Sewing boys’ shirts

I am making shirts for my grandson, who will be in a size 12 month shortly. I am using this tutorial for shirt patterns from 6 months to 2T. When I find good quality men’s long sleeve shirts at thrift, I pick them up; one men’s shirt provides enough quality fabric for one or more shirts at this age, far better quality and far less expensive than buying yardage.

Goodwill men’s shirt cut up and ready for the boy’s shirt pattern pieces.

Normally I would do French seams because I don’t like raw edges, but I am following the tutorial for these shirts until I am more comfortable with the pattern. She advises serging the seams. I don’t have a serger, so I zigzag close to the seam and then trim.

I hand sewed the hems for the sleeves and bottoms of the shirts. I use a whip stitch, which is how my grandmother taught me to do hems.

To be continued …