Forget any old ideas about sewing your own clothes. Start with our five basic designs, then dive into the simple and creative embellishment techniques in the following chapters, and suddenly you’ll have a whole wardrobe of dresses, skirts, shirts, and tunics, utterly and uniquely yours, made by you to fit your body, your look, and your life. Hem if you feel like it, or don’t. Let the seams show, and celebrate the raw edges. Enjoy the journey and arrive looking amazing.
The building block for a universe of shirts, tunics, and dresses, this garment is the perfect starter project if you’re new to sewing with jersey or just a bit intimidated by the idea of sewing your own clothing. We promise that you can sew yourself a new summer dress in less than an hour. After that, the choice is yours; keep your sewing sublimely simple and accessorize your new wardrobe with interesting belts or necklaces, or embellish your projects with just about any of the techniques covered in later chapters.
The how-to instructions below start with the torso pattern piece you created in chapter 2, but we’ll let you in on a secret: You can just lay out a tank top with a fit you love and trace it directly onto your fabric, adding ½″ at the shoulder and side seams for the seam allowance.
Hold one end of the measuring tape at the shoulder seam of the shirt you’re wearing and step on the tape’s other end to hold it taut. Note the measurement at the desired hem location.
Fold the fabric with the right sides together, leaving enough width to accommodate the pattern piece and the additional length and flare of the garment, as shown on page 37 (the grain will run the length of the garment). Pin the pattern piece as shown, with the fold edge of the pattern along the fabric fold.
what you’ll need
• Torso pattern pieces to trace (see chapter 2, pages 29–30)
• 1½ yards of 60″-wide jersey fabric
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
Design tip: Want to add sleeves to your garment? See Sleeves Made Simple on page 42, and add to garment before stitching side seams.
Use a measuring tape and chalk to mark the following design lines directly on the fabric:
—Bottom edge: Measure straight down from the shoulder seam to the desired length (our garment is unhemmed, but if you’d like a hem, add ¾″ and then mark). Draw a horizontal line marking the garment’s bottom edge, but extend it 3″ beyond the side seam of the pattern piece to add flare to the panel.*
—Side seam and neckline: Trace the pattern piece, extending the line of the side seam down at an angle to meet the marked end of the bottom edge.
*The hem or bottom edge design line varies with how much flare you want. For a tunic, adding 3″ on either side of the garment’s center line (6″ total) is average. For a roomier garment, add more. For a dress, 3½″ on either side is a good starting point. (For more about flare, see chapter 2, page 26)
Remove the paper pattern. Cut along the marked lines through both thicknesses of fabric.
Refold the remaining fabric. Lay the cutout piece (still folded from cutting), flipping and rotating it to fit on the yardage. Trace around the cutout piece with chalk.
Remove the cutout piece. Cut along the marked chalk lines through both thicknesses of fabric.
Align the panels with the right sides together; with a straight stretch stitch, sew at the shoulders and side seams with a ½″ seam.
Turn the garment right side out. If you like, decoratively topstitch over the seams with a tricot stitch. If you allowed extra length for hemming, hem the bottom edge (see double-fold hem, page 19).
To cut a V or scoop neckline, refer to the instructions in chapter 2, page 31.
projects based on the
two-panel garment
• Ruffled Ribbon Sundress (page 62)
• Ruched Tunic (page 65)
• Gracefully Gathered Neckline Shirt (page 68)
• Pleated Neckline Top (page 70)
• Cowl Neck Duffle (page 72)
• Shirred Empire Waist Dress (page 75)
• Leafy Ruffle Tunic (page 84)
• Keyhole T-Shirt (page 101)
• Swishy Sundress (page 128)
• Pebble Tee (page 138)
• Fiddlehead Dress (page 156)
• Wool Jumper (page 250)
Layout tip: Before you trace the pattern, make sure the grain, or fine ribbing, is running from the garment’s top to bottom, and the jersey’s stretch is running crosswise (shoulder to shoulder). Check twice, just to be sure.
Tip: For a more finished look, enclose the raw edges at the neckline and armholes with homemade binding (see page 19), cut either from the same color jersey or a pretty contrasting one.
This versatile design takes the two-panel garment one step further, with a center seam that allows for an even better fit and a dose of extra design. You can stitch over that central seam with contrasting thread, hand-embroider along it with a decorative stitch, or leave the edges exposed and raw. Whatever your embellishments, the vertical line right down the middle of this design ensures a garment that elongates and flatters every body type. The four-panel garment can be a shirt, tunic, or dress, sleeveless or with sleeves of any length. Here, we start with a basic dress.
