craftgrrl | How to (hopefully) make a shirt for your softie. (Reply)

I've had lots of requests for more on how I create (both literally and the creative process). I don't really have a very creative "creative process" but I thought I would do this mini "you might not actually want to follow this" tutorial on how I made this shirt for one of my plushies.

(This is how I make clothes but I really would recommend you take a class or read a book or learn from a professional! I'm just lucky mine turn out alright in the end.)

* * *

First draft pattern:

This is a pattern I made out of plain old regular kitchen paper / lunch wrap paper. I LOVE this stuff! I use it for everything (pattern drafting, tracing, transferring, embroidery, etc)

I measured Miles and drew this up based on those measurements, then cut it out of on-sale fabric and sewed it up to be a sleeveless shirt. I then put it on him to see how it fit.

Old pattern, new pattern:

The first mock-up was WAY too wide so while it was on his body I pinned the sides in to fit, then cut the arms to fit while it was on his body. It looks so weird because Miles has a distinct lack of shoulders, but has a pot belly.

You can see the old draft underneath the mock-up, which has become my new pattern.

Final Mock-up:

I took the shirt off Miles (naked time!) and cut down the sides to fit, then sewed it all up and added a sleeve, and put it back on him to see the fit.

It fit perfectly, so I didn't bother sewing the other sleeve on since I knew I had a pattern that worked. Now I can cut it out of my more expensive fabric! (this stuff was on sale for 1 metre for $2 - perfect for practising!)

'Drafting' the final draft:

I unpicked the final mock-up then layed it on a piece of paper and traced around it. This step is very technical so I hope you're taking notes ;)

Then I traced it using my old friend the Kitchen Paper and pinned it to my good material to cut out.

Then sew together and voila! You have yourself a shirt and a pattern to use the next time you want to dress a shoulderless, portly goat!

* * *

I hope this helps! Should be good for a giggle if nothing else.

If anyone's interested I can make a proper version of the pattern I made (instead of just a photo of it!), although I suspect it'd only look good on shoulderless portly softies!

And can I please encourage you to go out and read how to make patterns properly, or even take a class! I take no responsibility for any misshapen, hideous crimes against fashion made whilst following my mini "no really, you probably don't want to follow this" tutorial.