Lesson 1Preparing collar and collar stand: interfacing choice, stay‑stitching, assembling collar and stand, understitching and trimming allowancesSelect interfacing, secure curves, and put together a neat collar and stand. Practice stay-stitching, layering, trimming, and edge-stitching for pointy tips and a smooth fold line.
Choosing weight and type of interfacingCutting and fusing collar piecesStay‑stitching collar and stand curvesSewing collar outer and inner layersTrimming, grading, and clipping cornersUnderstitching and shaping collar rollLesson 2Constructing front placket and button placket: construction order, interfacing, edge‑stitching for crispness, recommended seam allowancesBuild front and button plackets in the right sequence. Cover where to place interfacing, folding steps, edge-stitching for sharp lines, and keeping seam allowances uniform along the placket.
Marking placket fold and stitch linesApplying interfacing to placket areasFolding and pressing placket turnsStitching inner and outer placket seamsEdge‑stitching for sharp placket edgesChecking placket width and alignmentLesson 3Hemming narrow hems for bottom and sleeves: blind narrow hem vs double turned narrow hem, stitch types and seam allowancesTry narrow hem methods for shirt bottoms and cuffs. Compare blind hems and double-fold ones, pick fitting stitches and allowances, and use ironing and measuring for straight, no-wave finishes.
Choosing hem depth and allowancePressing narrow double‑turned hemsBlind hem technique for shirt bottomsSelecting stitch type and lengthManaging curves and side seam joinsFinal pressing for flat, smooth hemsLesson 4Setting in set‑in sleeves: easing sleeve cap, stay‑stitching armhole, basting, pinning sequence, lockstitch settings and seam allowancesGet good at fitting sleeves with even caps. Learn easing amounts, stay-stitching and temporary stitch order, pinning steps, lockstitch setups, and allowances to skip bunches and lines.
Stay‑stitching armhole and sleeve capDistributing sleeve cap ease evenlyBasting sleeve cap before final stitchPinning sequence: seams and notchesLockstitch settings and seam allowancePressing sleeve head for smooth capLesson 5Topstitching key areas: collar edge, placket edges, hem and sleeve hems; needle/thread/stitch length specifics and use of topstitch footPerfect topstitching on collars, plackets, and hems. Choose needles, threads, stitch lengths, use a topstitch foot, and handle turns at corners for neat, parallel lines.
Choosing topstitch needle and threadSetting stitch length for topstitchingUsing edge‑stitch or topstitch feetTopstitching collar and stand edgesTopstitching plackets and front edgesGuiding hems and sleeve hems evenlyLesson 6Attaching collar to neckline: easing, clipping, pinning pattern, machine choices, seam finishing at collar seamFit the ready collar and stand to the neck edge. Cover easing, clipping, pinning plan, machine prep, and seam finishing for a flat, even collar join.
Marking neckline and stand match pointsEasing neckline and stand without tucksPinning sequence from center outwardsSewing collar seam on lockstitchClipping and grading neckline seamFinishing and pressing collar junctionLesson 7Final assembly: attaching facings or lining if present, clipping curves, trimming allowances, final pressing and quality checksFinish the garment with facings or lining, smooth curves, and do last ironing and checks. Learn clipping, trimming, and review steps for a pro, ready-to-wear look.
Attaching front and neckline facingsJoining and securing lining if usedClipping curves and trimming bulkFinal pressing order and toolsChecking symmetry and measurementsInspecting stitches, seams, and edgesLesson 8Cutting and marking: layout, seam allowances, notches, stay‑stitch lines and interfacing placementPlan cuts for a collared shirt, with straight-grain layouts, exact seam extras, and clear marks for notches, stay-stitch spots, and interfacing to make assembly smooth and sizes consistent.
Fabric grain and layout planningAdding and checking seam allowancesTransferring notches and balance marksMarking stay‑stitch and fold linesPositioning and marking interfacingCutting pairs and mirrored piecesLesson 9Sewing and finishing side seams: overlock seam finish, flat‑seam alternatives, edge alignment, pressing techniquesBuild solid ways to sew and finish side seams. Compare overlock finishes and flat options, do exact edge matching, and iron to avoid twists and extra thickness.
Aligning side seams and matching notchesChoosing overlock or alternative finishSewing side seams with even allowanceOverlocking raw edges without stretchingPressing seams toward back or openChecking side seam hang and symmetryLesson 10Joining shoulder seams: machine (lockstitch), stitch type, recommended seam allowance, stay‑stitching the neckline before joiningGet shoulder seams right with a lockstitch machine. Learn allowance picks, support methods, neck stay-stitching sequence, ironing, and matching shoulder lengths and angles perfectly.
Stay‑stitching neckline before joiningAligning shoulder notches and edgesChoosing seam allowance and stitch lengthSewing shoulders on lockstitch machinePressing seams open or toward backReinforcing sloped or bias shoulders