Hold one end of the measuring tape at the shoulder seam of the shirt you’re wearing and step on the tape’s other end to hold it taut. Note the measurement at your desired length.
Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together and selvages aligned (the grain will run the length of the garment). Pin the pattern piece as shown on page 41, leaving space to accommodate the additional length and flare of the garment.
Use a measuring tape and chalk to mark the following design lines directly on the fabric:
—Bottom edge: Measure straight down from the shoulder seam to the desired length (this garment is unhemmed, but if you’d like a hem, add ¾″ and then mark). Draw a horizontal line marking the bottom edge, but extend it 3½″ beyond the side seam of the pattern piece to add flare to the panel.
—Side seam and neckline: Trace the pattern piece, extending the line of the side seam down at an angle to meet the marked end of the bottom edge.
what you’ll need
• Torso and sleeve pattern pieces to trace (see chapter 2, pages 29–30)
• 1½ yards of 60″-wide jersey fabric
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
Design tip: Make a four-panel shirt, tunic, or dress with or without sleeves.
projects based on the
four-panel garment
• Ruffled Dressy Dress (page 78)
• Exposed Seam Tunic (page 86)
• Swishy Sundress (page 128)
• Two-Tee Dress (page 262)
—Center seam: Trace the pattern piece, adding a ½″ seam allowance. Extend the line down to the hemline.
Remove the paper pattern and pin the fabric layers together. Cut along the marked chalk lines through both thicknesses of fabric.
Lay the cutout pieces (still pinned from cutting) on the remaining fabric, flipping them as shown so the shoulders are at the opposite end of the yardage. Trace around the cutout pieces with chalk. Pat into place to remove bunching or wrinkles—don’t stretch it.
Remove the cutout pieces and pin the fabric layers together. Cut along the marked chalk lines through both thicknesses of fabric.
With a straight stretch stitch, sew the front panels (right sides together and still pinned from cutting) together down the center with a ½″ seam.
Repeat with the remaining back panels.
With the right sides together, stitch the front and back pieces together at the shoulder seams and at the side seams (if you’re adding sleeves, cut and attach them before sewing up sides, following the instructions in the next section, Sleeves Made Simple.) Turn the garment right side out.
To cut a V or scoop neckline, refer to the instructions in chapter 2, page 31.
If you like, decoratively topstitch over the seams with a zigzag stitch. If you allowed extra length for hemming, hem the bottom edge (see double-fold hem, page 19).
Stitching tip: Stop your machine every so often to make sure the panels are still aligned.
Whether you’d like short, wrist-length, ¾-length, or cap sleeves, the process is basically the same. All you need is the sleeve pattern piece and the project fabric (see chapter 2, page 30).
Fold the fabric with the right sides together (the grain will run the length of the garment sleeve, from shoulder to the sleeve’s end). Pin the pattern piece as shown with the fold edge of the pattern along the fabric fold, leaving space to accommodate the additional length and flare of the sleeve.
Trace the pattern piece with chalk, extending or shortening the sleeve length as desired (see chapter 2, page 26 on measuring for sleeve length). To change the length, use a ruler to extend the pattern’s line (or eyeball it) to create a long sleeve from a short-sleeve pattern, and vice versa. Unpin the pattern and cut along the marked lines.
To cut the second sleeve, refold the fabric. Align the folded, cutout sleeve piece along the fabric fold (sleeve fold and fabric fold are aligned). Trace around it with chalk, and then cut along the lines through both thicknesses of the fabric. Mark the top center of each sleeve at its fold.
Cutting tip: Err on the long side because you can always trim it later.
Turn the garment wrong side out. With the right sides together, pin a sleeve in place, aligning the center mark on the sleeve with the garment shoulder seam. Add more pins, starting at the shoulder seam and proceeding along the back curve of the arm opening down to the underarm. Adjust the pieces as needed so they stay aligned, but don’t stretch them out of shape. Turn the garment over and repeat, pinning along the arm opening in front from shoulder seam to underarm.
With your machine set for a straight stretch stitch, stitch a ½″ seam from shoulder to underarm on the garment front, and then on the garment back.
Repeat with the remaining sleeve.
