Taking measurements
Everything starts with the body. Wear light clothes and stand straight. Use a flexible tape. Measure round the body: chest, waist and hip. Measure lengths: shoulder width, sleeve, and garment length. Keep the tape flat and snug, not tight. Write each number down with the date, in cm.
Tip: measure twice. A 2 cm mistake can ruin a garment.
Pattern basics
A pattern is a paper copy of each piece of the garment. A shirt pattern has a front, a back, a sleeve and a collar. The measurements decide the size of each piece. A pattern shows: the outline, the grain line (the arrow showing the direction of the threads), notches (small marks to match pieces) and the seam allowance, about 1.5 cm of extra cloth outside the stitching line. You can buy ready patterns or draw your own from your own measurements.
Design and choice of materials
Decide what the garment is for: school, sports, party or sleep. Then choose the design (shape, colour, details) and the fabric. Cotton is cool and soft for hot weather. Denim is strong for work. Knit fabric stretches, good for T-shirts and sportswear. Thin fabric needs a simple design. Buy a little extra cloth. Wash the fabric before cutting if it may shrink.
Cutting
Fold the cloth and lay the pattern pieces on it. Keep the grain line parallel to the edge of the cloth. Pin the pattern down. Cut with sharp scissors along the line, using long, smooth cuts. Move the cloth, not yourself. Transfer the marks (notches and dots). Do not cut in a hurry: a wrong cut cannot be mended.
Basting and fitting
Basting means joining pieces with long, loose, temporary stitches that are easy to remove. Then try the garment on. Check: Is it tight at the chest? Does the hem hang evenly? Do the shoulder seams sit at the shoulder? If something is wrong, mark it with chalk and fix it. This step is called fitting and correction. It is cheaper to correct basting than finished seams.
Sewing
Sew along the seam line with a machine or by hand. Use thread that matches the cloth. Keep the stitches small and straight, and sew a few stitches back at the start and end to lock them. Take out the basting stitches. Choose a seam that suits the cloth (see Joining fabrics).
Finishing
Finishing makes the garment neat and long-lasting. Press every seam with an iron. Finish raw edges so they do not fray (zigzag, overlock or fold in). Trim loose threads. Hem the bottom edge and sleeves. Add buttons, zips or other fastenings. Last of all give a final press.
Dressing
Wear the finished garment and judge it: Does it fit well and feel comfortable? Can you move freely? Is the neck flat and the buttons straight? If it is not right, note what to change for next time. More about wearing clothes well is in Dressing.
Try it
Make a small cloth bag by hand. Measure a rectangle, mark 1.5 cm allowance, cut two pieces, baste along three edges, check, then sew and press. You will have gone through the same steps as a shirt.
Key formulas and definitions
- Order: Measure → Pattern → Design/material → Cut → Baste/fit → Sew → Finish → Dress
- Cutting size of a piece = pattern size + seam allowance (about 1.5 cm each side)
- Fabric width and length must cover all pattern pieces laid along the grain
Worked examples
1. A pattern piece is 40 cm wide. How wide should the cut cloth piece be with 1.5 cm seam allowance on both sides?
40 + 1.5 + 1.5 = 43 cm.
2. Put these in order: sewing, cutting, taking measurements, finishing, basting and fitting.
Taking measurements, cutting, basting and fitting, sewing, finishing.
3. While fitting you find the shirt is tight across the chest. When is the cheapest time to correct it?
At the basting stage. The loose stitches are easy to remove and re-sew. After the final sewing and cutting, correction costs more time and cloth.
4. A T-shirt must stretch with movement. Which fabric from cotton woven, denim, knit is best and why?
Knit. Its loops stretch and return, so it moves with the body.
Common mistakes
- Cutting before checking measurements or pattern. A cut cannot be undone.
- Forgetting seam allowance, so the finished garment is too small.
- Skipping fitting and going straight to firm sewing.
- Ignoring the grain line, so the garment twists after washing.