Men’s Shirt Drafting – Sewing Tutorial

mens-shirt

A shirt is a sort of top,  a piece of clothing for the trunk of the body.

In the UK, it refers almost exclusively to what Americans call a dress shirt, a garment with a collar and a full vertical opening with buttons. In the US is tends to have a vaguer meaning, being applied to many types of (mainly men’s) tops. leaving the word “top” generally for ladies wear. Click here to know more about men’s formal shirt.

You will need the Following Things Before we start:

  • Basic sewing needs
  • 1.5 to 2 meters of a suitable fabric
  • Interfacing canvas fabric for collar
  • Buttons

Next fabric selection… most of us choose Natural Fabrics like cotton, Corduroy, Denim, Flannel, Hemp, Leather, Linen, Seersucker, Silk, Terrycloth and Velvet. Some of us choose different types of Synthetic Fabrics like Acetate, Acrylic, Nylon, Polar Fleece, Polyester, Rayon and Spandex.

Required measurement for Men’s shirt Drafting – bodice:

Back shirt length-

Chest-

Shoulder-

Neck to chest-

Shoulder to chest-

If you want to know the standard measurement details for men..Click here.

mens-shirt-draft

Men’s Shirt bodice draft details:

0-1 = Back length

0-2 = Neck to chest

0-3 = Yoke height = 2 ½”

0-4 = 1/6th of Neck round + 5/8”

4-5 = 1/8th of Neck round

0-6 = ½ shoulder

6-7 = ¾” Connect 5-7

3-8 = 0-6 Shape 8-7

8-9 = ¼” down Shape 3-9

2-10 = 3-8

2-11 = ½” chest + 2¾”

11-12 = 2-10

12-13 = 15/8” above

14 is midpoint of 2-11

1-15 = 2-11

16 is midpoint of 1-15. Connect 14-16

Point 2” above from 16 as 17

18 is midpoint of 14-17

18’ & 18” is 1” away from 18

17’ & 17” is ¾” away from 17

Connect 17’-18’-14 and 17”-18”-14

1’ is midpoint of 1-16 and 15’ is midpoint of 15-16

Shape 1-1’-17” and 15-15’-17’ as shown in draft.

11-19 = Shoulder to Chest

19-20 = 1/6 Neck round – ¼”

19-21 = 1/6 Neck round

Draw horizontal reference line from 3-8 to the right about halfway to line 19-15

Draw vertical line from 12 (this should cross 13) to meet the above reference line and mark that meet point as 22.

Measure 5-7 then less 1/8” from that measurement. Pivot your ruler around on point 20 until it intersects with the vertical line 12-22 at the measurement you just found. Mark this meeting point as 23. Connect 20-23.

Shape armhole 9-14 and take extra inside ½” between (13-23) at front armhole.

(21-24) & (15-25) = 1¾” for button and buttonhole stand. Connect 15-25-24-21

Mark ¼” up from point 24 and shape as shown in draft.

Now the shirt bodice draft is ready…

Tracing Pattern From Draft:

Yoke Piece: 0-5-7-8-3

Shirt Back: 3-9-14-18”-17”-1’-1

Shirt Front: 25-24-21-20-23-13-14-18’-17’-15’-15-25

First cut the draft and mark this draft to the fabric with seam allowance of ¼” all around the cutting lines except hemlines. Give ¾” seam allowance for hem line. (Hem lines are 1-1’-17” & 25-15-15’-17’)

Now u have to cut 1 piece of Front right, front left, back and 2 pieces of Yoke.

Note:  *Some people prefer to place fusible interfacing in the buttonhole placket too. If you like that, cut out a rectangular strip that is as wide and just as long as your buttonhole placket.

Collar, Sleeve, Cuff and Sewing Instructions are in our next Tutorials….

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About The Author

Keerthi Ezhil

I am a person with interested in sewing & fashion. I am always thinking about the wasted materials... Whenever I crossed the tailor shops I felt bad..that wasted materials also bought for money..these thoughts push me up to learn sewing. afterwards i improved my talent to do fashionable dresses for my daughter.. I always mentioned to use the leftover materials to use small pouch, handbag, little girls dress, small accessories...for my students. Now that experience took me to the next level.. Here I'm going to share my experience to all of u through these tutorials.

42 Comments

  1. Aung Thu Hein

    How can i get Collar, Sleeve, Cuff and Sewing Instructions for your next Tutorials….