With edges aligned, pin the sleeve and side seams with the right sides together, making sure the seams at each underarm are aligned. With a straight stretch stitch and ½″ seam, stitch the seams, starting at each sleeve end, across the underarms (making sure the seams lie flat), and down the side seams to the garment’s bottom edge. Clip the curves within the seam allowance (see chapter 1, page 19). Hem the sleeves as desired.
Stitching tip: If you find all these pins fussy, just use one pin at the shoulder seam.
Finishing tip: Snip off excess thread pieces as you go.
The rounded hem is barely perceptible but gives the skirt a more flattering line.
Here’s a flattering A-line skirt you can whip up fast. It’s pretty on its own, but we really love it as a blank slate for embellishments of just about any kind that you can dream up. For this basic skirt design, we started with a solid cotton jersey; you can use a range of other stretch fabrics or upcycle a pair of men’s extra-large t-shirts into a skirt.
Measure yourself at your preferred low waistline, pulling the measuring tape tightly around you. Next, determine the desired length (refer to page 26). We think a jersey A-line skirt is most flattering hitting just at the knee. Remem ber, because you’re using jersey, you can leave the skirt unhemmed. If you want a hem for a more finished look, add ¾″ to your length measurement.
what you’ll need
• 1½ yards of 60″-wide cotton jersey
• Fold over elastic in a length equal to waist measurement
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
With the right sides together, fold the fabric in half so it stretches horizontally (from hip to hip). Grab your chalk and mark the following design lines:
—Waist: Draw a straight line near the top edge of the fabric that equals half your waist measurement. Mark the center of that line.
—Length: Draw a line from the center marking on the waistline to the desired length.
—Bottom edge: Draw a line marking the skirt’s bottom edge, 6″ longer (3″ on each side) than the waist (this gives the skirt panels 3″ of flare on each side of the center line). If you want more room through the hips, increase the flare.
—Side seams: Draw lines connecting each end of the waistline to each end of the bottom edge. Curve the bottom edge slightly so the hemline is ½″ shorter at the side seams than the center of the hemline. This gives the skirt a more even line.
Pin the fabric layers together and cut along the marked chalk lines through both thicknesses of the fabric.
With the front and back panels still pinned with the right sides together, use a straight stretch stitch to sew up the sides with a ½″ seam.
Sew fold over elastic along the waistband (see chapter 1, page 19).
Leave the skirt unhemmed if you didn’t add extra length when you measured and cut the fabric, or if you did add length, follow the instructions for a double-fold hem (page 19).
projects based on the
two-panel skirt
• Layered Hemline Skirt (page 88)
• Bustle Skirt (page 90)
• Reverse-Appliqué Skirt (page 188)
• Modern Stretch Velvet Skirt (page 192)
• Mod Flower Skirt (page 219)
Design tip: Keep in mind that the wider the bottom edge is, the fuller the skirt will be. For more on flare, see chapter 2, page 26.
This skirt, based on a classic wraparound design, has a breezy style all its own. It’s made with three identical panels, so the cutting portion of this project goes superfast. Since the wrap design has an adjustable waistband, you can wear it at your hip or natural waist, depending on your outfit and your mood. This design works beautifully with a cotton print or just about any other woven or knit fabric.
Measure yourself at your actual waistline for this skirt, pulling the measuring tape tightly around you. Next, measure down from your waistline to the desired length; just above or at the knee is usually most flattering.
Fold the fabric with the right sides together and the straight grain running lengthwise. Grab your chalk and mark the following design lines:
—Waist: Draw a straight line near the top edge of the fabric that equals half your waist measurement. Mark the center of that line.
—Length: Draw a line from the center of the waistline to the desired length (add 1″ if you’d like a hem along the bottom).
—Bottom edge: Draw a line marking the skirt’s bottom edge, 4″ longer (2″ on each side) than the waist (this gives the skirt panels 2″ of flare on each side of the center line).*
*Flare can vary according to personal preference. See page 26 for more information.
what you’ll need
• 2 yards of woven cotton fabric
• 6 yards of double-fold ½″-wide bias tape
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
—Side seams: Draw a line connecting the end points of the waist and bottom-edge lines.
Pin the fabric layers together and cut along the marked chalk lines through both fabric layers.
For the third panel, unfold the fabric. Lay the cutout panels on it, trace around the panels, and cut one more panel along the traced lines.
