To get the jacket length, have the person stand with their arms hanging at their sides. Measure from the base of their neck down to their thumb knuckle. [2] X Research source
2-button blazer for everyday wear, such as for work and important meetings. Tuxedo for formal occasions, such as black tie events and weddings. 3-piece suit, which includes a vest along with the jacket and pants. This might be ideal for a winter suit. Lightweight summer suit to keep you cool during the warmer months. [4] X Research source
If you do not want to purchase a pattern, there are free suit patterns that you can download and print. Just search the internet for the type of suit pattern you want.
Heavyweight fabric choices for blazers include wool, tweed, velvet, and corduroy. Medium weight choices include linen and cotton. The higher the quality of the fabric you choose, the easier it will be to sew. [8] X Expert Source Alessio IadiciccoApparel Manufacturing Specialist Expert Interview. 16 June 2021.
If there’s anything that’s unclear about the pattern, ask someone who has experience sewing suits to explain it to you. For example, you could ask a friend or family member for help or pose the question on an online forum for tailors.
Different groups of pattern pieces for a design are usually indicated by letters, such as A, B, and C. For example, if you’re making a 2-piece suit, you’d only need the pieces for the jacket and pants, but if you’re making a 3-piece suit, you’d need the pieces for the jacket, pants, and vest. The 2-piece suit might be marked with an A while the 3-piece suit pieces might have an A and B or just a B on them. Cut slowly and carefully to avoid creating any jagged edges or going over your desired size lines.
Be sure to follow any special instructions that the pattern includes for how to pin the pieces onto the fabric. For example, you may need to pin certain pieces along a folded edge and avoid cutting that edge of the fabric. This is common for the back panel of jackets and vests since they tend to require larger cuts of fabric.
Make sure to cut any notches out of the fabric that are indicated along the edges of the paper pattern pieces. These are important for lining up your pieces when you sew them together. Don’t remove the paper pattern pieces from the pieces you cut out right away. Keep them in place so that you will be able to tell the different pieces apart.
For example, the front panels of the suit’s jacket will likely have markings for buttonholes and button placement that you’ll need to indicate on the front panel pieces.
For example, if you’re attaching one of the front panels for the suit jacket to the back panel, you’ll need to pin the pieces starting along the edges of the 2 pieces that will go under the armpit and go all the way to the bottom of the 2 pieces.
Make sure to remove the pins as you sew. Do not sew over the pins or you may damage your sewing machine. Repeat this to connect all of the other suit pieces together.
If you transferred any markings from the paper pattern pieces to the fabric, these will serve as helpful guides for where to create buttonholes and sew buttons onto. Sewing the pockets, buttonholes, and flaps by hand will make the jacket look more tailored and high-value. [18] X Expert Source Alessio IadiciccoApparel Manufacturing Specialist Expert Interview. 16 June 2021.
You can purchase a tie to wear with the suit or make your own tie if you want.