Made-to-measure sewing pattern
T-shirt and top sewing pattern, drafted to your measurements
Make a knit T-shirt or a woven top in a fit from fitted to oversized, with a crew, scoop, V, boat or square neckline and sleeves from sleeveless to long. Knit tees get a neckband; woven tops get facings and an opening wide enough to pull over your head.
- Level
- Confident beginner
- Sewing time
- 2–3 hours
- Pieces
- 4
- Fabric
- 1.10 m × 150 cm
Styles and options
Make the top your way
Each style changes how the pieces are drafted. Pick one to open it in the studio, then set your size.
Fabric requirements
How much fabric do I need for a top?
Main fabric to buy for the crew short-sleeve tee, worked out from the actual cutting layout for each standard size. Amounts are rounded up; the studio recalculates them for your measurements and design.
| Size | Bust / chest (cm) | 150 cm wide fabric | 110 cm wide fabric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's | |||
| XS | 80 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.70 m · 1 7/8 yd |
| S | 86 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd |
| M | 92 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.30 m · 1 1/2 yd |
| L | 100 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.50 m · 1 3/4 yd |
| XL | 108 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.50 m · 1 3/4 yd |
| 2XL | 118 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.70 m · 1 7/8 yd |
| 3XL | 128 | 1.30 m · 1 1/2 yd | 1.90 m · 2 1/8 yd |
| Men's | |||
| S | 92 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.30 m · 1 1/2 yd |
| M | 100 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.50 m · 1 3/4 yd |
| L | 108 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.60 m · 1 3/4 yd |
| XL | 116 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.60 m · 1 3/4 yd |
| 2XL | 124 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.90 m · 2 1/8 yd |
| 3XL | 132 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 2.00 m · 2 1/4 yd |
| Kids' | |||
| Age 2 | 53 | 0.70 m · 7/8 yd | 0.80 m · 7/8 yd |
| Age 4 | 56 | 0.80 m · 7/8 yd | 0.90 m · 1 yd |
| Age 6 | 60 | 0.80 m · 7/8 yd | 0.80 m · 7/8 yd |
| Age 8 | 64 | 0.90 m · 1 yd | 0.90 m · 1 yd |
| Age 10 | 69 | 1.00 m · 1 1/8 yd | 0.90 m · 1 yd |
| Age 12 | 75 | 1.00 m · 1 1/8 yd | 1.00 m · 1 1/8 yd |
| Age 14 | 81 | 1.10 m · 1 1/4 yd | 1.50 m · 1 3/4 yd |
Suggested fabrics
- Cotton jersey (5% spandex)
- Bamboo or modal jersey
- Rib knit
- Merino jersey
Also needed (size M)
- All-purpose polyester thread1 spool, matching colour
- Ballpoint / stretch machine needle1
- Clear elastic or stay tape (shoulders)40 cm
What's in the pattern
Pieces, measurements and step-by-step instructions
Everything that comes with the crew short-sleeve tee: 4 pattern pieces, the finished measurements and the full sewing order.
Pattern pieces
- AFrontCut 1 on fold
- BBackCut 1 on fold
- CSleeveCut 2 (1 mirrored pair)
- DNeckbandCut 1
Finished measurements (size M)
- Finished bust/chest98 cm(6 cm ease)
- Sleeve length (from shoulder)17.7 cm
Sewing instructions
Prepare6 steps
- 01
Pre-wash your fabric
Wash and dry the fabric the way you will launder the finished project, then press it flat. This removes shrinkage before you cut.
- 02
Print and check scale
Print the pattern at 100% ("actual size", no scaling). Measure the test square: it must be exactly 10 cm (the small square is 1 inch). Trim and tape the pages following the page grid.
- 03
Lay out and cut
Fold both selvages in to meet at the centre, right sides together, so there is a fold on each side. Follow the cutting layout: keep every grainline parallel to the selvage, and put pieces marked "place on fold" right against a fold. Cut lining and interfacing pieces as shown in their own layouts.
- 04
Transfer the markings
Snip 3 mm into the seam allowance at each notch. Mark dart legs, dart points and other placement marks with chalk or a washable marker on the wrong side.
- 05
Seam allowances
Seam allowance is 1 cm unless the piece says otherwise. Hem allowances are already included on hem edges. Sew with right sides together (RST).
- 06
Set up for knits
Use a ballpoint or stretch needle and a stretch stitch (narrow zigzag about 0.5 mm wide × 2.5 mm long) or a serger. Do not stretch the fabric while sewing unless told to.
Sew7 steps
- 01
Sew the shoulders
Join A (Front) to B (Back) at the shoulders, right sides together. Stitch a strip of clear elastic or stay tape into the seam so it does not stretch out. Finish the seam allowances together and press them towards the back.
- 02
Prepare the neckband
Sew the short ends of D (Neckband) right sides together and finger-press the seam open. Fold it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Mark it into quarters using the notches (the seam is the centre back).
- 03
Attach the neckband
Mark the neckline into quarters (centre back, centre front, and the two halfway points). Pin the band to the right side of the neckline with raw edges together, matching the quarter marks. Stitch with the neckline on the bottom, stretching only the band to fit between pins. Press the seam towards the body and topstitch 6 mm from the seam if you like.
- 04
Set in the sleeves
Pin each C (Sleeve) into its armhole right sides together: the shoulder notch to the shoulder seam, the single notch to the front, the double notch to the back. Sew with the sleeve on the bottom, gently easing it in. Finish the seam allowances together.
- 05
Sew the side seams
Pin front to back along the side seams and the sleeve underarm seams, matching the underarm points, and sew in one continuous seam. Finish and press towards the back.
- 06
Hem the sleeves
Press up 2 cm on each sleeve. Stitch with a twin needle or zigzag.
- 07
Hem
Press up 2 cm at the lower edge. Stitch with a twin needle or zigzag so the hem can stretch.
Finish2 steps
- 01
Final press
Press every seam from the inside with steam, then give the outside a light press using a pressing cloth.
- 02
Check the fit
Try it on (or test it) and make small adjustments now. Note any changes on your pattern for next time.
These are the instructions for the design shown. The studio rewrites them for the options you choose.
Questions
About the top pattern
Should I sew my T-shirt in knit or woven fabric?
A classic T-shirt is sewn in a stretch knit such as cotton jersey, and finished with a neckband. Choose woven if you want a crisper top in linen or cotton: the pattern adds ease, neck facings and, where needed, a back opening so it still goes over your head.
Will the neckline fit over my head?
Yes. Every pullover neckline is checked against your head size. Boat necks are cut wide enough to clear it, other faced necklines get a back keyhole long enough, and knit neckbands open up enough for a child’s larger head.
How much fabric do I need for a top?
For the crew short-sleeve tee in women's size M, buy 1.10 m (1 1/4 yd) of 150 cm wide fabric, or 1.30 m (1 1/2 yd) of 110 cm wide fabric. The chart on this page lists every size, and the studio recalculates it for your own measurements, design and fabric width.
What fabric is best for a top?
Good choices for the crew short-sleeve tee are cotton jersey (5% spandex), bamboo or modal jersey, rib knit and merino jersey. The studio updates the suggestions when you change the design, for example between knit and woven.
How long does it take to sew a top?
The crew short-sleeve tee is rated Confident beginner and takes about 2–3 hours, not counting printing and cutting. The pattern comes with step-by-step instructions written for its pieces.
Describe the top you have in mind
Write it the way you would say it. Sewing Pattern AI drafts it in your size.