Grainline Lark tee pattern review from an Australian perspective

I have sewn my way through more basic tee patterns than I care to admit, partly because a really good plain top is the backbone of a handmade wardrobe. The Grainline Lark tee has been on my to-sew list for years, and after finally cutting into a beautiful piece of merino jersey from an Australian stockist, I have plenty to share. This is a relaxed, easy-fitting top with a high-low hem and a gentle dropped shoulder, the kind of pattern that whispers rather than shouts.

What makes the Lark interesting in the indie sewing world is its modern, slightly oversized silhouette. Jen Beeman drafted it to skim the body rather than cling to it, and that relaxed feel is exactly what a lot of sewists want. Many of my readers sew from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and beyond, so I have thought about fabric availability, climate layering and local stockists while writing this review.

Australian sewists have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to knit fabric, with a strong community of small mills, well-stocked independent fabric retailers and a healthy op-shop culture where vintage sheets and merino scarves get a second life as clothing. With that in mind, I picked fabrics that are easy to track down locally, and I have kept an eye on price in AUD.

In this review I will walk you through sizing and fit, fabric choices from Australian shops, construction notes, a side-by-side comparison with similar basic tee patterns and a few styling ideas. There will also be a small companion diy project at the end for using up your fabric scraps.

First impressions and the envelope contents

The Lark is printed on sturdy paper, comes in sizes 0 to 18 with a B-cup bodice piece and a separate C-cup option, and the instruction booklet is the photograph-led booklet Grainline is known for. There is just one main view, a crew-neck tee with a slightly dropped shoulder and a curved high-low hem, but the pattern is forgiving enough to be hacked into a dress or swing top.

I appreciate that the pattern pieces are nested tightly so there is less fabric waste, which matters when you are paying premium prices for good merino or organic cotton jersey. The seam allowances are a uniform 1.5 cm, friendly for beginners still learning to trust their eyeballs.

Pattern	Size range	Bust cup options	Silhouette	Approx. AUD price
Grainline Lark	0–18	B and C	Relaxed, slightly oversized	$20–24
True Bias Hudson	0–18	B only	Fitted with optional ruching	$18–22
Cashmerette Concord	0–32	C, D, DD, E	Fitted tee and dress	$22–26
Love Notions Sunrise	XS–5X	B/C and D/DD	Relaxed with curved hem	$22–28
Puff & Pencil Madeira	XS–XL	B only	Boxy and cropped	$18–22

The Lark sits in the middle for size inclusivity, offers a thoughtful two-cup option and is one of the more affordable indie tee patterns on the Australian market. The Hudson is the closest competitor for a slim silhouette, while the Concord wins for fuller busts and the Sunrise is the friendliest for a curvier, relaxed fit.

Sizing and fit adjustments for a real body

I cut a straight size 12 to start, graded out slightly at the hip and added two centimetres of length because I am 170 cm tall and prefer my tees to skim the upper thigh. The body is designed to fall from the high hip, so shorter sewists may want to trim two to three centimetres from the hem before cutting.

For a B-cup sewist, the drafted bodice fits well across the front without a full bust adjustment. If you are a C-cup or above, the separate cup piece is worth the extra tracing time. I tested the C-cup piece on a make for a friend in Adelaide who usually needs an FBA, and she reported a smooth front without any pulling across the chest.

A small forward shoulder adjustment would tidy up the fit if you have narrow shoulders, and a narrow back adjustment helps the back neckline sit flatter. Both are simple changes on a pattern with so few pieces, and the loose silhouette hides any tiny imperfections in your tracing.

Fabric choices from Australian stockists

For my first Lark I chose a 200 gsm merino wool jersey from The Fabric Store, which has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and online. The weight drapes beautifully without pulling at the shoulders, and a bolt will set you back around $35 to $45 per metre, reasonable for a wardrobe staple you will wear weekly.

