- 1). Measure yourself. For a well-tailored shirt, the measurements should be taken at the bust, waist, neck width, shoulder width, arm length and armscye. The armscye is the circumference of the armhole. Additionally, measure the length of your body, placing the hem at the lowest point at which you want the shirt to lie.
- 2). Record these measurements and use them to create the dimensions of your shirt's pieces. Draw the dimensions onto the tracing paper. Add tailoring details, such as the armhole shaping and the taper at the wrists of the sleeves where the cuffs are sewn to the rest of the shirt. Create the collar, ensuring that its fold is high enough to keep the collar from resting on the shoulders when buttoned.
- 3). Create the yoke. The yoke is the portion of the shirt that covers the shoulders. This piece is cut on the fabric's bias to add stretch to the shoulders for easier wearability. However, it is also a tricky portion of the shirt to create. It should be present from the top of the shoulder to the points of the shoulder blades. You can either make the pattern have a straight seam at the point where the yoke meets the body of the shirt back or shape it into western-style points.
- 4). FInalize your pattern piece drawings on the tracing paper. Remember that every time you add a seam to the shirt pattern, you need to add half an inch to each side to allot for seam allowances. Additionally, ensure that there is enough give in the design so that the shirt will not be skin tight on you. Remind yourself to cut two fabric copies of both the collar and the cuffs to allow for the linings in the two portions of the shirt.
- 5). Cut out your pattern pieces to prepare to make your dress shirt.
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