Pattern by Originally Lovely

I made mine in...

Size: small

Yarn: Sirdar cotton DK in shade 540

Needle size: 4.5mm

I made the Perfect Knit T-Shirt by Kaitlin Barthold of Originally Lovely, as a starter project to refresh my memory of knitting. I started knitting in 2008 as a kid, but I didn't really get back into it until 2021. It feels appropriate that the first post of my website should be about this pattern that reintroduced me to the world of knitting.

I had only made accessories and small toys before this, so I had no idea what garment construction looked like. As a beginner to knitted wearables, this was an awesome introductory piece. Because this was my first knitted garment, I did not have the confidence to make any modifications other than the addition of stripes. You could say that I followed the pattern to a tee (haha). On to the review!

First of all, this pattern is FREE, which is amazing for beginners. The pattern gives you the opportunity to learn about:

• Top-down raglan construction,

• Joining in the round,

• M1L and M1R,

• Neckline shaping,

• Casting on stitches for the underarm,

• Picking up stitches for the sleeves,

• and i-cord bind offs (with different stitch counts).

The neckline shaping drapes beautifully. Because the back is raised, there is no issue with the back of the garment riding up when on the body. The best part is that it just takes doing some increases, no shortrows in sight!

The top-down raglan construction is seamless and one of the most versatile constructions for shirts and sweaters. It will show up in many more patterns later on in your knitting journey, so it is worth learning now.

The 6 stitch i-cord bind off was an absolute pain, but it resulted in a very neat hem. I would say that the i-cord bind off is a rite of passage for any beginner knitter, and once you see the polished edge it gives, it will all be worth it.

After dividing for the sleeves, the pattern calls for stockinette in the round. Plain stockinette is pretty mindless, good practice in maintaining tension for a beginner, and a great tv project for the more experienced knitter.

I switched up the body a bit by adding in some light pink stripes with scrap yarn. Stripes are a great way to jazz up a plain pattern and also reduce wastage by using up scrap yarn!

I think this pattern is beautiful, but saying so, I have to caution that it doesn't hold your hand the whole way. I did find myself hitting up Google with questions, but I think with the help of the vast knitting community, it turned out fine.

Some thoughts about the yarn now. First of all, the colour is gorgeous. I could not help but buy it. The mercerized 100% cotton is smooth on the skin and cool for summer. I find the drape very similar to the bamboo mix that the pattern originally calls for.

However, this yarn pills A LOT. I shave the shirt with my trusty electronic sweater shaver after every wear. Additionally, cotton will grow with wash, so make sure to gauge swatch.