Henley Shirt Placket Tutorial – and free shirt patterns

Do you have a favorite basic t-shirt pattern? Then this tutorial is for you! Make your favorite t-shirt pattern into a Henley style shirt with this placket tutorial that works with any shirt pattern. Need a t-shirt pattern? Scroll down, I’ve listed all my free ones and they pretty much cover all needs {except men and infants… I guess I need to get on those!} I sewed up a raglan Henley and a normal sleeve Henley for this tutorial and LOVE how they both turned out. You can make the placket two ways with either woven or knit and I’ve included both a video tutorial and a photo/written tutorial so hopefully I’ve covered all the bases. Please let me know if you have any questions. Join our FB pattern group for updates like this one and support on patterns.

I’m so excited to share this tutorial as an add on to the free t-shirt patterns I currently offer. You can find the Free Kids Raglan Shirt {pictured on my son} size 18mth-10yrs, a Free Boys T-Shirt {2-10yrs}, Free Girls T-Shirt {slightly more fitted} size 2-10yrs and the Women’s Free t-Shirt {pictured here} size xs-xxl.

Jack is wearing the woven placket and mine is knit fabric.

Confession I REALLY really dislike button holes… so Jack has snaps on his shirt. {who’s with me?}

Jack’s shirt has white ribbing fabric on the neckline and my placket and neck is a knit fabric with double stretch.

If you like video tutorials or just want to get a feel for what these pictures are showing you can watch the Womens Henley Shirt placket tutorial in this video. Remember that the two plackets are the same concept, but slightly different so make sure to modify to which placket you want to make.

Okay, let’s get started. Here are my recommended cutting dimensions.

Kids thick {like Jacks} {LxW} 5×6″

Kids Thin 4×4″

Womens thin 6×4″”

Men’s 6×6″

Iron in half {I’ve marked which is Length and which is Width} also iron up the bottom inch and the side 1/4″. If you want the bottom tab of fabric on the outside of your shirt sew your placket to the WRONG side of your shirt, placket right side down, matching centers. If you want the bottom of the placket to be inside the shirt {like my shirt} sew the placket on the FRONT of the shirt, right sides together. Sew 1/4″ from center mark down, across bottom fold, then back up. For a wider placket sew 1/2″ from center line. Cut down center line and then clip to corners.

Pull placket to front and iron flat. 

Let’s fold the placket. Decide which will be in front and which should be in back. These photos show traditional boy style. Here’s how you will fold both the left and right, keeping the bottom folded up. You can fold then iron if you want. Make sure the seam allowance from the shirt is tucked into the placket.

First prep the under placket, the left here. Fold as above, then cut some of the bulk out of the bottom as shown below. {the top tow photos are reversed, opps} Fold the over placket on top and make sure the bottom tab is folded under to finish all the edges.  Sew the left side of under placket, then right side of over placket. Then sew a square at the bottom to catch all the edges.

Let’s add the neck band. Cut a long piece 1 1/4″ wide. Fold together length wise and create a curved end as shown. Match the point of the back to the edge of the shirt neckline. Pin the curve, then the straight, slightly pulling band along neckline. When you get to the other side, cut another curve and pin. Use a serger or zig-zag to sew to shirt, then top-stitch the seam allowance to the shirt. I used a double needle to do this. Be sure to finish edge of neck band when you top stitch. 

Hopefully sewing this shirt doesn’t make all your teeth fall out {ha!}

Again, you’ve got a few choices, woven, knit, bottom tab in or out… then put it on a regular t-shirt or raglan and love it!

My little photo bomber… {also wearing handmade}

Let me know if you have any questions.. I’m happy to help!