Sewing for Him: Top 6 Men’s Sewing Patterns, Shirts to Bombers

Ask a man about his favorite hoodie and you often hear the same complaint: the sleeves stop above the wrist, or the body was cut for someone a head shorter. Store sizes follow an average that few men match, and that is a good reason to sew for him. Good men’s sewing patterns give a clear size range, a size chart and steps you can follow on a home machine.

I narrowed the list to six patterns sized specifically for men: a short-sleeve button-up with a proper collar, a lined bomber jacket, a basic tee, a fleece hoodie, a pajama set and summer shorts. After the cards come men’s size charts, the shirt details worth practicing, and what the knit tops and the jacket ask of a home machine.

Six Men’s Sewing Patterns, from Bowling Shirt to Summer Shorts

Several listings called “men’s shirt” turned out to be vector mockups for designers, drawings with no pattern pieces, so they stayed out, together with hoodies and basics sold without any instructions, and a swim shorts pattern whose only review calls its instructions incorrect and incomplete. I made one deliberate exception for the bomber: it is a genuine layered jacket pattern, but it comes without construction instructions, and its card says so.

TL;DR: Six patterns for him, from a short-sleeve bowling shirt with a collar and a lined bomber jacket to a T-shirt in XS to 4XL, a fleece hoodie, Bryan pajamas and Daniel summer shorts.

• Bowling Shirt Nicholas – Best button-up shirt
• Men's Bomber Jacket Pdf Sewing Pattern – Best jacket
• Pattern Man T-shirt – Best T-shirt
• Men's Hoodie Pdf Sewing Pattern Winter – Best hoodie
• Men Pajamas Pattern Size S M L Bryan – Best pajamas
• Summer Men Shorts Daniel – Best casual shorts

Quick Comparison

Reading a Men’s Size Chart

Men’s tops are sized mainly by chest and bottoms by waist and hip, and a men’s letter size is not the same as a women’s one. The TakeAndSew listings here make that visible: the shirt, the pajamas and the Daniel shorts sell men’s S, M, L and XL, XXL, XXXL as separate groups, apart from the women’s XS to XXL.

• Chest: around the fullest part, under the arms, with the tape level across the back.
• Waist: at the level the pattern chart specifies, which on men’s trousers may be lower than the natural waist.
• Hip: around the fullest part of the seat, for the shorts and the pajama pants.
• Height: the Nicholas shirt is shown on a 188 cm model in size XXL with an 82 cm shirt length, and the Daniel shorts on the same height in XL. Both files explain how to change the length.

Body measurements and finished measurements are different numbers, and the gap between them is the ease, the room added for movement. The bomber and the hoodie keep their size charts in the gallery, so look there to see which measurements each one gives before you choose a size.

Collar, Yoke and Buttonholes: Shirt Skills in Two Patterns

The Nicholas shirt and the Bryan pajama top are built the same way: a shirt collar with a turn-down lapel, a button front and a back yoke with pleating for room across the shoulders. A short-sleeve shirt with this kind of open collar is often suggested as a first men’s shirt. The relaxed body reduces the fitting work, but the collar, button front and back yoke still need careful handling.

• Which side: men’s shirts traditionally button left over right, so the buttonholes go on his left front.
• Interfacing: fusible interfacing supports the collar and the button band and helps them hold their shape; the pattern decides which pieces get it.
• Buttonholes: sew a test buttonhole on a scrap of the same fabric and interfacing before marking the shirt.
• Seams: flat-felled side seams are the classic shirt finish; a zigzag or serged edge is fine on a relaxed summer shirt.

A Basic Tee and a Fleece Hoodie on a Home Machine

The T-shirt covers eight sizes from XS to 4XL and includes sewing instructions; the hoodie asks for thick fabric or fleece and comes as an A0 file with photo steps. T-shirts are normally cut from cotton jersey, and the hoodie cover shows short sleeves, so look through its gallery if he wants long ones.

Neither needs a serger. A narrow zigzag or the machine’s stretch stitch lets the seam stretch with the fabric. A ballpoint needle suits cotton jersey and a stretch needle suits knits with more elastane, in 75/11 for lighter fabric and 90/14 for heavier; a twin needle is an option for the hems once a test seam shows it stretches enough. Most knit tops in the tops and blouses section are drafted for women, but the same techniques carry over.

The Bomber Jacket Without Written Steps

The listing is direct about it: the bomber is meant for people who already sew well, and there are no sewing instructions. It asks for a thick fabric such as printed canvas or twill for the body and taffeta for the lining, and the cover shows a front zipper with ribbed bands at the neck, cuffs and hem.

That makes it a project for someone who has already sewn a lined jacket and installed a separating zipper. Rib bands are usually cut shorter than the opening they finish and stretched evenly while sewing, so pin them in quarters first. The exact length depends on the ribbing’s stretch and recovery, so use the pattern measurement when one is supplied. If the jacket is the first of its kind for you, a pattern with full steps from the jacket sewing patterns roundup is the safer start.

Summer Shorts and Pajama Pants

The Daniel listing does not specify a required fabric: the designer only says they look different depending on what you use, and the file includes instructions for changing the length.

Elastic-waist shorts and pajama pants come up again and again as early projects when sewing for men, because they avoid a fitted waistband and fly. A relaxed fit still needs the right rise, length and waistband, so the size chart matters as much as on any garment.

FAQ: Fit, Fabric and Sizes for Him

Do these patterns come in plus sizes for men?

The T-shirt goes to 4XL. The Nicholas shirt, the pajamas and the Daniel shorts sell XL to XXXL as a separate listing from S, M and L. The hoodie stops at 2XL and the bomber at XL.

Which men’s sewing patterns for beginners are on this list?

The covers of the Nicholas shirt and the T-shirt mark them as easy. The bomber is the one to leave for later, by its own listing.

Is there a pattern for men’s trousers here?

No. The only long pants in this set are the Bryan pajama pants with an elastic waist and side seam pockets. Trousers with a fly and a waistband, or a vest, would need a pattern from elsewhere.

Measure the Shirt He Already Wears

A size chart tells you his body; a favorite garment tells you how he likes things to fit. Lay his best-fitting shirt or hoodie flat, measure across the chest from underarm to underarm and double it. Where one of these men’s sewing patterns gives no finished chest measurement, measure the printed pieces across the chest line without seam allowances; a piece cut on the fold or cut twice counts twice, and any button overlap stays out. If he wants a hood or a zip front, the hoodie sewing patterns give more to compare.

Before cutting, compare the pattern’s chest and finished length with a shirt he already reaches for. That one check tells you more about his preferred fit than the letter on a store label.

You May Also Like

• A Hoodie for Every Age in These 6 Best Hoodie Sewing Patterns
• Ready for Summer: 10 Best Shorts Sewing Patterns for the Whole Family
• Button-Up or Pull-On, the 4 Best Pajama Sewing Patterns to Sew

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.