Another T-shirt Makeover…

Another T-shirt Makeover with Two Shirts

I love t-shirts! They are so comfy, have no special laundering instructions, and look great for any occasion! I do get bored with a plain t-shirt. Sometimes I like to add just a little touch of something to dress them up a bit. I bought two plain t-shirts on clearance for $3 each. I cut one in half with the intention of using the cut off portion to dress up the other shirt. I almost felt guilty about cutting one in half… What should I do with the upper portion? This is another t-shirt makeover that completely transforms a simple shirt into something lovely and unique!

I have been sewing more than half of my life. I have a large “collection” of fabric and decided to use a piece of knit fabric to create a bottom half for the t-shirt I cut up. Does that make sense? Let me explain…

I started by cutting my shirt in half.

I used the bottom portion as a pattern to cut out a new bottom from a piece of knit fabric I already had.

I sewed the side seams, and gave it a hem. Then, I pinned the new bottom to the top of the cut up shirt.

I cut a strip from a contrasting fabric and sewed a seam down the center to gather the strip. I pinned it at the side seam of the shirt then gathered it all the way around. I used a zig-zag to stitch the ruffle in place, then removed the basting stitches.

I sewed a small bow made from a strip of knit fabric to the front and washed the shirt to make the ruffle curl.

Cute, huh? Now I don’t feel so guilty about cutting it apart. So now for the original reason I bought the shirts…

I took the lower portion of the first shirt and cut two 2″ strips. I cut the strips apart at the seam and stitched a seam down the center of three of the strips to gather them.

I pinned the edge of one strip at the shoulder seam and the other edge at the center of the neckline, then pulled the thread to gather the strip. I repeated the process for the other side of the neckline. I stitched them in place with a zig-zag.

I gathered the third strip tightly and wound it into a circle to make a flower, hand stitching the bottom as I went. I sewed it by hand to the front of the shirt, then washed it to make the edges curl.

Voila! A little bit girly but still way comfy – just the way I like it!

Originally posted 2012-11-08 08:00:24.