The sewing order of a garment
What you take from this lesson: Assemble a garment in the order that lets you sew fast and without fighting the machine.
The order is not a whim
Every seam closes off an option. Once the side of a t-shirt is closed, the garment goes from flat to a tube, and anything left to sew inside that tube becomes awkward or flat-out impossible.
The general rule is simple: everything that can be done while the garment is flat gets done first.
Typical sequence for a t-shirt
- Apply prints or embroidery to the front, while the piece is still separate.
- Close the shoulders.
- Attach the neckband, which is much easier with the garment open.
- Set the sleeves into the armhole, also with the garment flat.
- Close the side seam and the sleeve seam in one continuous seam.
- Finish the hem of the body and of the sleeves.
Sew by operation, not by garment
In production you do not finish one garment and then start the next. You do the same operation on all of them: all the shoulders, then all the necklines, then all the sleeves.
It has two concrete advantages. The machine is set up once per operation instead of constantly changing stitch and thread. And your hands find a rhythm: the tenth seam of the same type takes half the time of the first.
If more than one person is sewing, it also lets you divide the work by operation so that each person always does the same thing, which is where a workshop's productivity really shows up.
Which stitch for which fabric
On stretch knits (jersey, rib, brushed fleece) you need a stitch that stretches with the fabric: overlock to close seams, and twin-needle straight stitch or coverstitch for hems. If you sew a jersey with a single-needle straight stitch, the seam breaks when the garment is put on.
On woven fabrics (gabardine, poplin, canvas) use a straight stitch, and finish the edges with overlock so they do not fray.
Common mistakes
- Closing the side seams before attaching the sleeves: sewing the armhole in the round is slow and comes out crooked.
- Printing after the garment is assembled.
- Using a single-needle straight stitch on stretch fabric.
In short
Everything that can be done with the garment flat goes first. And in production you sew by operation: the same seam on every garment before moving on to the next one.
Frequently asked questions
- In what order is a t-shirt sewn?
- Print, shoulders, neckband, sleeves, side seam and sleeve seam in one continuous seam, and finally the hems. The idea is to leave for last everything that forces you to sew in the round.
- Which stitch do I use on stretch fabric?
- Overlock to close seams, and twin needle or coverstitch for hems. A single-needle straight stitch does not stretch and breaks when the garment is put on.