  2. Ingrid

    Thank you Keerthi. I will make shirts in Afrian material for my huband and son.

  3. Nyi Myae

    When I study this, I think that 2- 11 is wrong.Please reply me

    • Arbaaz sheikh

      2-11 is half of chest +2¾”
      2¾” means 2 inches + 75% of inch

  4. Vakkil D Mageshkumar

    Really superb and my hearty wishes for ur upcoming success

  5. Jimoh Ahmed

    This is a very simple and easy step in learning how to cut a custom shirt but I have a problem with 2-11 can you please explain the meaning of 1/2 chest + 2(3/4)

  6. kusi charles

    Hi keerthi …
    I’m a fashion designer, and I love your teaching so much, it is very helpful.
    Please I will need more of your teachings and videos please through my email…..
    Hope to hear from you….
    Thank you

  7. M ANOWAR

    hi I am M Anowar beginner in pattern making but i cannot understand soulder to chest and neck to chest measurements in mens shirt please explain

  8. Tina

    Could you kindly email me a pdf download instruction.

  9. supriyo das

    I am just confiuse

  10. nina finz

    hi.. thank you so much for the pattern..its perfect. I made one for my husband,, but since he is a big sized man, I made it a bit different. well..once again..thank you..as mageshkumar said..I wish for your upcoming success

  11. Siby philip

    Thank you keerthi,
    It is very useful.
    Can you dedtail the changes for casual shirt.

  12. Theresa D'Souza

    What are the standard measurements for Neck to Chest and Shoulder to Chest? The rest of the drafting explained so well. Thanks.

  13. Self Pattern

    Here shirt pattern to download:

  14. Lata Sundar

    Hi Keerthi

    Can you help on the difference between 0-2 in Back (Neck to Chest) and 11-19 in front (Shoulder to Chest)?

    For eg: My chest is 38″, Shoulder to Chest is 9.5″, Neck round is 38cms. How do I calculate 0-2 and 11-19?

    Thank u very much

  15. Lata Sundar

    hellloooo…am waiting for your reply to help me start the draft of the shirt. Also the back length of the shirt looks longer than the front? Why is this so please?

  16. Sumit Kumar

    Please help me
    How to measure shoulder to chest???

  17. RAJASHEKHAR MAMIDISHETTY

    How to measure and cut the armhole as well as the sleeves

  18. martha

    im a bit confused is armhole depth difference from shoulder tochest

  19. Soki

    Pls,… will be needing a more detailed description on cutting and sewing of men’s wears

  20. Kazeem Adeshina

    Thanks and God bless.

  21. Michaels

    Pls when next u giving tutorials break them down in a layman’s language because all this are hard to penetrate

  22. Niyi atinmo

    I measurement for size 16,17,18, and 20 for top’s or shirt. How can I cut it with tape rule measurement

  23. Jogi

    Where we get 11-19 measurement in boby

  24. Lemomu

    Pls i don’t get that 19-20 at all. Cus is not giving me d right shape.

  25. Morrison Asante

    Thanks so much for the education, I have been able to make my own shirt with your steps.

    My question is, if someone asks you to sew a shirt and gives you size XXL to work with, how would I go about it with your method?

  26. Morrison Asante

    Please how do I use your method to sew for a shirt of XXL size?

  27. Helena Owusu

    Please how do I use your method to sew for a shirt of XXL size?

  28. Lakshmi Balasubramanian

    Hi Keerthi – this is the best and simple tutorial that I have seen for making a shirt. Thank you.
    I am going to cut a pattern for myself (hoping that ladies and gents don’t have much difference).
    If I get into some difficulty, hope you will reply to my question.
    Take care and be safe
    Lakshmi Balasubramanian

  29. Ursula

    How can I get your sewing software

  30. Emy Udofia

    Pls this is hard for behiners to understand…
    Next time, pls break it down to our understanding…
    I’m even more confused sef

  31. Ruth

    Pls how to cut a sleeve shirt

  32. Huce michael

    Pleasehow doi get a PDF of this

  33. Billal Hossain

    It’s a wonderful way to teach. Thank you.

  34. Babirye

    How can I get a book if needed

  35. Riya Sen

    This is a great tutorial! I’m a beginner sewer and this has helped me a lot.

  36. Baz

    Can you clarify 12-13? Is it 5/8″ or 15/8″ up? Thank you. This is an otherwise clear instruction of the drafting of the shirt. Thank you.

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