Way back in 2018, almost exactly five years ago, I made Bunny a Mini Briar tee using some gorgeous Nosh organics fabric. She adores this tee, and year after year after year it remains in pride of place in her closet. Nothing I have every made her has been as loved as this tee. Sometimes I worry something will happen to it and then she will be devastated. But mostly I’m feeling pretty good about getting five years use out of a Mini Briar tee!
You might be asking yourself, how on earth can a tee last a child five years? Well my friends there in lies some very good planning, and the reason why I design my children’s patterns to be oversized. I always want to get the most use out of any of my makes, but it is particularly challenging with kids because they grow so much. So my strategy has always been to make their garments slightly oversized so that they can grow into them.
I made Bunny a size 9 Mini Briar tee back in 2018, and at that stage it fit as it was intended – a bit oversized. Over the years as she has grown it’s become more and more fitted to the point where here in 2022 at the age of 14 it is a close fitting tee. I actually have been kicking myself all these years for never blogging about this tee, but now i’m glad I didn’t so I can show you how it’s been enjoyed all these years!
Admittedly, the sleeves are a little short now, but I intentionally left them raw when i made this tee to make it easier to sew on cuffs when they became too short and thereby extend the life of the tee. The cuff fabric has been sitting in my stash waiting all these years, and now we’re finally at the point to add them. I feel so justified in my hoarding haha.
When it comes to the fabric of the tee itself I honestly wish that Nosh organics still sold fabrics because it blows my mind that the colour just hasn’t faded much at all in five years of constant wear. It has no holes, and is still in amazing condition. I wish all fabrics were of such a high quality.
I love that how she styles this tee has changed as she has gotten older and developed her own personal style. I must admit it gave me a little smile to think that she is wearing her tees layered under singlets just like I did in the 90s. I keep wondering how much longer this tee will stay in constant rotation, and I hope I can keep making her things that she enjoys as much as this tee!
