sewcreatelive: Men's Dress Shirt--How to Taper Sides

It is very easy to take in a men's dress shirt. First have the person try the shirt on and pinch in how much they would like it taken in. As you pin, make sure that the seam allowance is on the edge to keep it as accurate as possible. Put the pins parallel to the seam. Make both sides as even as possible.

On wrong side of fabric, mark all pins for one shirt side. Then take the pins out.

Turn the shirt inside out. With the flat fell seam on the edge, pin fabric layers together. Using chalk, connect all the chalk marks, blending the line. Curve it around the armhole.

Cut away from the chalk line 1/4". This will be the allowance for the flat fell seam. Save the cut piece for the other shirt side.

Pin the other shirt side, keeping the flat fell seam on the edge.

Place the cut piece on the shirt side, matching edges.

Mark the cut edge with chalk.

Cut on chalk line. Now the amount removed will be the same for both sides.

Unpick hem stitching for 2" from cut edges.

On sleeves, unpick flat fell seam for 1 1/2" close to the cuff.

Check to see which direction the original flat fell seam lays. You will want the new flat fell seam to go the same direction. The shirt side that will have the overlap on the flat fell seam will be placed right side down on the table. Place the other shirt wrong side down so that wrong sides are together. The one on the bottom will be offset 1/4".

Blend the cut edges where you have unpicked the flat fell seam in the sleeve.

Showing trimmed off edges.

Here is the pinned sleeve with the 1/4" overlap.

Press up the 1/4" extension on each side and sleeve.

Stitch 1/4" from edge, catching the raw edge. Could use a felling foot for this but a regular foot works as well.

Blend stitches as you get close to the existing flat fell seam in the sleeve. You can adjust this later.

First stitching should look like this.

Turn shirt inside out. Press seam over to enclose raw edges. This will create the flat fell seam. Stitch along edge of fold, keeping stitching parallel to first row of stitching.