Pin two panels with the right sides together. Straight stitch them together along one side with a ½″ seam. Open the panels and lay them flat. With the right sides together, pin the third panel to the unstitched side of one of the panels so the side seams align. Stitch a ½″ seam. Press the seams.
If desired, pink the raw edges of the seams with pinking shears or finish them with a zigzag stitch. Press the seam allowances flat and, with the right side facing up, topstitch with a tricot stitch along the seams (see chapter 1, page 22).
Stitch ¾″ double-fold hems along the side edges of the panels (see chapter 1, page 19).
Finish the bottom edge of the skirt with a 1″ hem, stitched in place with a zigzag stitch.
Cut 3 yards of bias tape.
With the right side facing up and the panels spread flat, pin the bias tape to encase the waist edge so that 17″ of tape extends to the left of the first panel (the one you’d like to have as the outside panel on the skirt front) and approximately 44″ extends beyond the last panel.
projects based on the
wrap skirt
• Coloring Book Wrap Skirt (page 144)
• Rainy Day Wrap Skirt (page 221)
• Dress Shirt Wrap Skirt (page 266)
In one continuous seam, edgestitch with a narrow zigzag along the entire length of the bias tape, attaching the tape to the waistline and finishing the ties.
Following the directions for your sewing machine, sew a vertical buttonhole on the waistband at the point where the front panel meets the middle panel. The buttonhole needs to be long enough to accommodate the waist tie. Cut the buttonhole open with a seam ripper or craft knife, taking care not to cut the stitches.
Try on the skirt by threading the longer tie through the buttonhole, and tying the waist ties together. Trim the waist ties as needed and finish the ends with a narrow hem, if desired.
The term ″stretch panel″ may remind you of your great-grandma’s era, when girdles were standard undergarb, and fabric with a bit of elasticity was consider a high-tech miracle. Now that we’re writing a book that celebrates the joys of all kinds of stretchy materials, we think it’s time to give this retro term new life. We’ve used it to describe this ingenious design, which combines the fit of a knit skirt with the fun of a woven cotton print skirt.
Measure yourself at your preferred low waistline for this skirt, pulling the measuring tape tightly around you. Next, determine your desired length (see page 26).
what you’ll need
• 1 yard of 54″- or 60″-wide woven cotton fabric*
• 1 yard of 60″-wide cotton jersey fabric
• ¾″ fold over elastic (in a length equal to waist measurement)
• 1 spool of coordinating thread
*If wearer’s waist measures 30″ or less, you can use 44″-wide fabric.
Finishing tip: If you want a hem with a more finished look, add ¾″ to your length measurement. For another hem idea, see the instructions for the Linen Skirt with Wavy Hemline, page 130.
With the right sides together, fold the woven cotton fabric in half with the selvages aligned. The top edge of the skirt should be marked parallel to the cut edge (not the selvage edge) so the length of the skirt falls on the straight grain of the fabric. Grab your chalk and mark the following design lines:
—Waist: Draw a straight line near the top edge of the fabric that equals half your waist measurement. Mark the center of that line.
—Length: Mark a line from the center marking on the waistline to the desired length.
—Bottom edge: Draw a line marking the skirt’s bottom edge, 6″ longer (3″ on each side) than the waist (this gives the skirt 3″ of flare on each side of the center line).*
—Side seams: Draw a line connecting the end points of the waist and bottom-edge lines ½″ above the bottom edge.
*Flare can vary according to personal preference. See page 26 for more information.
projects based on the
stretch-panel skirt
• Linen Skirt with Wavy Hemline (page 130)
Pin the fabric layers together and cut along the chalk marked lines through both thicknesses of the fabric.
Cut two strips of jersey fabric, each 2″ wide and as long as the skirt from waist to bottom edge; make sure to cut the strips so they stretch across the width. These are stretch panels, which will be sewn to the sides of the skirt.
With the right sides together, use a straight stitch to sew a jersey strip to each side of the front cotton panel with a ½″ seam. Stitch the back cotton panel to the other sides of the jersey strips with the right sides together in the same manner, to complete the basic skirt assembly.
Press the seams open and on the right side, topstitch with a zigzag or tricot stitch over the side seams.
Sew fold over elastic to make the waistband (see chapter 1, page 19).
Narrow zigzag along the bottom edge. Add more lines of stitching for a decorative hemline, if desired.
Finishing tip: Instead of machine stitching, hand-embroider a decorative stitch along the seams, maybe with zigzags or cross-stitches.
