Free T-shirt Pattern for Girls (sz 3 to 14)

Looking for a free easy girl’s top you can print at home and sew for your lil missy? I’m excited to share my latest pattern with you today, a free T-Shirt Pattern for girls in sizes 3 to 14!

(*updated 3/18 to add size 14 to the pattern.)

Free Girl’s T-Shirt Pattern, size 3 to 14

I’ve been working on this free t-shirt pattern off and on for several months. (Started in the fall.) I would get motivated work on it for a day; then put it aside for more exciting projects.  Of course, I would forget everything I’d done and would have to start again.

I tested so many variations and fits when creating this free t-shirt pattern: shirt width, length, armhole depth, gathered sleeves/not gathered sleeves, but I’ve finally I’ve settled on what I think is just right for a girl:  Not too slim, but not too wide and the t-shirt has a slightly longer length that will hopefully keep their little bellies covered when they raise their hands.

This Basic T-shirt Pattern Includes:

Currently, the pattern includes a long sleeve version, short sleeve, and 3/4 length cut lines. I plan to add a flutter-style short sleeve as well.   I’ll create a new post for the flutter sleeve top, so keep your eye out for the update!  **update**: I released the flutter sleeve top as a separate pattern here:  Flutter Sleeve T-Shirt Pattern.

The pattern is a blank slate, perfect for customizing any which way you like.

Want a dress version of this pattern? Check out my Perfect T-Shirt Dress Pattern here.

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We’ve been baby-chicken-sitting for some friends.  Oh my goodness, these little chicks are just too cute!  I have a hard time keeping their names straight.  I think we were playing with Teeny and Fluffy in these pictures.  (We have two more named Buck and Brownie.)  We’ll be so sad to send them back to their forever home.

To Make a T-Shirt with this Free T-Shirt Pattern, You Need:

• Pattern
• Up to 3/4 yard stretch knit fabric
• Ribbed binding (usually has 50 to 70% stretch) or other stretchy knit for the neckline (you don’t want to use anything with less than 30% stretch-see notes under pattern tips and tricks)
• Ballpoint/jersey needle
• spray starch/iron
• basic sewing supplies

Girl’s T-Shirt Pattern Information

• Enter your name and email to download the pattern. Save it to your PC, open the pdf document in adobe acrobat. Don’t print from google’s online version of adobe. (It will sometimes cause the pattern to print too small.)
• Seam allowance is 3/8 inch with a 1/2 inch bottom and sleeve hem.

T-Shirt Binding Tips

• The pattern for the neck binding is designed for a ribbed knit with 50 to 75% stretch with good recovery (Fabric Fairy has a lot of good quality ribbed knit choices.) If using a binding fabric with less stretch, you have two choices: 1. Measure the neckline and cut a fabric strip 15% less than the measurement (multiply the neck measurement by .85) and follow the instructions in step 4. (This is the “in the round” method– and it never hurts to do the finger stretch test before sewing…)  2nd choice: The “flat” method– Sew only one shoulder closed, fold binding in half and attach the binding from one end of the neckline to the other.  Trim excess binding and sew the other shoulder closed.  (The only downside to this method is the seam will be on the side and slightly bulkier.)  (Similar to what is done in this tutorial.)

Tips for Sewing with Knits:

• Use a ballpoint/stretch needle
• Sew seams with either a serger, stretch stitch,  narrow zig zag  or a straight stitch with a longer stitch length and a slightly loosened tension. (Make a couple of practice stitches on your fabric to see what works best.) I also like to use this “lightning bolt” stretch stitch on seams that need strength but a little give. (For my project I used a combination of straight stitch and serger for seams and zig zag on the hems.)
• Use spray starch when pressing hems.  Sew hems with a zig zag, twin ball point needle, narrow zig zag with a long stitch length or a straight stitch with a long stitch length and a slightly loosened tension or leave raw. (also helps to use a walking foot.)
• If you find your fabric keeps getting pulled inside the needle plate, place a small piece of tissue underneath the fabric so the feed dogs have something to grip.

T-Shirt Pattern Fit Information

• Size 3:   Height-  38.5 inches,  Weight-  32 lbs, Finished length: 16.     Finished chest:  23.125 inches
• Size 4:   Height-  41.5 inches,  Weight-  36 lbs,  Finished length: 16.85. Finished chest:  23.75
• Size 5:   Height-  44.5 inches,  Weight-  42 lbs, Finished length: 17.75.   Finished chest: 24.375
• Size 6:   Height-  46.5 inches,  Weight- 48 lbs, Finished length: 18.25.   Finished chest: 25.75
• Size 7:   Height-  51 inches,    Weight- 60 lbs, Finished length: 19.     Finished chest: 27.25
• Size 8:   Height-  53 inches,    Weight- 66 lbs, Finished length: 19.75.   Finished chest: 28.5
• Size 10: Height-  55 inches,    Weight- 74 lbs, Finished length: 20.75.   Finished chest: 29.5
• Size 12: Height-  57.5 inches,  Weight- 84 lbs, Finished length: 22.125.   Finished chest: 30.75
• Size 14: Height-  60 inches,    Weight- 96 lbs, Finished length: 23.75.   Finished chest: 32.375

Products used and recommended:

1. My favorite fabric shop for knits:  Funkalicious Fabrics, Fabric.com and Girl Charlee.
2. My Sewing Machine: SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist, my coverstitch: Janome Cover Pro 1000cpx
3. My Serger: Brother 1034D 3 or 4 Thread Serger or you can just use Pinking Shears
4. Rotary Cutter
5. I love my large ruler and large cutting mat, but you may prefer to start of with a smaller Cutting set
6. Dritz Dual Purpose Marking Pen and Fray Check
7. Ball Point needles
8. Singer walking foot or universal walking foot
9. Wonder clips (I didn’t use these in the post, but they are just awesome!

Ready to Sew this T-Shirt?  

Download the pattern here. Get the sewing instructions here.

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