How to Make a Cheetah Shirt
Animal-print clothing rebounds every season, moving from declasse to gotta-have-it at the speed of light. It can be hard to keep up with trends as they pop in and out of stores, so if you are the print-coveting kind, you might want to look into making your own cheetah print shirt.
Things You'll Need
- Shirt pattern or favorite shirt
- Measuring tape
- Ballpoint pen and paper
- Cardboard (unfolded large box)
- Black marker (medium line)
- 5 yards of cheetah print fabric
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
Instructions
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Making Your Own Pattern
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If you do not use a pre-made pattern, a shirt you already own that offers your favorite fit will make a great base from which to build your own pattern. Lay the shirt on a flat surface and measure the length of the shirt from shoulder and from armpit; the width of the chest, midsection and hem; and the length of sleeve as well as the width of the armpit and hem of the sleeve. Write down all measurements as you go, adding 1/2 inch to accommodate the seam. Measure and note the depth and shape of the neckline on both front and back as well. You will need to compare these measurements once you have cut your fabric.
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2
Place your cardboard on a flat surface and place your shirt on top. Fold sleeves across the body of the shirt and trace the exact shape of the shirt onto the cardboard with a marker. Next to that tracing, unfold a sleeve and trace the shape of the sleeve. Cut out your shapes along the outside of the marker line and place the rest of the cardboard aside.
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3
Place the cardboard piece for the body of your shirt on a flat surface and lay your cheetah print fabric over the cardboard, smoothing to avoid wrinkles. Pin the fabric to the cardboard pattern with straight pins.
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4
Consult your measurements and cut the fabric to the shape of the cardboard pattern. Repeat for each side of the shirt, as well as four times for each sleeve pattern. Take this time to measure and shape the neckline into your fabric.
Putting the Pieces Together
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5
Place the two pieces of your body fabric face to face and pin together with straight pins in the areas where you intend to stitch a seam, leaving room for the stitch. Be sure not to pin the neck or arm holes. Run the length through your sewing machine and remove pins when finished. Leave the body inside-out and set aside.
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Pin a pair of sleeve sides together face to face and stitch the top and bottom seams. Repeat for other sleeve and remove pins when finished. You also can hem your sleeve pieces at this time by folding the ends over, pinning in place and stitching, though be careful not to sew them shut.
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Attach the open end of a sleeve to the body of the shirt, pinning the edges together so they fan outward. Sew, remove pins and repeat with other sleeve. Hem the shirt by folding edge over. Hem neckline or add further embellishment. Once all sewing is finished, turn shirt right side out and try on your new cheetah shirt.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have access to a large swath of paper, it can be used in place of cardboard when making your own pattern. It might be easier to finish the neckline on each part of your shirt individually before stitching the body together. Using a sewing machine is optional, but it is by far the easiest and quickest way to sew clothing.
