In this tutorial you will learn how I make Russian folk shirts with machine embroidery. And tell about one way of joining machine cross patterns.

If you don't know the technique of machine embroidery, you can replace it with hand embroidery or any other you know.

For sewing and embroidery you need:

- fabric (I use linen or cotton)

- embroidery threads

- filmoplast stabilizer

- sewing thread

- cotton yarn

- scissors

- ruler

- chalk for marking

And also:

- sewing machine;

- embroidery machine (if you use it for trimming);

- serger (if no, the edge can be processed on the sewing machine or by hand).

There are several cutc of traditional Russian men's shirts. I often use this (size 48-52):

The peculiarity of the Russian folk cut is that all details must fit the width of 40cm. For a long time, the clothes were made of homespun cloth and it was difficult to make it wider than 40 cm. Modern fabrics can let one make wider cuts, so the pattern can be changed to sew a shirt without the side insets. Then the cut looks like this:

If you sew a shirt larger or smaller, it is important to follow the main features of the national cut:

- the shirt should be loose, the girth should have at least 20 cm in reserve

- the width of the sleeve should be at least 5 cm more then the biceps

- the length of the shirt should be not higher than the mid-thigh (as when belting oneself, the shirt goes up)

- the width of the shirt between the edges of the sleeves is 10 cm less then the height of the man

So, let's start!

1. Cuting out all details

Remember the seam allowances. I usually add 1-1,5 cm. And the seam allowances to tuck in the sleeves and hem per 2-4 cm.

2. Decorating the item with embroidery

The length of the embroidered tape, as a rule, does not fit a hoop of an embroidery machine, so one needs to join the part of the embroidery. This process requires certain skills.

There are many ways to do it, I'll show one most convenient for me.

I use filmoplast stabilizer, a special paper with an adhesive layer. It is convenient to fix details of the cut, can be easily removed and attached again, if necessary.

I add connecting stitches to join the embroidery using a special program. This line is made at the end of one part of the pattern and at the beginning of the next one. For successful joining, the stitches should match.

Embroider the first part of the pattern. You can sew the joining stitch without thread. Needle at least 3 pins in the holes left fron the needles (in the first hole, in the middle and the last of the stitch).

3. Gently remove the embroidered part tearing off the stabilizer around the embroidery

It is important that the stabilizer was left under the pins. The view from the back:

4. Embroidering the second part of the pattern

Embroider the joining stitch on the stabilizer without thread and cloth. Only punctures are left from the needle.

5. Putting over the detail with the first embroidered part

So that the pins reahed the corresponding holes of the joining stitch. And the embroidered detail will fall exactly in the place where the second part of the pattern starts.

6. Take out the pins, continue embroidering the second part

A very neat stitch turns out. There is the place of joining in the photo:

7. Embroidering all details

8. Cut out a circle on the chest with the help of a seam ripper.

9. Sewing on the sleeves

Leave 2-3 cm from both edges of the sleeves insewen (I mark the stitches blue).

10. Sew a gusset to the main detail of the sleeve and process the cut along this seam.

11. Sew the gusset to the main part of the shirt and process the part of the cut, wich I marked blue.

12. Sew on the sleeve by sewing into the other part of the gusset. Process the cut.

13. Sewing the last detail of the gusset and the side of the shirt.

14. Make a twisted cord of yarn with a tassel at the end.

Sew it into the edge of the standing collar. The collar can be cut of the desired length and the ties could be sewn from its both sides. But in order not to miscalculate the size, cut the collar later when its most part is sewn.

15. Sewing into the collar

If necessary, cut the length of the collar and sew into the second tie.

16. Process the cut of the neck. Tuck in and sew the hem and sleeves of the shirt.

17. The shirt is ready!

Learn more about Russian culture! I'm sure you will make many discoveries about the life and customs of the ancestors!