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Circle Knit Shirt Tutorial

So. I have a favorite shirt. I’ll be honest, it’s probably my favorite because it’s the most comfortable shirt I own, AND my husband bought it for me and he thinks I look cute in it. That’s really all I need. Oh, and it’s a great backdrop for a pretty necklace! That too.

Anyway, I wear it with a long tank top, leggings and either boots or black Toms, depending on the weather. It’s my uniform right now. And I wanted to make one for Hazel because I thought she’d dig it too. (Or, at least I’d dig making it for her and seeing her wear it.)

So, I worked this week on developing a 2T-sized version of my shirt. I’ve got to say, once I figured it out, this is a really simple project and it turned out beautifully! Since it’s flowy and not fitted, it’s not hard to get a good fit. The key is not making the arms too long so your little gal doesn’t look dumpy or frumpy. But once you’ve got that under control, you’re good!

What you’ll need:
The fabric piece I used was knit (you want a drapey fabric), and was 20″ wide and 34″ long.     (so it’s not technically going to be a circle – more of an oval. it’s cool.) I used white because it’s what I had on hand, plus I’m digging neutrals these days. But get creative! You can find patterned knits even at JoAnn, and you can always embellish your top with a pretty pocket or flower applique. This is your basic starting point – have fun and make it yours!)

Also, you’ll need a sewing machine. A serger is definitely not necessary, but since I have one and I like the extra-finished look, I used it for the project. Knits don’t fray though, so really don’t worry.

Get your fabric piece laid out on your cutting board, folded on the top so it looks 21″x17″.     (My piece started out longer than 34″, so I needed to cut it still at this point.)

There. Now it’s all cut and square and tidy. Better!

(That’s a fold on the top – you want your rectangle intact!)

his might be a good time to tell you how to measure for a size other than 2T…

How to measure for your own sizing:

Width: Arms straight out, you want the sleeves to fall just on the hand-side of your elbow. So measure that distance – for Hazel it was about 20″, so I added 1″ for hemming, thus the 21″ width.

Length: For length, you’ll have to pardon my sailor language, but you want the front and back them to land right about at the crotch. So measure up and over the shoulders, from crotch-to-crotch. Was that really necessary? Anyway, Hazel’s measurement was 33″, so I added 1″ for hemming, thus the 34″ length.

Neck: And for the neck – I don’t like huge neck holes on little people, it just looks like a worn out onesie. I kept it small and had no problem getting it over her head. Remember: after you cut, you’re still going to turn it in, which will make the hole larger.

Okay, on to the task at hand:

Mark the center point of the top of your fold. If you’re using my dimensions, it’s at the 10.5″ point.

Okay, now fold the fabric in half vertically (so the top and the right sides are folds). Because this is a symmetrical garment, we’re going to make it easy on ourselves and cut everything just once.

Below are the dimensions for cutting:

Now unfold it and it should look like this. It’s taking shape really quickly!

Now comes the serging! You can skip this if you don’t have a serger, of course.

Run a serging stitch all the way around the outside edge of the garment. Also, run a stitch around the inside of the neck hole.

When you’re done, your edges will look like this. Lovely!

know you’re looking at that neck hole and wondering how on earth this is going to go right; curves and hems are not friends. But it’s okay – this is stretchy! It will go right.

If you serged your edges, turn them all in 3/8″ or so and press. If you did not serge, turn your edges in 1/4″ and press, then another 3/8″ and press again.

Really don’t fret about this. Do your best, but remember that this garment is going to be forgiving, too!

Pressing the neck hole. It’s almost like it wants to be turned out. So friendly, this stretchy material is! (Yep. Been watching Star Wars with Oliver this week. Love me some Yoda I do.)

Okay, back to sewing. Set your stitch length to 3 (just a little longer than normal) because this is a hemming stitch and not a construction stitch.

Beginning on a straightaway, backstitch once, then get going and don’t stop until you are back where you started. Easy hem!

Now, the same with the neck hole. It’s a little trickier than the outside hem just because it’s in the middle. Still, you can do this! (And feel free to take your time to make this stitch nice and even. Even with coordinating thread, this one will show just because it’s near the face.) Remember: slow and steady!

So close! Seriously, we’re almost finished!

Just a few simple instructions: using a fabric ruler or any straight edge, make a line that goes from the center of the neck line to the corner of the sleeve. DO NOT actually draw this line – it only needs to be imaginary! 

Make a small dot with a disappearing fabric marker 4″ in from the corner of the sleeve. Just a little one. (If you’re not confident in your ink’s ability to disappear, you can mark with a tailor tack, which is just a contrasting thread stuck through that point with a needle.)

Do the same on the other side and pin the shirt closed so nothing shifts while you’re stitching.

Back to the sewing machine for the final time! Sew a straight line from your mark to the corner of the sleeve on each side. Be sure to backstitch really well at the beginning and end – this is a construction stitch, so it matters that it stays in place!

Press all of your hems so they lay nice and flat. Hang your little lady’s shirt on a hanger, then stand back and admire! All finished!

And for your viewing pleasure, here is a shot of  Miss Lady, rocking her comfy-yet-stylish circle knit top this morning (and it only took five mini marshmallows and a little Super Why for her to cooperate!):

{After putting the finished product on her this morning I realized two things. 1. this bad boy is going to fit for a long time! Honestly, this size could fit 3T or bigger, and I maybe could have stood to make hers a little smaller. She’s not quite fitting into 2T yet.) 2. I should have used a darker color knit – what was I thinking trusting her with a pretty white canvas, just begging to be tainted? Sheesh.}
If y’all are interested, I can work on another tutorial for an adult-sized top. You could probably just enlarge the dimensions of this one, but there are some things I would change for a grown up to make it more flattering. Let me know!
Post by Raechel : www.raechelmyers.com