Step-by-step tutorial on how to sew a basic swim shirt, tank top and sleeveless pattern.

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Basic T-shirts are like coffee.

The complicated patterns with surprising details are very nice and are a challenge to make and sew them but simplicity also has its advantagesWhen I made the patterns of the five basic t-shirts that are on the web I thought it was silly because they are patterns that have nothing special and that can be found "a lot" on the internet but I wanted to have my own patterns of basic t-shirts because although they are small details if there are things that differentiate them from each other. Personally there are some details that I like more of some models than others and when I talk to friends they also have their preferences for some details that perhaps I had not paid attention. Basic T-shirts are like coffee, everyone likes it in a particular way.

Touché!

What I usually take into account when choosing a basic t-shirt are several things and it may be that you have the same hobbies as me or that you have others. If you have the same I have made "touché" with you with these patterns and if not you can always make small modifications to finish making them to your liking.

• The neck trim should not be too wide.
• If they are short sleeved they should not be too long. I like them either very short or normal but more than half an arm is not my style. If you like them longer, no problem, just add the centimeters you need and that's it.
• With basic t-shirts that are wider, I'm not so fussy.
• They should be long enough to tuck a little inside the pants. It makes me very angry when they come out.
• That they deform at the first wash. This would be a problem if we cut the fabric wrong or if we did not wash the fabric before cutting it, but this is neither my case nor yours.

When a T-shirt has these characteristics it becomes my favorite garment to wear all year round. No matter how much time passes and no matter how worn it is, I never get tired of wearing it and I always feel very comfortable with it. I have a t-shirt that I have worn for so long and it is so worn out that I should throw it away but I am reluctant to do so. I keep it in the closet because someday I will replicate it.

You must sew a basic t-shirt pattern

• Because you will be able to make them in a short time and when you have practice I can say that you will sew them very fast.
• Because you will be able to reproduce them over and over again in the colors you want so that your closet always has those basics that will get you out of any trouble.
• Because you will be able to customize it to your liking, add a pocket here or there, lengthen it a bit and make a cotton summer knit dress, whatever you can think of.

Things to consider before sewing

• Wash or steam iron the fabric before cutting so that the garment does not shrink after sewing.
• Use a ball point needle to avoid breaking the fabric fibers.
• Use a Teflon or double-drag foot.
• Sew a zig zag stitch on the seams of the tighter models. In the wider models you can use straight stitching.
• Use a ball point twin needle for hemming the hems of hems and sleeves.
• A ball point twin needle is also used for the neck and armhole seams.

What you will learn in this video tutorial

• I'm going to teach you how tosew the collar and armholes in a way you didn't know before. They will be perfect. No more of these parts to be out of place.
• I'm going to show you how to sew a double stitch with a twin needle on the bottom and sleeves. If you don't have an overlocker this is the alternative.

Here are the three models so we can sew them together. I will be by your side throughout the whole process. Sew at your own pace and taking as much time as you need. Don't want to go fast because rushing is not a good ally of sewing. Better to take more days and make sure that everything is looking the way you expect.

Video tutorial basic swim shirt, basic tank top, basic tank top, basic sleeveless t-shirt

In this video tutorial I will explain how to sew these three basic t-shirts. The finish of the collars, armholes and hems is the same in all three. I have used the swim shirt pattern as an example but you can apply the same sewing procedure to the other two patterns.

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Note: The sewing process shown in the video is personal and indicative. This is how I have sewn it but you can include your own solutions or add new details that do not appear in the video. It is possible that you have sewn something similar in some occasion and that you have done some part of the process in a different way. All options are valid. I advise you to try several and then decide which one you find more comfortable to sew. 

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