Things You'll Need:
- Dress shirt pattern
- Sewing equipment and supplies
- Shirt fabric and matching thread
- Buttons
- Fabric pencil
- Seam ripper
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Step 1
Find a dress shirt pattern that you like. You can find dress shirt patterns for men and women from many of the major pattern companies, such as Vogue, Simplicity, New Look, McCall's and KwikSew. Make sure that your pattern supports your size. To find your size, measure your bust, waist, hip, shoulder-to-shoulder and shoulder width. Use the size that fits the largest measurement. If desired, you can scale down the other measurements to fit your frame.
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Step 2
Cut the pattern pieces in your size and pin them to a double layer of your dress shirt fabric, making sure to note which pieces need to be cut on a fold line. Cut two sleeves, cuffs, plackets, front body pieces and collars, and cut one back body piece and yoke piece. Transfer all markings to the fabric using a fabric pencil, then remove the pattern pieces from the fabric. Cut the placket lines on the sleeve pieces.
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Step 3
Stitch together the cuff pieces, and then the collar pieces, right sides together and leaving one side open on each cuff and the collar. Trim the seam allowances and turn the cuffs and collar right side out, using a pencil or chopstick to make the corners stand out. Press all pieces flat, then fold under the seam allowances on the raw edged sides and press them flat.
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Step 4
Fold the seam allowances of the placket pieces under as directed in your pattern instructions, and press. Top stitch the plackets to the sleeve pieces along the slashed lines, or hand stitch them using a pick stitch. Fold each sleeve piece together and stitch the underseams, then press and finish the seam allowances.
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Step 5
Stitch the yoke piece to the back body piece along the middle back line, right sides together, then the yoke piece to the front body pieces at the shoulders and the body pieces together at the side seams. Press and finish all seam allowances.
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Step 6
Insert the sleeves into the body and line up the armholes, making sure that the seams match up and that there is no bunching. Pin and stitch the armhole seams in place, then press and finish the seam allowances. Open the shirt and attach the cuffs to the bottom of the sleeve pieces, slip stitching them in place. Mark the placement of any buttons and buttonholes.
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Step 7
Fold under the allowance on the front opening of the body and press it in place, then top stitch or pick stitch the allowance down. On the wrong side, mark the placement of all buttonholes and buttons. Fold under the hem allowance, press and stitch it in place.
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Step 8
Stitch buttonholes all along one side of the front opening and on the cuffs, using the buttonhole stitch on your sewing machine. Open each buttonhole with the seam ripper. On the other side of the front opening and the cuffs, hand sew buttons directly to the fabric. Test the placement of buttons and buttonholes, then reinforce the buttons with more thread.
