Introduction: The Perfect Party Shirt

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This is The Perfect Party Shirt. While wearing a tuxedo coat or men's jacket it looks like you are wearing a regular white shirt. . . only you know that underneath your jacket you are a superhero or the ultimate party guy . Once you take your jacket off everyone will know!

I made three of them as gifts. It is hard to think of things to sew for men that they will like. Since it is long-sleeved, it will keep them warm in the winter under their jacket, of course. I cannot wait to see them on New Year's Eve. My son cannot wait to wear his to prom!

Step 1: Supplies

1 white tuxedo or men's dress shirt
2 yards of fun fabric (44"/45" wide)
Seam ripper
Sewing machine
Scissors

White thread
Pins

Notes:

  1. Poly/cotton Fun Fabric with a multi-directional pattern is the easiest to use. If you chose a directional fabric, you need to take that into account when laying out the sleeve and shirt back patterns. I chose superhero fabric, but a loud paisley or Hawaiian print are also great choices.
  2. I purchased poly/cotton white tux shirts from an online store for $13/each. You may be able to find one at a thrift store for less.
  3. An oxford-cloth dress shirt will also work and may allow your secret superhero to go to work in style!
  4. I strongly suggest doing this project with a white shirt and a very colorful print for the most dramatic effect.

Step 2: Patterning: Let the Ripping Begin!

Here's where the seam ripper is going to get a lot of use.

Remove:
-the two sleeves--Make sure you mark which is left and right before you remove them
-the back below the yoke.
-cuffs
-plackets

Notes: The basic idea of this design is that we are changing the sleeves and the back below the yoke to our fun fabric. The collar, front, back yoke, cuffs, and sleeve plackets will remain white. Thus,

  1. You will use the sleeves and the back below the yoke for patterning in step 4.
  2. You will use the rest of the shirt when you rebuild it into The Perfect Party Shirt.

Step 3: Cut New Sleeves and Back

Using the white sleeves and the white back (below the yoke) as patterns, cut new sleeves and back from fun fabric.

Notes:

  1. Make sure you mark which sleeve is left and right.
  2. Mark any pleats that are on the sleeve cuffs and that may be on the back below the yoke.
  3. Mark sleeve placket slits and cut.

Step 4: Sew It Back Together: Sleeve Cuff Plackets

Pin and sew white plackets on fun-fabric sleeve using a straight top stitch.

Step 5: Add Back at Yoke

Sew fun-fabric back below the yoke to the white yoke using a straight stitch.

Note: The white yoke has two layers. I did this in two steps: First, I sewed the back to the underside layer of the white yoke. Then, I top-stitched it throw both layers of the yoke.

Step 6: Sew Sleeves to Shirt

Sew sleeves to shirt at shoulder using a straight stitch.

Finish the seam using a serger or or a zigzag stitch .

Step 7: Sew Side Seams

Using a straight stitch, sew the side seams all the way from the end of the sleeve, through the armpit, and along the side of the shirt to the shirttail.

Finish the seam using a serger or or a zigzag stitch.

Step 8: Sew Hem

Sew the hem on bottom back of the shirt using s straight stitch.

Note: You can simply use your white thread for this or you may want to use a thread color that better blend in with the fun fabric (which is what I did in this example).

Step 9: Attach Cuffs

Fold and put pleats on new fun-fabric sleeves.
Sew on white cuffs using a top stitch.

Note: I did not find it necessary to do this in two steps. It was easy enough to top stitch threw both layers of the cuffs.