I just cut out my customized t-shirt pattern, and realize that I made a big mistake. Not with the cutting, but with the fabric. Because I didn’t want to risk using expensive material on this test project, I pulled something from my stash.

What was I thinking?! I should have tested it first to determine its stretch rating. Most t-shirt patterns are designed for “moderate stretch” knits, and clearly this stash fabric doesn’t fit the bill.

If only I had used the Stretch Ruler handout I give my sewing students! (Download a free copy here.) Trying to eyeball a knit fabric is a bad idea. Most knits look alike from a distance. Without testing the gauge, there is no guarantee that even an expertly sewn garment will fit and perform properly.

So now the question before me is: do I sew THIS shirt, if for no other reason than curiosity? Or do I pitch it, run to the fabric store, and buy something else? Stay tuned for the answer…