How to Make a Jersey T-Shirt - No Paper Pattern Required!
Project Level: Easy
About Fabric Love
Established in 2015, we are a small, independent fabric shop in Colchester, Essex, UK dedicated to providing our customers with great quality, affordable fabrics along with fabulous customer service and super fast delivery!
With a combined wealth of over 50 years sewing experience between us, we have a real passion for what we do and enjoy sharing our love of sewing and crafting with our lovely customers!
About Fabric Love
Established in 2015, we are a small, independent fabric shop in Colchester, Essex, UK dedicated to providing our customers with great quality, affordable fabrics along with fabulous customer service and super fast delivery!
With a combined wealth of over 50 years sewing experience between us, we have a real passion for what we do and enjoy sharing our love of sewing and crafting with our lovely customers!
About Fabric Love
Established in 2015, we are a small, independent fabric shop in Colchester, Essex, UK dedicated to providing our customers with great quality, affordable fabrics along with fabulous customer service and super fast delivery!
With a combined wealth of over 50 years sewing experience between us, we have a real passion for what we do and enjoy sharing our love of sewing and crafting with our lovely customers!
In a family home surrounded by various fabrics and sewing paraphernalia I finally have a child that wants to sew!! Can you imagine the stratospheric level of my excitement?!
Victoria, affectionately known by her siblings as no.6, wanted to make a T-shirt, quite a challenge for a first time sewer. Then, following a conversation about sewing in straight lines, Victoria started her sewing journey by making a cotton cushion cover (four straight lines). Simple.
Next. THE T-SHIRT.
We didn't use a traditional paper pattern or a downloaded PDF, instead we cut around a much loved and worn to death T-shirt. Wow. It was easy, I was slightly apprehensive as some stretch fabrics are difficult to sew but Victoria practiced on Jersey offcuts, used lots of pins to hold the fabric together, took her time and let the sewing machine do the work for her.
Whats that? "I haven't got an overlocker."
MYTH BUSTER: You don't need one. Modern sewing machines have a variety of pre-programmed stitches that allow you to sew with Jersey. Pictures below.
You Will Need
- Single Jersey Fabric
- A much loved T-Shirt
- Sewing machine
- Iron & an ironing board
- Sharp scissors, pins, corresponding coloured thread
About Fabric Love
Established in 2015, we are a small, independent fabric shop in Colchester, Essex, UK dedicated to providing our customers with great quality, affordable fabrics along with fabulous customer service and super fast delivery!
With a combined wealth of over 50 years sewing experience between us, we have a real passion for what we do and enjoy sharing our love of sewing and crafting with our lovely customers!
About Fabric Love
Established in 2015, we are a small, independent fabric shop in Colchester, Essex, UK dedicated to providing our customers with great quality, affordable fabrics along with fabulous customer service and super fast delivery!
With a combined wealth of over 50 years sewing experience between us, we have a real passion for what we do and enjoy sharing our love of sewing and crafting with our lovely customers!
Recommended Fabrics & Notions
Instructions
Step 1.
Choose a light weight Jersey Fabric, this sounds easy but very difficult when you have so much to choose from at Fabric Love!
Ensuring your fabric is folded right side to right side or wrong side to wrong side, lay the T-Shirt on it and cut around the whole garment, leaving a 1cm seam allowance. This will give you two pieces the same size.
Fold your original T-Shirt in half with one piece of Jersey and use this to cut the front neck.
Step 2.
Pin the two pieces together along the sides and shoulders, one pin every two centimetres of fabric. Stitch and press the seams open.
We used stitch no. 10 on a modern sewing machine.
The sleeves are already attached so there is no need to fit a sleeve or worry about pattern matching. You're welcome.
Step 3.
Double turn a hem on the sleeve and the bottom on the T-Shirt, straight stitch. Press firmly.
As there are no raw edges on the hems you don't need fancy stitches.
Step 4.
Measure around the neckline following the curve and add 2cms. This excess allows for extra curve and who wants to sew to the end on the neck and realise that there isn't quite enough fabric to make a neat join?
With the right side down, fold the long edges in and press. Bias binding with Jersey!
Step 5.
Start at one shoulder and pin the Jersey to the neckline following the curve. It helps if you place your pins vertically rather than horizontally.
There should be no raw edges on the outside of the neckline.
Using straight stitch, slowly sew around the neckline. Take it easy and don't rush. You've come this far!
When you come close to the raw end tuck it under itself and join at the shoulder.
Step 6.
Press firmly.
Wear your T-Shirt with Pride and if anyone asks, shout loudly from the rooftops "I made this!"
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