I’m enjoying being able to fit back into my activewear again, and as I wore my 2021 birthday vintage merino cycling jersey for a Zwift ride I realised that I definitely should have more merino jersey tops I can wear for casual cycling. Since I’d not sewn anything for a week or two while my mom was visiting, I figured sewing a “quick knit top” would be just the pick-me-up I needed!
So I grabbed some olive green merino wool jersey from my deep stash, originally from The Fabric Store, and our FehrTrade Versatili-Tee pattern in Size M and got cutting! (Fun fact: “Wraparound Top” was the pattern’s working title while in development, as you can see from my old printed copies!)
I added a back cycling-style pocket by cutting an extra Back piece from the back hem up to the first “lengthen here” line just above the waist, cutting the top wider than the Back piece so I could get some gathers and pocket space there. Since I didn’t have matching FOE, I turned and stitched 1/4in elastic to the top edge instead. Then I basted it to the Back piece along 3 sides and treated them as one for the rest of the instructions.
The narrow width of the Back on the Versatili-Tee means it’s just about the perfect width for a cycling pocket on its own, and doesn’t really need topstitching to divide it into smaller sections. I couldn’t resist adding a cute little black cat label to stick out at the back pocket, too!
This is a really quick top to sew together, and since it’s not go any side seams, it’s perfect for exercise. I love that it looks like a regular teeshirt from the front, but a cycling jersey from the back!
Plus I got to use up some stash fabrics (though I’ve still got 0.7m left which could stretch to a sleeveless top if I’m careful). I’ve paired it here with my petrol blue Rouleur Leggings, and I love the colour story these two create!
And the real bonus is that I had something stylish to wear to the Bespoked Cycle Show the next day (as well as the cycle ride there and back, of course!). We’ve been enjoying gloriously warm and sunny weather in London for the past few weeks, and it was absolutely dreamy to cycle in! I didn’t even need my Arm Sleeves for the way home…
