How to Make a Precision Placket

A well-proportioned pattern and fusible web tape yield a crisp, precise sleeve placket for any button-front shirt. Pattern: Vogue 8747, view D. Fabric: Swiss cotton shirting.

Add this placket at tunic hem vents or pant and capri leg vents, as shown with Simplicity Threads 1919, view D, in cotton twill. Adjust the placket length from the bottom edge to fit the hem vent.

A well-proportioned pattern and fusible web tape yield a crisp, precise sleeve placket for any button-front shirt. Pattern: Vogue 8747, view D. Fabric: Swiss cotton shirting.

Photo: Jack Deutsch

Download this pattern for a perfect placket and learn how to make this classic sleeve finish in this article from Threads #161.

Design is all about details, especially when it comes to a classic garment like a button-front dress shirt. Many shirt patterns, however, leave off one small detail that can make all the difference between a homemade and a professional look: a sleeve placket. It's been replaced by a continuous binding that finishes the vent, but lacks crispness. On the rare pattern where a placket is included, it is often too short and too narrow to handle easily.

You don't have to make do with an inferior vent finish. I'll show you how to add a classic sleeve placket to any shirt. My placket pattern and method make it simple to get professional-looking results. The pattern adapts easily for each wearer, and its 1-inch finished width gives enough room for buttons.

I recommend making a few sample plackets for practice. The payoff is a polished, refined sleeve finish.

Mark the sleeve and prep the placket pattern

Make a practice placket first, and use a fabric with obvious wrong and right sides to eliminate confusion. Precise, on-grain cutting ensures the placket's foldlines crease crisply and accurately. Carefully mark all foldlines, clipping lines, and stitching lines.

* Download the full-scale placket pattern now - Set your printer to "Scaling: None" for correct pattern size.

1. Cut the sleeve according to your pattern. Mark the sleeve head's front and back. Mark the vent line. To determine the correct placket length for your sleeve, measure along the vent marking from the sleeve's cuff edge to the sleeve head. The placket length is 1⁄3 of this measurement. Lengthen or shorten the placket pattern as necessary from its bottom edge.

2. Use this pattern to cut the placket on the fabric's straight grain. Make tiny clips in the fabric to mark the foldlines, stitching lines, and the slash line. It's helpful to draw and number the lines on your first placket sample with a fabric pen or pencil to ensure accuracy.

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Threads Magazine, editor
Posted on Apr 18th, 2012 in sewing, online extras, garment construction, how-to, threads magazine, sleeve, threads issue 161, placket

Comments (17)

charbroiled writes: This works very well with crisp/firm fabrics. I had a little trouble working it on a brushed cotton though - too soft I suppose.
Also - I discovered that when converting a continuous lap opening to this placket opening it increased the sleeve seam length by about 1 1/2 inches. It no longer fit the cuff seam.
Adding/increasing the pleats looked bad, so I gathered the excess to make the seamlines match.
Redrafted the sleeve to remove the excess for the next time.
Posted: 3:09 pm on April 20th

AltheaDi writes: This and all of your how to are so helpful. Thank you.

Althea
Posted: 9:10 am on October 17th

scrubble4 writes: I like the PDF downloads. A great way to tangibly increase my resources. Thanks
Posted: 7:55 pm on July 2nd

sailcocktail writes: Wow, so very clear! I nearly tore my hair out over the placket the first time I made a man's dress shirt. This will become a staple technique for me, I am sure.

Posted: 7:22 pm on June 26th

CarolW writes: I've been trying to adapt a placket pattern on my own with varying success. This looks like just what I need. Thank you!
Posted: 11:08 am on April 29th

teariana writes: I was wondering about different ways I might use this when I first opened it and then while copying I saw the capris. Great idea.
Posted: 5:45 pm on April 28th

whoneedlesthis writes: I used to make my shirt sleeve plackets in two separate pieces, until I was altering sleeves on an expensive RTW shirt and first saw this one!
Once I changed to a one-piece placket, it looked so much more neat and professional.
Thankyou for including a printable pattern piece for us, now all my shirts and blouses will look fabulous!!
Posted: 3:36 pm on April 28th

LeahBoyan writes: I've used the placket pattern from David Page Coffin's book and love it! It is flawless. I have altered the pattern slightly to increase the seam allowance. This helps me in two ways: 1) it's easier to turn under 1.25 inches rather than 1/4 inch, and 2) the seam allowance acts as an interfacing to give the placket more body. I alter the seam allowance on the 'right hand' side (the one with the #6 fold to 1.25. The 'left hand side' I increase the seam allowance to .5.
Posted: 11:36 am on April 26th

Nerdychick2001 writes: thanks for the clear explanations and great photos to help me visualize this.
Posted: 7:20 pm on April 25th

user-1118050 writes: Thank you for another great sewing idea. You always make it so easy.
Posted: 6:35 pm on April 25th

fotofashion writes: One thing I always do where clipping a corner is concerned is to shorten the stitch length about 1/2" before the corner and continue the short stitch length until the entire corner is sewn.
Beverly A.
Posted: 5:56 pm on April 25th

bbenson833 writes: Marguerite is amazing....thanks for sharing this pattern!
Posted: 5:38 am on April 24th

Princessaimee writes: What an amazing article! A beautiful technique. I will bookmark this for future reference. Thank you Marguerite and Threads!
Posted: 9:11 pm on April 23rd

Elaray writes: I recently made a dress with a front placket and I wasn't 100% thrilled with the outcome. I wish I had this information then! That's okay – I have it now.
Posted: 11:35 am on April 21st

bbieri writes: I have used this placket pattern and it is great. It is the same as in David Coffin's book. However, I did not think about using the steam-a-seam. Great idea.
Posted: 8:50 pm on April 20th