To sew a T-shirt that fits, start from your bust or chest measurement plus the ease you want, about 5 cm (2 in) for a regular fit in jersey. Use a cotton jersey with a little elastane, sew the shoulders, attach a neckband cut at about 85 % of the neckline length, set the sleeves in flat, close each side and sleeve in one seam, and hem with a twin needle or a zigzag. A regular sewing machine is enough; you do not need a serger.
Which fabric should you use for a first T-shirt?
Cotton jersey with 5 % elastane is the friendliest choice: it is stable under the presser foot, curls less at the cut edges and springs back after stretching. Look for a medium weight of about 160–220 gsm. Thin viscose jersey drapes beautifully but slides and stretches as you sew; keep it for your third or fourth tee. The post on jersey for beginners compares the options.
Check the stretch across the width: fold the fabric, mark 10 cm (4 in), and stretch it gently. If it reaches 13 cm (5 1/8 in) or more and recovers, it has at least 30 % stretch, which is plenty for a T-shirt and its neckband.
For a short-sleeved, hip-length tee, plan on 1–1.5 m (1 1/8–1 5/8 yd) of 150 cm (60 in) wide jersey depending on your size; long sleeves add about 30–50 cm (12–20 in).
How much ease should a T-shirt have?
Ease is the difference between your body and the garment. In knits it can even be negative: the fabric stretches to fit.
| Fit | Ease at the bust or chest | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Fitted | −2 cm (−3/4 in) | Close to the body; needs fabric with elastane |
| Regular | +5 cm (2 in) | A classic tee |
| Relaxed | +12 cm (4 3/4 in) | Loose, skims the body |
| Oversized | +24 cm (9 1/2 in) | Boxy, with the shoulder dropped about 6 cm (2 3/8 in) |
To choose, lay a tee you like flat, measure across the chest a little below the armholes and double it. Compare that with your bust or chest measurement: the difference is the ease you like.
How long should a T-shirt neckband be?
A neckband must be shorter than the neckline so it pulls the edge in and lies flat against the body. In cotton-elastane jersey, 85 % of the neckline seam length works well. A neckline of 50 cm (19 3/4 in) takes a band of 42.5 cm (16 3/4 in), plus seam allowances at the short ends to join it into a loop.
- Stretchy rib knit: 75–80 %.
- Cotton-elastane jersey: about 85 %.
- Jersey with poor recovery: 85–90 %, or switch to rib.
The band is folded in half lengthwise; a finished width of about 1.8 cm (3/4 in) is classic. For a V-neck, a binding at about 92 % of the neckline is easier than a mitered band.
To attach it, sew the short ends into a loop, fold it in half, and divide both the band and the neckline into quarters with pins. Match the band seam to the center back, pin at the quarters, and sew with the band on top, stretching the band (never the neckline) to fit between the pins.
How do you sew a T-shirt on a regular sewing machine?
Use a ballpoint or stretch needle, size 75/11 or 80/12; a universal needle often skips stitches in jersey. Sew with a narrow zigzag, about 1–1.5 mm wide and 2.5 mm long, or your machine's stretch stitch. A straight stitch snaps when the seam stretches. If your machine lets you reduce the presser foot pressure, do it; a walking foot helps too. The seam allowance on knits is 1 cm (3/8 in). The guide to sewing knits covers settings by fabric.
In what order do you sew a T-shirt?
- Prewash and cut. Lay the jersey flat on a table, never hanging off the edge where it stretches. The grainline follows the lengthwise ribs of the knit.
- Shoulder seams. Sew front to back at the shoulders, catching about 30 cm (12 in) of clear elastic or stay tape in the seams so they do not grow.
- Neckband, as above. Press the seam allowance toward the body.
- Sleeves, flat. With the body open, match the top notch of each sleeve to the shoulder seam and sew the sleeve to the armhole before the side seams are closed.
- Side seams. Sew from the sleeve hem through the underarm to the body hem in one seam, matching the underarm seams.
- Hems. Press up the 2 cm (3/4 in) hem allowance on the sleeves and the body. Stitch from the right side with a twin needle, or with a zigzag from the wrong side.
- Press with steam, lifting the iron instead of sliding it.
Why is my T-shirt hem wavy, and other first-tee problems?
- Wavy hem: the fabric stretched while you sewed. Lower the presser foot pressure, lengthen the stitch, and put a strip of lightweight fusible tape inside the hem fold. A shot of steam often shrinks small waves back.
- Neckband standing up or gaping: the band was too long. Recut it at 80 %.
- Neckline puckered: the band was too short, or you stretched the neckline instead of the band.
- Skipped stitches: change to a new ballpoint or stretch needle.
- Shoulders growing out of shape: add stay tape next time.
Can Sewly draft a T-shirt to your measurements?
Sewly's T-shirt pattern is drafted from your measurements with the ease of the fit you pick, and its neckband comes already sized at 85 % of the neckline, or as a 92 % binding for a V-neck. You choose the neckline, a sleeve length from sleeveless to long, and a length from cropped to tunic; the knit seam allowance defaults to 1 cm. Women's, men's and children's sizes use the same pattern.