Pattern Reviews

Sunday V-Neck Pattern Review

Dark haired man with a beard in a color blocked green and white Sunday V-neck t-shirt and light brown cargo shorts. He has a hand behind his neck and is smiling at the camera.

The Sunday V-neck is a raglan pattern from Friday Pattern Company. And it’s free!

Another great thing about this pattern is that it’s a unisex tee (another unisex pattern from Friday Pattern Co!). It’s made for a 2-inch (5 cm) bust vs high bust difference, so you might need a bust adjustment if you have breasts.

I made it for Ryan, who doesn’t have breasts, and didn’t bother with a small bust adjustment. It’s a loose fit, so as you can see, the 2″ (5 cm) difference isn’t super obvious.

Also, I wore his shirt myself. So while you can see some pulling around the armpitsā€”a sure sign of the need for a full bust adjustment since my chest is 6″ (15 cm) larger than hisā€”it’ll do the job in a pinch.

(Though when I make it for myself, I will size up. It’s a little tight around my belly, so I already have the XL printed for me. I might also consider making that v-neck a little deeper…)

Note that these pictures are from about 2 months into lockdown, hence the overgrown lumberjack beard my husband is sporting in these pictures. He had not shaved for a solid 2 months. Lockdown, smh…

Sunday V-neck Description & Cost

From Friday Pattern Company:

The Sunday V Neck is an easy-to-sew wardrobe staple. It features raglan sleeves and a ribbing that crosses at the center front. Make it in a single color or mix and match different fabrics! This tee can be a great scrap-busting project. Designed for knit fabrics with at least 25% stretch, youā€™ll want to make this tee again and again.

And the price: FREE!

You won’t find it in the Friday Pattern Company shop, but on this blog post.

Size Chart

Size chart for the Sunday V-neck raglan t-shirt ranging from XS (chest size 32" or 81 cm) to 4x (53" or 137 cm)

The size range is from XS to 4X, which translates into a chest range of 32″ to 54″ (81 to 137 cm). I made this one in a size Large.

My husband measures 42 inches in the chest, which would have put him in an XL. But the finished measurements for that size are 48″ (114 cm) and that’s just too big (though it would’ve fit me better!). That’s 6″ (15 cm) of ease, which is a looser fit.

He prefers slightly more fitted shirts so the finished chest measurement of 45″ (114 cm) in the Large made for a better fit. With only 3″ (7.5 cm) of ease, it was the right size.

Fabric

Got t-shirt knits? That’s what you need! With at least 25% stretch.

25% stretch, according to Isn’t That Sew?, is a moderate stretch fabric. It’s on the tail end of stable, which if you’re new to sewing with knits is a great place to start.

I used a fluid clingy spandex for the body and upcycled a stiff, low-recovery cotton jersey t-shirt for the white sleeves. For the neck band, I used ribbing.

Close up of the white, green, and black color blocked fabric of the Sunday V-neck

You can also see a little bit of pulling in the neck band. That was a stitching mistake, not a pattern issue.

PDF Criteria

Here is how the PDF stacks up

  • Layered sizes: yes
  • Colored lines by size: no
  • No trim pattern: no
  • Prints to edge of paper: no
  • Print layout included: yes, page 5 of instructions
  • A0 available: yes
  • Number of pattern pieces: 4 total

Pattern Instructions & Tips

The instructions are very clear and straight forward. Because there are only 4 pattern pieces (front, back, sleeves, and neck band), there isn’t much to complicate the process.

There are a bunch of tips for sewing with knits included in the instructions, which is really nice. Especially because the pattern is free! You don’t need a serger or overlocker for making this, you can sew it on a sewing machine with a zigzag stitch.

The two big tips I have are:

  1. Make sure your sleeve notches are obvious. That’s usually the only way to tell which side attaches to the front and which goes with the back.
  2. Mark the halfway point on your back neck and neck band. This makes matching them up so much easier!

Also because this is a crossed over v-neck in the front, this is a much easier neck band insertion than your typical v-neck. Great for beginners!

Pattern Notions

Other than fabric and thread, there are no special notions needed for this pattern.

Pattern Adjustments

Ryan is easy to sew for because his shirts don’t need any pattern adjustments. So what you see on him is a straight size L, no adjustments.

Dark haired man with a beard in a color blocked green and white Sunday V-neck and light brown cargo shorts

Pattern Difficulty Rating

Because this pattern has so few pieces, is made for more stable/moderate stretch knits, and has an easy v-neck neck band, I’d rate this as “easy.”

The only easier garment would be a stable woven shirt with 2 pattern pieces. So this would be the next step up from that!

1/5 = beginner friendly pattern.

Sunday V-neck Final Thoughts

I like this shirt for Ryan. I’d make him a few more if he wanted them.

The seam lines on this pattern are a little different than your typical baseball raglan tee. Usually, the lines are a bit more vertical. On the Sunday V-neck they are a little more horizontal and mimic the shoulder line, especially in the front.

All in all, the Sunday V-neck fits Ryan well. It’s just the right length.

I also like the option to color block the t-shirt. Of course you can color block any shirt. But this raglan style of tee is commonly color blocked. Like the baseball tee example, two colors is the usual look.

I used 3 colors because I didn’t have any white or green ribbing. It works out great!

Have you made the Sunday V-neck? What colors would you choose for a color-blocked shirt?

For more clothes I’ve made for Ryan check out the Ryan tag.

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Belinda
Belinda
Jun 14, 2023 7:19 pm

Thank you for your review! I plan to make this T for my husband tomorrow and your tips are very helpful. I think I’ll match the size to one of his shirts that I know fits. This way the 6″ of ease won’t be in issue. It’s also nice to hear that this v-neck band is easy to do. Thanks again!