Sewing Project: How to Sew Your Own Layered-Look Shirt

Otherwise known as:

SOS! Help! I don’t have enough fabric to finish my sewing project! What can I make with my leftover fabric?!?

Have you ever made plans to sit yourself down and finally take care of a sewing project you’ve been pushing back for a while?

You grab the fabric. Maybe you bought it a long time ago. Maybe you were given it from a friend. Perhaps it was some leftover pieces from another project or even another item of clothing you wished to upcycle.

*Gasp!* The fabric pieces are not large enough to complete the sewing project as you imagined it. Oh no! What to do?!?

This is EXACTLY what happened to me the other week! A lovely acquaintance of mine gifted me some pieces of fabric and immediately Miss 12 claimed 2 of them as her own, implying that I should conjure up a long-sleeve shirt for her. At the last minute though, we realised that the fabric she wanted me to use for the long sleeves wasn’t quite long enough!

Have no fear! Not all was lost. Us creative types often need to modify our project plans, right? My daughter did get her long sleeve shirt, but in a new and funky, layered-look.

Are you intrigued how I did it? This post is going to walk you through the steps to turn a feared fabric shortage into a perfectly cool, one-of-a-kind shirt.

What should have been an ordinary pattern, long-sleeve shirt for my daughter was creatively altered into this original, grunge-era, layered-look shirt. She loves it even more than had I sewn the shirt how she originally envisaged it.

And now you also want to know how to sew a shirt just like this … Well not exactly like this one 😉.

Who Is this Sewing Tutorial For?

Everyone! Anyone who loves to sew, anyone who is learning to sew, anyone wanting to try a new shirt style, anyone who has pieces of stretch fabric lying around waiting for their purpose to be discovered, anyone who wants a layered-look shirt…

Who is this Shirt For?

This style of shirt can be worn by anyone. Women, men, big kids, little kids… Just select a pattern that fits the person you wish to sew for!

Sewing Project: How to Create a Layered-Look Shirt

What You’ll Need

A sewing pattern for a long-sleeve shirt (Note: not raglan sleeves!)

Stretch jersey fabric in 2 different colours or patterns

The usual supplies: thread, sewing machine, fabric scissors, pins, measuring tape, iron

Optional: ribbing for the neckline (Psst! Jersey works well too)

Sewing project Instructions

Step 1:

Select your 2 fabrics. One will be for the long sleeves and the other fabric will be used for the front and back pieces of the shirt as well as the overlapping short sleeves.

If you are using leftover pieces of stretch jersey for the long sleeves, be sure that the pieces are (almost) long enough to make a regular sleeve. About ¾ the usual length of the long sleeve should do the trick.

Step 2:

Read your pattern instructions carefully and pay attention to required seam allowances and any extra measurements to allow for hems on the sleeves and the body of the shirt.

Step 3:

Cut out the front and back pieces of the shirt using your chosen fabric and sew the shoulder seams right sides together.

Optional: Use an overlocker makes for a tidier-looking seam 😉.

Now we’re going to get to work on the sleeves!

Step 4:

Take a favourite T-shirt that fits just the way you like it and lay it flat on a firm surface. Measure the distance from the seam joining the shoulder and sleeve down to the sleeve hem. Let’s call this Measurement A. My Measurement A was 16cm.

Step 5:

Take the pattern piece for the long sleeve and measure Measurement A from the shoulder downwards. Fold the pattern paper across and mark clearly. This will be the form you need for the short sleeve.

Step 6:

Fold your short sleeve fabric (ie the same fabric you used for the front and back shirt pieces) so that you have now 2 layers of fabric (for 2 sleeves, remember?!?). Lay the sleeve pattern paper on the fabric and pin around the marked area.

Cut around the short sleeve pattern (don’t forget your seam allowance, if not included in the pattern!). But don’t yet cut along the hemline!

Step 7:

Which length hem on the short sleeves do you wish to create? Let’s call that Measurement B. My Measurement B was 3cm.

Leaving the sleeve pattern paper still pinned to the fabric, fold the paper upwards along the Measurement A line. Measure out the hem length- Measurement B- and mark crossways to create the final length for the short sleeve.

Cut along this line. You now have 2 mirror-image short sleeves (one for the right arm and one for the left!).

Step 8:

Take the fabric you want to use for the long sleeves and fold in half (again, double layer for cutting 2 mirror image sleeve pieces! 😉) and pin the sleeve pattern piece up to the folded line you made for the short sleeve Measurement A in Step 5.

Remember, before cutting you need to make 2 more markings on the long sleeve fabric.

First, above that folded Measurement A line, add the extra Measurement B. In the next Step this will become part of the short sleeve hem.

Tip: you may also find it helpful to mark your fabric along that Measurement A line as well. It’ll make Step 10 easier 😉.

Second, at the wrist end of the fabric, add on another Measure B to create your long sleeve hem.

Including these extra Measurement Bs, cut out the fabric for the long sleeve. You will now have 2 mirror image longer sleeves and the 2 short sleeves. Yay!

Now to put all these pieces together…

Step 9:

Take one short sleeve and one longer sleeve. Place them right sides together, with the lower edge of the short sleeve aligned with the uppermost edge of the longer sleeve. Pin, then tack together. Repeat with other sleeve pair.

You will now have 2 extra looong sleeves. Don’t be scared 😉.

Optional: You can also use an overlocker to neaten this seam.

Step 10:

Lay one sleeve on a flat, firm surface with the right side facing upwards. Remember your Measurement B? Create a fold along the width of the short sleeve to create a hem, the height of Measurement B. If you made that marking in Step 8 across the longer sleeve fabric, this fold should now line up with that marking. Repeat with the other sleeve.

You can also flip the sleeve over, facing right side down to double check that the hem matches your Measurement B.

Tip: Press the hem line with an iron for a crisper-looking hem.

Step 11:

Using your sewing machine, stitch along the short sleeve, leaving a Measurement B distance from the edge, to create the hem. Repeat with the other sleeve.

Now you have 2 layered-look sleeves ready to attach to the shirt body!

Step 12:

Follow the regular pattern instructions for completing your shirt, first stitching the sleeves into the armholes and then closing the sides of the shirt from the bottom hem to the wrist of the sleeve. Sew the hem on the bottom of the shirt and finish the neckline with stretch jersey or ribbing.

Tip: When pinning the sides together before sewing, pay attention that the short sleeve hems are neatly aligned.

Hey presto! You did it! You’ve just created a funky layered-look, long sleeve shirt!

How’d yours turn out? Tell me all about it and be sure to tag me @everythingsfamtastic in any photos you share! I’d love to see your creation!