The Shirt Off My Back

The first thing I am making for the inside of the Haberdashery is shirts. I came up with this pattern several years ago. I examined how shirts are folded in real packages and measured a couple. This is what I wound up with. I have seen folded mini shirts in several places, but this is my version.

I make them with a piece of cardstock that is 7/8" x 2 1/2". The fabric is about 5" square. Those are really the only measurments you need to make one. You clip off an 1/8"x1/4" triangle from the corner of each shoulder. Then you fold the card matching the points of the shoulder with the bottom edge. That piece gets covered with fabric.

You will see that I glued a 1/4" fold in both edges of the fabric. That makes strips for the collar, cuffs yolk and pocket flap.

Then you cut a piece about 1 1/2" X1 1/4". Fold this in and glue a seam down the center back of the piece. Squeeze the bottom a bit and glue a piece of the 1/4" glued edge around it for the cuff. You cut a piece of the edge for the yolk and glue it around to the back. Another piece goes down the center front for the button placket. A trimmed down piece makes the pocket and a 1" piece folded to the center front makes the collar when glued to the center top of the shirt as shown.

You can see in the first photo how this all goes together, left to right. You may need to trim the sleeve some before you fold up the bottom half of the shirt and glue it to the back.

Here are a few of the ones that I have made. Oh! I forgot. The buttons are made with colored cardstock and a 1/16" punch. This is a great way to make buttons. You can have any color of the rainbow.

That's it for today. I need to go back to the real world. Today is my daughter's birthday. I need to get ready for it. See you tomorrow.