Sew a simple shirt - PEP BB textile.straw.sew.t-shirt

Sep 15, 2021 17:52:33

This badge bit (BB) is part of the PEP curriculum. Completing this BB is part of getting the straw badge in textiles.

In this project, you will make and sew a simple, pullover style shirt. This could be a T-shirt--made usually from knit fabric--and can be long or short sleeves. You could also make a shirt from woven material, such as the 17-18th Century "pirate" shirt (these are usually made from woven materials and are simple patterns that are easy to sew and waste little fabric) or a shift or nightshirt. The main thing is, that this is a simple shirt that can be pulled over your head and allows you to move easily and comfortably in the garment.

You can find complete instructions at the following website for making a T-shirt:
- How to Make Your Own T Shirt

For making a traditional pull-over "pirate" shirt from woven materials and a simple pattern with little material waste, you can find instructions here:

Shirt based on rectangles

For making a shift or nightshirt or simple nightgown:

Minimum requirements:
- sew a shirt from natural fabric, such as cotton, linen, or wool. It can be a knit (and therefore stretchy) fabric, or a woven one.

To document completion of the BB, provide proof of the following as pics or video (< 2min):
- The fabric and tools you will use for your shirt
- Sewing the shirt
- Wearing the finished shirt, made to fit

gir bot · Feb 06, 2023 18:51:57

I was given some Cotton fabric which I made into a "pirate shirt". For in-depth details, start with this post and follow down to the finished shirt:
https://permies.com/t/154258/sewing/fiber-arts/Clothing-patterns-based-rectangles#1217024

This picture shows the silk thread I used, along with a needle and some pins which was it except for scissors and an iron. This was all done by hand stitching.

This picture shows the beginning fabric with me pulling a thread to get the rectangles neatly cut:

There are lots more "in process" pictures in the thread above, but here is the finished product:

gir bot · Feb 06, 2023 19:41:00

I followed the same pattern as Jay did to make a pirate shirt for my husband. I love how the same pattern gives such different results with different fabric!

I used one of my grandpa's old sheets to make the shirt, and used white cotton thread to sew it.

gir bot · Mar 13, 2025 17:52:38

I used a wool knit for this project. It's super thin, so I thought it would be great as an undershirt. I took apart some athletic wear I already had to make a pattern. It had a mesh stripe up the side/underarm for sweat wicking. I used a cotton strip to copycat that. I also love the thumb hole in the sleeves, which go clear down to the knuckles. That's awesome when I'm running and wearing gloves.

Once I cut the pieces out, I dyed them with Sumac. The wool took on more color than the cotton. It's slightly pink, while the wool is a grayish purple.

I wanted to copy the industrial stretch type seams used in the original garment. That was only difficult under the arms. It leaves a slightly un-finished look to the shirt, but since its a base layer, it won't bother me. I finished the shirt. It fits pretty well.

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