DIY: Sewing an Empire Shirt

This season, sew an empire waist shirt! Empire shirts are extremely popular among women because of the design’s cut. The cut refers to the  sewing pattern used to structure the style of the shirt. Empire shirts flatter everybody type because:

• It is brought in right under the bust, slimming the waistline.
• Its “skirt” drapes nicely over the midsection, masking the stomach or any problem areas
• The contrast of its structured bodice and loose skirt elongates the torso and draws eye attention upward

If you like to have unique pieces in your wardrobe (or enjoy DIY projects), you could sew your own empire shirt! Here is a list of what you need:

• Empire shirt sewing pattern – A popular brand is Simplicity Sewing Patterns.
• Head Pins – These are used to pin your pattern pieces over your fabric before you start cutting, and to pin your fabric pieces together after you’ve finished cutting.
• Quality scissors to cut your fabric – This is very important! Dull bladed scissors will not cleanly cut your fabric, allowing it to tear and leave protruding threads, making your design look sloppy. The Ultra Sharp Soft Cushion Scissors 8-1/2 is a great choice because of its sharp blades that will give you a crisp line when cutting your fabric. It’s also affordable, reliable, and most importantly – comfortable.
• Sewing Machine – If you are new to the sewing world and do not have a sewing machine,  buying a cheap sewing machine wouldn’t be a bad idea. A compact sewing machine is the best option because it is a fourth of the price of a regular sewing machine, and is easy to use.

Directions:

1. Measure your bust, waist, and hip with measuring tape and determine your shirt size on the back of your sewing pattern package by matching your measurements to a size.
2. With your size in mind, cut out the sewing pattern pieces that corresponds to your shirt size
3. With your pattern pieces, place them over your fabric and use your head pins to pin both together at the edges. This will help your pattern stay in place when cutting the fabric.
4. Cut the fabric around the pattern.
5. Use head pins to connect fabric pieces into your empire shirt design, which will be shown in your sewing pattern
6. Hem the edges together with your sewing machine, removing head pins as you go along.

Try your empire shirt on and make necessary changes by undoing the hem, readjusting the fabric, and re-hemming it. Share your experience below!

Tags: compact sewing machine, empire shirt