Instructions
1. Find 2 identical t-shirts: you are looking for round neck and set-in sleeves - raglan or v-neck will just make your life difficult. All overlocked seams is good.
2. Declare one shirt the Main Shirt, and the other one Scrap.
3. Using seam ripper or sharp scissors or grit and determination (or combination), UNDO or RIP OUT (do not just cut the seams off!) the following seams:
* On both shirts - the whole neck ribbing - put aside to use later.
* On Main Shirt - the Right Side seam up to the arm, then around the front part of the right sleeve to the shoulder seam and across the right shoulder.
* On Scrap Shirt - all the side and sleeve seams necessary to completely remove the front panel in one piece.
4. Lay the 2 shirt fronts, right sides together, on a flat surface (Make sure the rest of the Main Shirt is laying out of the way). If you want, use tailor's chalk to plan where you will cut. You want to cut in a graceful slight curve from roughly the underarm corner to the edge of the old neckline, but how revealing you want it is up to you! Also make a vertical cut about 2 inches in from the old side seam to make it all straight.
5. Lay the back of the Scrap Shirt flat and cut the 2 longest bias strips (~1 inch wide) you can diagonally from bottom corner to opposite top corner - these will become your straps. If your shirt doesn't yield long enough straps for your taste, you may need to cut 4 strips and join them. Or you could use ribbon instead.
6. Pin the Scrap front panel to the Main shirt right side seam, sleeve and shoulder - check that you have right sides of the fabric together and all your edges match. You may want to unpick a bit of the hems where they are going to join to make it all neat. Carefully sew the Scrap front to the shirt - start with the shoulder seam, then the sleeve, then finally the side seam. LEAVE A 2cm GAP NEAR THE TOP OF THE SIDE SEAM FOR THE STRAP TO GO THROUGH!! Use an overlocker if you want, or a suitable stretchy stitch on your sewing machine. **My shirts had clear elastic in the shoulder seams that was destroyed in the unpicking, so I added new elastic to prevent shoulder sag.
7. Find the 2 bias strips you cut from the back. Fold the edges into the centre, then fold that in half so all the raw edges are tucked in and you are making a long thin strip. Sew the whole length of both bias strips with whatever stitch takes your fancy - something that allows the strap to stretch a bit is good.
8. Find the neck ribbing you unpicked. Join both bits together end to end. Pin the join at the centre back of the shirt's neck. Pin at regular intervals along the neck and top, stretching out the ribbing as you go. Once it is pinned, sew the ribbing to the shirt. Sew a first seam along the raw edges, then sew again with a straight stitch, over the previous seam, with the ribbing flipped up, so it will not keep folding itself down when you wear the top. If you have ribbed bits hanging out each end, trim them off.
9. Fold over the 2 raw side seams and stitch them down. Include the straps at the top corners.
10. To wear - put shirt on like a coat, then feed the left strap through the hole under the right arm, pass both straps behind and tie in a bow. Yay!
1. Find 2 identical t-shirts: you are looking for round neck and set-in sleeves - raglan or v-neck will just make your life difficult. All overlocked seams is good.
2. Declare one shirt the Main Shirt, and the other one Scrap.
3. Using seam ripper or sharp scissors or grit and determination (or combination), UNDO or RIP OUT (do not just cut the seams off!) the following seams:
* ...
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Difficulty:
Category: Sewing
Type of item: Clothing
For: Women
Style: Casual
Materials
2 long-sleeved, round-necked t-shirts; sewing thread; ~8cm elastic; sharp pointy scissors or seam ripper
What was your inspiration?
I have a Womama Wrap dress that I love, and couldn't find a similar styled top.
What are you most proud of?
A neat finish - sewing knits is not my strong point!
What advice would you give someone starting this project?
To unpick overlocked seams: attack the straight locking stitch lines first, then the rest should come apart easily. If a thread isn't coming with a gentle tug, don't pull it! Try from the other end of the seam first - some overlocked seams come apart more easily in one direction. It is quicker to be patient and tease the threads apart, to understand your enemy and tear it apart one thread at a time than to make a thousand stabs with your seam ripper.
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