Project Project I – JSS3 Fashion and Garment Making Lesson Note (First Term)

A shirt project is the making of a complete, wearable shirt from drafted paper patterns, following a fixed order of steps.

Behavioural objectives

1. State the best fabric and the tools needed for making a first shirt.
2. Lay out patterns and cut fabric with a 1.5 cm seam allowance.
3. List the seven sewing steps of a shirt in the correct order.
4. Make buttonholes, sew on buttons and press a finished shirt.
5. Check a finished shirt using a self-grading checklist.

What fabric is best for a first shirt?

Cotton fabric, such as Ankara or poplin, is the best choice for a first shirt.

• Easy to handle: cotton does not slip about when you sew it.
• Easy to press: cotton takes a hot iron well, so seams lie flat.

What tools and materials are needed?

Making a shirt needs patterns, cutting and marking tools, thread and fastenings.

• Paper patterns: your drafted front, back, sleeves and collar.
• Fabric scissors: sharp scissors used only for cloth.
• Matching thread: thread in the same colour as the fabric.
• Tailor’s chalk: marks the pattern outline on the cloth.
• Office pins: hold the patterns and pieces in place.
• Stay (interlining): stiffening material for the collar and button area.
• Buttons: fasten the front of the shirt.
• Sewing machine and iron: used for stitching and pressing.

How do you lay and cut the fabric?

Laying and cutting means placing the patterns on folded fabric and cutting round them.

1. Fold the fabric neatly.
2. Place the paper patterns on the fabric.
3. Pin the patterns down so they do not move.
4. Mark round the patterns with tailor’s chalk, leaving a 1.5 cm seam allowance all around.
5. Cut out each piece carefully with sharp scissors.

What is the correct order for sewing a shirt?

A shirt is sewn in seven steps, from the stay to the hem, and the order must be followed so the shirt comes out neat.

Body and collar (Steps 1 to 4)

1. The stay (interlining): iron the stay onto the collar pieces and the front button edge (the placket). This makes them stiff and strong.
2. The shoulders: join the front piece to the back piece at the shoulders. This forms the main frame of the shirt.
3. Preparing the collar: sew the two collar pieces together, turn them right side out and iron them flat.
4. Attaching the collar: pin the collar to the neckline and sew carefully, keeping the curves smooth.

Sleeves, side seams and hem (Steps 5 to 7)

5. Fixing the sleeves: open the shirt flat on the table. Match the centre of the sleeve to the shoulder seam. Pin all round the armhole and sew.
6. Closing the sides: turn the shirt inside out. Start at the tip of the sleeve, sew through the armpit and down to the bottom edge. Repeat on the other side.
7. The hem: fold the bottom edge up 1 cm, then fold another 1 cm, and sew it down.

What are the finishing touches?

Finishing touches are the last jobs that turn a sewn shirt into a finished one.

1. Buttonholes: mark their positions on the front edge. Make them with the machine, or by hand.
2. Buttons: sew each button on the opposite front edge, level with its buttonhole.
3. Trimming: cut off all hanging threads, inside and outside.
4. Final press: press the shirt with a hot iron so the seams lie flat.

• Boys’ shirts: buttonholes are usually on the wearer’s left and buttons on the right.
• Girls’ shirts: buttonholes are usually on the wearer’s right and buttons on the left.

What do the key terms mean?

• Seam allowance: the extra cloth outside the stitching line, here 1.5 cm.
• Stay (interlining): a stiffening layer that stops parts looking limp.
• Placket: the front edge of the shirt where the buttons and buttonholes are.
• Hem: a folded and stitched edge at the bottom of a garment.
• Fraying: loose threads coming out at a cut edge of cloth.

What common faults can you avoid?

Most faults in a first shirt come from skipping a step, and each has a simple remedy.

How do you check your finished shirt?

A self-grading checklist helps you judge your own work.

• Collar: is it standing straight?
• Armpits: are they joined neatly?
• Buttons: are they lined up correctly with the buttonholes?
• Fabric: is it clean and well pressed?

• Remember: your first shirt need not be perfect. The aim is to learn the process.

Evaluation

1. Why is cotton a good fabric for a first shirt?
2. State the seam allowance used when cutting the shirt.
3. List the seven sewing steps in order.
4. What is the purpose of the stay (interlining)?
5. Name two finishing touches done after the hem.

Assignment

Write the seven sewing steps of a shirt in order, and give one reason for each step in a single line.