Stitch a boy’s shirt

1. To create the back pattern, draw a rectangle onto dressmaking paper measuring 48cm x 55cm for age 9-10 (42cm x 52cm, age 7-8; 36cm x 49cm, age 5-6). Measure 4cm in from both top corners either side and 24cm for age 9-10 (21cm, age 7-8; 18cm, age 5-6,) down. Draw lines to join the top and bottom points. This will be the armholes.

2. To shape the shoulders, measure in 14.5cm for age 9-10 (13.5cm, age 7-8; 11.5cm, age 5-6) from both top corners and 3cm down. Draw lines to join these points. Draw a slight curve in the centre and cut to form the neck hole. Cut these shapes out. You should now have a measurement of 16cm for age 9-10 (15cm, age 7-8; 14cm, age 5-6) across the top.

3. For the front pattern, draw another rectangle onto dressmaking paper measuring 27cm x 55cm for age 9-10 (23cm x 52cm, age 7-8; 21cm x 49cm, age 5-6). On one side measure and cut the armhole and shoulder shapes as described in steps 1 and 2. Then measure 7cm for age 9-10 (6cm, age 7-8; 5cm, age 5-6) down the inside edge and draw a curve for the neck from here to the highest point of the shoulder slope. Cut out.

4. Use your patterns to cut out one back and two front pieces from checked fabric, reversing the pattern for one of the front pieces. With right sides together, pin the shoulders and machine stitch. Press the seams open.

5. For the sleeves, draw a rectangle onto dressmaking paper measuring 22cm x 40cm for age 9-10 (21cm x 36cm, age 7-8; 20cm x 32cm, age 5-6). Measure into the centre point along the top edge, make a mark then measure down 8cm on both sides. Draw lines down from the centre point to each of the 8cm points. Measure in 2cm from both of the bottom corners and draw a line from these points to the 8cm points. Cut out, rounding off the centre point to a slight curve. Use your pattern to cut out two sleeves from checked fabric.

6. With right sides together, pin the sleeves to the armholes, beginning in the centre and working out to either side. Machine stitch together, making sure the fabric doesn’t gather underneath as you’re sewing. Clip the seam and press.

7. Cut two pieces of blue fabric each measuring 36cm for age 9-10 (32cm, age 7-8; 28cm, age 5-6) x 6.5cm and pin them to the wrong side of the bottom edges of the sleeves. Stitch and press the seams open. Matching the underarm seams, pin the front and back panels, then sew together. Clip the seam under the arms.

8. Turn under the raw edge of the blue fabric sleeve seam and hand sew in place to give a neat edge using tiny over stitches. Continue stitching slightly onto the checked fabric. Turn the sleeve through, then turn the bottom up by 5mm, pin, then turn up again by 3cm. Pin, tack and machine 3mm from the top edge of the blue fabric.

9. Cut two rectangles of blue fabric each measuring 12cm x 50cm for age 9-10 (10.5cm x 48cm, age 7-8; 9cm x 45cm, age 5-6). On both pieces fold over the long edges and one of the short edges by 1cm, trim the corners slightly and press. Fold in half lengthways and press again. Pin onto the front edges of the shirt so you have half the fabric in front and half behind, matching the edges front and back, and with the folded short edges at the top. Machine up the outside long edges, along the top short ones and down the other side 2mm from the edge.

10. For the collar, measure from the top corner on the outside edge of one of the blue strips going down the front, round the back of the neck to the other top corner. Add a 1cm seam allowance. Use this measurement x 12cm for age 9-10 (10cm, age 7-8; 8cm, age 5-6) to cut two rectangles, one from checked fabric and one from blue. Pin right sides together and stitch around three edges leaving one long side open. Snip the corners, turn through and press. Turn the open edges up by 1cm inside the collar and press.