If merino feels like a stretch for your budget, try a cotton-spandex or bamboo-spandex blend from Spotlight or an independent shop like Remnant Warehouse in Melbourne, Pitt Trading in Sydney or Tessuti Fabrics. Remnant Warehouse in Spotswood is a particular treasure trove for cheaper end-of-bolt knits, and you can often find a metre of beautiful leftover jersey for under $15.

For something different, a striped cotton jersey from an op shop is a lovely option for a wearable muslin. Australian op shops such as Salvos and Vinnies often have large men's cotton tee shirts that yield generous fabric when deconstructed, and a $3 op-shop find makes fitting mistakes much easier on the conscience.

Cutting out and construction notes

I traced the pattern pieces onto interfacing rather than cutting straight into the printed tissue. The Lark has only four main pieces plus the neckband, so the tracing is quick. Marking notches with a sliver of sticky tape rather than snipping into the seam allowance works beautifully on jersey.

I used a ballpoint needle in size 80 for the merino and a walking foot for the shoulder seams and hem. A small piece of fusible tape at the shoulder seam stabilises the seam and stops any stretching when you attach the neckband. For very slippery fabric, try a lightweight tear-away stabiliser along the shoulder line.

For the neckband, the pattern instructs you to sew a simple two-step band with a 1.5 cm seam allowance, and it worked perfectly on my first attempt. Stretch the band gently as you sew, keeping the raw edges aligned and letting the feed dogs do the work. If you are nervous about neckbands, practising on a strip of ribbing first is well worth the extra half hour.

Hem, neckline and finishing details

The Lark's curved hem is the feature I love most. It dips gently lower at the side seams and centre back, giving the tee a relaxed, swingy feel without looking like a maternity top. I finished mine with a twin needle and a stitch length of 3 mm so the holes did not perforate the fabric.

A twin needle hem takes a little practice, so baste the hem first, fold once to the wrong side, fold again to encase the raw edge and pin perpendicular to the fold. Sew slowly, lift the presser foot every ten centimetres to release any fabric build-up, and press the hem flat with a steam iron once finished.

The neckline is finished with a band that sits neatly at the base of the neck. I stabilised the edge with a thin strip of clear elastic on my second make to prevent future stretching at the collar, an upgrade I would recommend to anyone who plans to wear their Lark weekly.

Styling the finished tee year round in Australia

In Brisbane's mild winters and Sydney's cooler coastal mornings, a merino Lark layers beautifully under a denim jacket or linen blazer without adding bulk. The slight drop shoulder gives just enough room for a long-sleeved thermal to sit underneath if you live further south in Hobart or Melbourne's outer suburbs.

For warmer months, swap the merino for a cotton-spandex or linen-blend jersey and wear the Lark loose over wide-leg linen trousers or tucked into a denim midi skirt. The curved hem gives lovely movement when you walk, and the relaxed fit is forgiving after a big lunch, which is a real consideration in our barbecue-heavy culture.

I have also worn my Lark tucked into a high-waisted wrap skirt for casual Friday, and paired with track pants for the school run. The understated shape is the whole point, and it works in roughly nine out of ten situations a busy sewist finds themselves dressing for.

Final verdict and a small companion project

The Grainline Lark tee is a beautifully drafted, beginner-friendly pattern with a relaxed silhouette that suits a wide range of bodies. If you like an oversized, easy-to-wear top with thoughtful details, this pattern deserves a place in your stash. It is particularly rewarding in a quality merino.

To use up the scraps left over from my Lark makes, I drafted a tiny pair of fabric gift tags for handmade presents. They are quick to sew, use up odd corners of jersey and cotton, and make lovely additions to a wrapped gift. The full tutorial lives at the diy fabric gift tags page if you would like to make a set alongside your next Lark.

If you are sewing the Lark in Australia, remember that under the Australian Consumer Law you are entitled to a refund if the pattern is faulty. Most indie designers are happy to help with fitting queries by email, and Grainline has an active sew-along community on Instagram worth joining. Happy stitching, and may your handmade wardrobe grow one Lark at a time.