Last summer, I explored sewing t-shirts—I sewed… a lot of them!
But they were all quite standard, made from plain jerseys. That’s when I discovered the Honeygirl Tee pattern from Paradise Patterns, a pattern specifically designed for pointelle.
Why dedicate an entire pattern to it? It’s simple: most jerseys contain 5% elastane, while pointelle is made from 100% cotton. Without the 5% elastane, its elasticity is slightly different, and for a close-fitting design, a pattern made for standard jersey might not deliver the expected result. That’s where Paradise Patterns comes in, providing a pattern designed for this fabric!
So let’s discover this pattern and the art of sewing pointelle!
The design
The Honeygirl top is a very close-fitting t-shirt, with options for: - long or short sleeves, - a crew neck or a more open neckline.
The look is very fresh and spring-like. Plus, pointelle offers a romantic and feminine look that softens the outfit. Just be aware that even the “long” version isn’t very long, and the “top” version is cut at the waist.
So check the length you want to wear if you don’t want to show your stomach.
Note that the Honey design has been adapted by Paradise Patterns into pajama and dress versions... for those who want to work on other designs in this soft knit 😊
Honey long-sleeve t-shirt version with open neckline
Honey pajama shorts version
Information for sewing this design
The Honeygirl tee is a top from Paradise Patterns that we offer in-store and online as a PDF. Note that the patterns are written in English, so a little help from Google might be needed to feel comfortable. However, the pattern is very well illustrated, and if you’re not a beginner, you can manage almost entirely with the illustrations.
If you’re a fan of your Honeygirl, the pattern also has expansions to modify the base pattern and create more variations, making it a great investment!
The pattern is available from size A to P, corresponding to a bust measurement between 76cm and 157cm.
In the sewer’s basket
To make this top, it’s recommended to use pointelle fabric or, for example, our waffle jersey. This time, traditional jerseys are not suitable, as the pattern isn’t designed for them.
The required materials and fabrics are:
- between 1m and 1.5m of pointelle depending on the version and size desired
- matching polyester thread or our special jersey thread
That’s all!
My supplies
For this project, I chose the 100% organic cotton pointelle from Mind the Maker.
It’s a bit more expensive than our other pointelles, but it’s also a bit heavier, which I liked. Its 180cm width also allowed me to cut both tops from the fabric needed for one (I’m a big fan of fabric Tetris). Be careful, we don’t have much left—first come, first served.
In our new pointelles, we have a whole range of colors so everyone can find their favorite. I chose this pale yellow to bring spring to us, and by early March, I can say it worked well! I’ve even already worn the short-sleeve version once in the shop.
I sewed it with classic yellow polyester thread, and although this isn’t specified in the pattern, I added stay tape in the shoulders—I always do this, whether it’s in the instructions or not. I like to make creations that last, so stay tape to reinforce the shoulders is essential! Think we have everything?
Not so fast! A nice label to personalize your t-shirt is also a must for me.
The little touch of fun you add for yourself makes all the difference! If it’s a gift, I find it even more important.
Technical points
The top is recommended for adventurous beginners. I think that’s quite accurate. It’s a fairly simple pattern but offers room to grow! The pattern is written for sewing machine construction, but it’s perfectly possible to use a serger.
The instructions clearly indicate when everyone should use the machine.
The technical points of this design are:
- sewing pointelle
- inserting sleeves
- hemming the bottom and sleeves (with options for the adventurous!)
- attaching the neckline band In short, it’s definitely doable!
My sewing experience
For this pattern, I made size E.
If you’ll allow me to digress, I think it’s great when patterns use their own sizing system. We often have preconceptions about the sizes we use daily (“I don’t wear size …”), and removing this element already frees the sewer from the burden of choosing their size and confronting “standards.” It also removes the possible mistake of “I always wear size …, so I’ll sew that size,” which you should never do if you want a garment that fits. I was really impressed by the instruction booklet. The diagrams are abundant and very clear. This will be very helpful for beginners, as the steps are detailed point by point.
The method for constructing the neckline band was new to me, but it was very well explained, with some videos included in the booklet for those who need them.
Bonus point: the designer even added a small technical drawing like those taught in sewing school in the booklet—the professional detail I love. Finally, it was an opportunity to try special hems I’d never done before! The lettuce hem is super cute and especially great for later use on children’s tops. And the scalloped hem was surprisingly easy and adds a subtle extra touch to the top.
In short, I’m super happy with my two new tops—you’ll probably see me wearing them at the shop. And you, are you ready to try sewing with pointelle for the first time?
Find all Paradise Patterns patterns here
For those who want to start sewing jersey on a regular sewing machine, we have a new course for that! You can already sign up here. And why not sew your new Honeygirl tee!
