How to make a ribbon-cuff t-shirt

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one shirt, size M)

• Outer (cotton lawn, voile or any light cotton) — about 110 cm wide × 200 cm (43 × 79 in)
• Lightweight fusible interfacing — about 10 × 20 cm (4 × 8 in) to reinforce the back opening
• Button, about 1 cm (3/8 in) — 1
• Or, if buying ribbon: 1.5 cm satin ribbon — about 150 cm
• Sewing thread to match
• A bodkin (a safety pin will do)

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Adult clothes” → “Ribbon-cuff T-shirt” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the bust, length, shoulder width, sleeve length, sleeve fullness, gathered cuff measurement, neckline width (one side), back opening length and ease. Presets cover S, M, L and a short-sleeved version. The greater the sleeve fullness, the more the cuff gathers when you tie it. Woven fabric does not stretch, so the back opens to get your head through (the size of the opening when unbuttoned is shown below the pattern).
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Lay the pattern on the wrong side and trace both lines. Front and back are cut on the fold at center.
2. Cut the pieces
   One front and one back, each on the fold; two sleeves; one bias strip for the neckline; two sleeve ribbons. Cut the bias strip at a true 45 degrees to the grain.
3. Transfer the notches
   Mark the sleeve-cap notch and the notch on the back that marks the end of the back opening. Mark the cuff fold line too.
4. Interface the back opening
   Fuse a 10 × 20 cm piece of lightweight interfacing around center back at the opening.
5. Make the self-fabric ribbons
   Fold each strip in quarters (both edges to the center, then in half) and topstitch the open edge. Store-bought satin ribbon works just as well.

4. Sewing

4-1. Make the back opening

1. Cut straight down center back, from the top edge to the notch.
2. Turn the cut edges under twice, narrowly (5 mm then 5 mm), stitch, and backstitch about 1 cm across the bottom of the slit.
3. At the top of one side, either catch in a 7 cm loop of self-fabric cord for the button, or work a buttonhole.

4-2. Sew the shoulders

1. Place front and back right sides together and sew the shoulder seams.
2. Finish the allowances and press them toward the back.

4-3. Bind the neckline

1. Turn each end of the bias strip under 1 cm, lay it on the neckline right sides together and sew from one edge of the back opening to the other.
2. Turn it to the inside to wrap the allowance and topstitch next to it from the right side. Ease it around the curves without stretching it.

4-4. Set the sleeves

1. The cap is about 1 cm longer than the armhole (ease). Run two rows of long stitches in the cap allowance, draw them up just a little, match the cap notch to the shoulder seam and set each sleeve in, right sides together.
2. Finish the allowances and press them toward the body.

4-5. Sew the sides and underarms

1. Place front and back right sides together and sew from the cuff down to the hem in one pass. Repeat on the other side.
2. Press the underarm allowances open for the depth of the cuff fold (about 3.5 cm / 1 3/8 in). They sit inside the casing, and pressed open they won't catch the ribbon.

4-6. Make the cuff casings

1. Make the casings after sewing the underarm seams. If you stitch the casing first, the underarm seam closes it off and the ribbon can't go all the way around.
2. Turn the cuff under 1 cm, then 2.5 cm, press, and topstitch along the upper fold all the way around. That is your casing.
3. Make two exits for the ribbon on what will be the outside of the sleeve. Cut a 1.5 cm slit through the inner layer only and finish each slit with buttonhole stitch or a tight zigzag. Skip that reinforcement and the slits will tear the first few times you pull the ribbon.

4-7. Hem, then thread the ribbons

1. Turn the hem under 1 cm then 2 cm and stitch. Sew the button to the top of the back opening.
2. Thread a ribbon all the way around each casing with a bodkin or safety pin and bring both ends out of the slits.
3. Put the shirt on, decide how tight you like it, then trim the ribbon ends on the diagonal.

✏️ The trick to this pattern is making the cuff casings after the underarm seams. Make them first and the seam closes the tube, so the ribbon can't gather the cuff. The cuff is 30–40 cm around, so it fits over the machine's free arm.

5. Tips & variations

• Play with the ribbon: self-fabric is quiet, a contrasting satin makes it an occasion. Make several and swap them.
• Adjusting the puff: set the sleeve fullness to 12 cm or more and the cuff gathers into a proper puff sleeve. Around 8 cm gives a soft, restrained ripple.
• The short-sleeve preset: even short, the ribbon at the cuff quietly covers the upper arm.
• Nothing to tie: thread 1 cm flat elastic instead of ribbon and the sleeve needs no tying at all — better if you are making this for a child.
• Keep it light: thick fabric makes a bulky casing that the ribbon will not pass through. Lawn or voile.