Chapter 5

The T-shirt

The T-shirt is the best first draft: a back, a front and a sleeve, no darts, and every basic idea of drafting in one small pattern.

You draw a frame as wide as a quarter of the finished chest and as long as the shirt, mark the chest line and the waist, then shape the neckline, the shoulder and the armhole. The front is the back with a deeper neck. The sleeve is drafted to fit the armhole you have just drawn.

What you need

Drafting, step by step

Each picture shows everything drawn so far; the new line of the step is in colour. The formulas show the names of the measurements first, then the numbers for size 50.

1. Back

   Step 1

   Nape point and centre back

   start of the draft

   Everything on the back is measured from the nape, the bone at the base of the neck. The line straight down from it is the centre back, where the back is cut on the fold.

2. Step 1–2

   Armhole depth

   Scye depth + armhole drop

   = 22.0 + 2.5 = 24.5 cm

   The chest line sits as low as the armpit, measured on the body from the nape. The armhole drop lowers it further so the arm can move; a jersey T-shirt needs little, a hoodie or a coat more.

3. Step 1–3

   Waist line

   Nape to waist = 45.0

   Nape to waist places the waist line, so the shaping and the length fall in the right place on the body.

4. Step 1–4

   Length

   Nape to waist + length below waist

   = 45.0 + 26.0 = 71.0 cm

   The length is set from the waist line, so a longer back length moves the hem down with it and the proportions stay the same.

5. Step 2–5

   Back width at the chest

   (Chest + chest ease) ÷ 4 + 0.5

   = (100.0 + 10.0) ÷ 4 + 0.5 = 28.0 cm

   A quarter of the finished chest goes to each half piece, because the back and the front are each cut double. Ease is the room over the body. The back gets a little more than the front, so the side seam sits a little forward.

6. Step 1–6

   Back neck

   Neck ÷ 6 + 0.8 + neck widening

   = 39.4 ÷ 6 + 0.8 + 1.0 = 8.4 cm

   The neck point sits about a sixth of the neck girth from the centre. It is raised above the nape because the back neck curves up over the top of the shoulders; the curve meets the centre back square so the neckline has no point.

7. Step 6–7

   Back shoulder

   Shoulder length + shoulder extension

   = 15.0 + 1.0 = 16.0 cm

   Shoulders slope down from the neck, so the line is drawn at an angle and the shoulder length is measured along it. Extending the shoulder drops the seam onto the arm for a relaxed fit.

8. Step 8

   Across back

   Across back ÷ 2 + chest ease × 0.06

   = 38.4 ÷ 2 + 10.0 × 0.06 = 21.7 cm

   Across back is measured over the shoulder blades. The armhole curves in to this point; if it is narrower than the body the back pulls when you reach forward.

9. Step 7–8–5

   Back armhole

   measured along the curve = 25.3

   The armhole leaves the shoulder square to the shoulder seam, so the two halves meet in a smooth curve, then runs through the across-back point and scoops round to the side at the chest line.

10. Step 5–4

    Side seam

    straight from the underarm: 46.5 cm

    A straight side seam keeps the body loose; the width comes only from the chest ease.

11. Step 11

    Outline of the back

    The construction points are joined into the sewing lines of the back. Seam allowance is added round them when you print.

12. Front

    Step 1

    Front depth lines

    carried over from the back: 24.5 cm

    The front is drafted on the same chest, waist and hem lines as the back, so the side seams come out the same length and match when sewn.

13. Step 2–5

    Front width at the chest

    (Chest + chest ease) ÷ 4 − 0.5

    = (100.0 + 10.0) ÷ 4 − 0.5 = 27.0 cm

    The other quarter of the finished chest. Back and front together make half the garment.

14. Step 6–9

    Front neck

    Neck ÷ 6 + 0.8 + neck widening + 1 + front neck drop

    = 39.4 ÷ 6 + 0.8 + 1.0 + 1 + 2.0 = 11.4 cm

    The neck point is the same as on the back so the shoulders match. The front neck is much deeper because the neck leans forward out of the body; the front neck drop setting lowers it more.

15. Step 6–7

    Front shoulder

    Shoulder length + shoulder extension

    = 15.0 + 1.0 = 16.0 cm

    The front shoulder is steeper than the back, which keeps the shoulder seam on top of the shoulder.

16. Step 8

    Across chest

    Across chest ÷ 2 + chest ease × 0.05

    = 37.0 ÷ 2 + 10.0 × 0.05 = 20.9 cm

    Across chest is measured above the bust or chest muscle. The front armhole curves deeper in than the back because the arms move forward.

17. Step 7–8–5

    Front armhole

    measured along the curve = 24.9

    The front armhole is more hollow than the back, so the arm can swing forward without pulling across the chest.

18. Step 5–4

    Side seam

    same shape as the back: 46.5 cm

    The front side seam repeats the back so the two can be sewn together without easing.

19. Step 19

    Outline of the front

    The front sewing lines. The neckline and armhole are finished with a band or facing, the hem is turned up by the hem allowance.

20. Sleeve

    Step 1–2

    Cap height

    armhole back + front × cap ratio

    = 50.2 × 0.160 = 8.0 cm

    The cap height is a share of the armhole length. A low cap makes a wide sleeve the arm can lift in, as in jersey and sportswear; a high cap makes a narrow sleeve that hangs smoothly, as in tailoring.

21. Step 3–4

    Sleeve width

    cap curve = armhole + cap ease

    50.2 = 50.2 + 0.0

    The width is not set directly: it is found so that the cap curve comes out exactly as long as the armhole plus the cap ease. Then the sleeve sews into the body without puckers, and the ease is worked into the top of the shoulder.

22. Step 3–1–4

    Sleeve cap

    front half flatter, back half fuller: 50.2 cm

    The cap rises from the underarm points to the top. The back half is fuller because the back of the arm is rounder; the notches match the notches on the armholes.

23. Step 1–5

    Sleeve length

    sleeve length = 22.0

    Sleeve length is measured from the top of the cap along the arm. A dropped shoulder shortens it by the same amount, because the shoulder already reaches down the arm.

24. Step 6–7

    Hem and underarm seams

    hem width = 36.0

    The hem width is set out either side of the centre line and joined to the underarm points. The sleeve narrows from the bicep to the wrist like the arm.

25. Step 25

    Outline of the sleeve

    The sleeve sewing lines. Match the single notch to the front armhole and the double notch to the back.

The finished pieces

Sewing it

1. Cut and mark. Cut every piece with the grain arrow parallel to the selvedge. Transfer the notches and the marks with tailor's chalk or a short snip into the seam allowance.
2. Set up for stretch. Use a ballpoint or stretch needle and a narrow zigzag or the stretch stitch, or an overlocker. Seams in knit must stretch with the fabric.
3. Shoulders. Sew the shoulder seams; stabilise them with clear elastic or a strip of tape so they do not stretch.
4. Neckband. Join the band into a ring, fold it in half and sew it to the neckline in quarters, stretching the band slightly.
5. Sleeves. Sew the sleeves into the open armholes flat, stretching nothing.
6. Side seams. Sew the side seams and the sleeve underarm seams in one line, from the hem to the sleeve end.
7. Hem. Turn up and stitch the hems with a twin needle or a coverstitch.