Copy a Tailored Shirt

Most people who offer to copy a garment will take the original apart to make pattern pieces.  My technique preserves the original, but requires more work and attention to detail.  I start by taking photos of the shirt, including closeup views of the collar, cuffs and any distinctive features.  This shirt has narrow bias edging on the front openings and cuffs:

By taking photos, I can return the original to the client quickly, allowing them to wear the shirt while I am working on the duplicate.  I took a total of 10 photos of the original.

Second, I measure everything.  To save labor, I bought a pattern for a shirt with similar styling, and used it as a base, so I copied the drawings and made measurement notes on them.  I also traced the actual curve of the hem, so I could use that in the copy. 

Third, I use the measurements to modify the commercial pattern to the size and design of the original shirt. I like to literally "sleep on it" before I cut out the fabric.  The next day, I double check all the measurements, and then cut out the fabric.

I overcast all the pieces--the main use for my serger!--and sew in the darts, side, shoulder, and armhole seams with a basting stitch.  Chances are, if I get in a hurry and use a regular stitch, I'll have to rip out those seams, so it's always safer to just baste them for the fitting.

The fitting benefits both the client and me.  It gives the client the opportunity to see the work in progress and gives her confidence that I am not only working on her project, but that it will be completed to her satisfaction. It also gives me the opportunity to make sure that all those measurements are accurate, and to check with the client for any last minute changes to style or fit.

In this case, the fitting revealed that the armholes needed to be recut, making the shoulders narrower, and that the back was too full under the arms and down the sides.  Look carefully to see the yellow ball pins on the shoulders and side seams in this photo:

Now I'm set to finish the shirt.  I make the modifications not only to the shirt but also to the pattern, since the client may want more than one copy.  Then I add the cuffs and collar, along with the narrow bias on the front edges and cuffs.  Finally, I stitch in the buttonholes and sew on the buttons chosen by the client.  Here is the finished shirt:

Next week, I show how I take a men's shirt pattern and use it to make a Renaissance style robe, based on a costume from a popular television show.