how the neckline is sticking up, so that front curve will need to be finessed.

Here we have the side panel that was added after the fact.

I'm pleased with the swayback adjustment.

The sleeves can probably be improved a bit since the pattern piece has no difference in the cap from the front or back. Highly suspicious lol.  One more day and we should be finished.....