A New Top For Me, Plus Tips on How to Make a Pattern From a Shirt
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Have you ever wanted to learn how to make a pattern from a shirt already in your closet? It is actually very easy and today I have a few tips on how to draft a pattern from a t-shirt!
I’ve had this t-shirt/top project on the back burner for a while.
I have been wanting to try to make a pattern from one of my favorite tops but kept putting it off. (I even have a nice little collection of solid knits just for me.)
I don’t have any problem making patterns up for my daughter. (She would look cute in a paper bag.) Fitting me is a bit more challenging and I dislike wasting time, effort, and fabric on creating something for myself and then it not be flattering.
The Made by Rae Spring Top Challenge finally motivated me to get going on a top for myself. I originally wanted to make this top from the Burda website, but something is wrong with their site and I couldn’t get through the checkout process. (I will make that top someday, it is just too cute!)
Since I couldn’t make the Burda top, I decided to bite the bullet and make a pattern for myself.
I slightly regret my fabric choice because this fabric tends to pucker along the stripes after washing and I am not much for ironing.
I bought several yards of this in 3 colors when it was on sale at Fabric.com. (Who knew the fabric would pucker like that, it looked so pretty online. Fabric.com should add a customer review section on the fabrics to help customers know what they are getting.)
I decided to test the project on this fabric since I would be upset if I had used one of the knits I have been saving and the project didn’t turn out. (Murphy’s Law states that If I had used one of my more expensive fabrics, this project would have certainly been a disaster…)
I think it came out really cute, and I predict several variations of this shirt in my future. This fabric curls at the cut edge like crazy (even with a hem.) so I decided to add binding to the neck, sleeves and bottom to finish the edges.
Want to try making your own pattern?
Tips to drafting a pattern from a favorite top:
1. Start with something simple, the shirt I chose to base my pattern off of did not have a separate sleeve to trace. It was just two pattern pieces. One for the front and one for the back. (To make it even easier, I only made one pattern piece from the back and then cut my front neckline directly onto the fabric.)
2. Trace the entire top onto a piece of paper. (The only paper I had that was large enough was gift wrapping paper.)
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| Hard to see, I know. But you get the idea… |
3. When you are ready to cut the pattern out, find the middle point of the pattern and fold it in half. Then cut the pattern out from one side. This will ensure your pattern is symmetrical.
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| You can see where I drew in my seam allowances… |
Oh, and I added a little bonus feature to this top as well.
A matching dress for my daughter!
It may be cheesy, but guess what? I’m cheesy and I am taking full advantage of my daughter not knowing any better and cheesing her out as well!
I made her dress using my tiered pillowcase tutorial. Instead of making tiers, I just used my same bodice pattern and drew out a full A-line skirt onto the fabric. I also made the tie slightly wider. (The same width as my tie.)
(By the way, I took these pictures myself. I used my new wireless remote and tripod. These two items are essential for self-portraits!)
More matchy/matchy outfit ideas:
- Mother-Daughter swim cover-ups
- Mother-daughter Raglan Tunics (Women’s / Children)
- Mother-daughter pillowcase style dresses (Women’s / Children)
- Adding cowls to raglan tops (Women’s / Children)
- Brother/sister matching outfits
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