Thursday, May 31, 2012

Refashioned 4th of July girls T-shirts.

Cici and Nini ready for the concert.
These festive 4th of July shirts were refashioned from a boys plain white T-shirts (3 for $8.99).  Each year Cici and Nini have had a wonderful singing concert at their school for Memorial Day.  I enjoyed making dresses for them last year out of the same material in I used in the shirts (recycle!).  This year, since they insist they are getting too old for festive dresses, I opted for a more low-key solution -just trying to help them be as cool as they can!  Here's how I did it (keep in mind I'm not a seamstress and am still learning all the sewing terms!):

1.  I cut two T-shirts using the diagram below and saved the third T-shirt for the ruffles around the neck.
2.  My next step was to work on the neckline and make it smaller.  I cut two strips from the extra tee in the width I chose. Next I stitched with my sewing machine down the center of the strip.  I made the ruffles by pulling the threads and gathering them into two ruffled strips.
3. I pleated sections of the neckline to make it smaller and more fuller around the neck.  I stitched over each pleat and then went to work on pinning the ruffles around the neck.  You may have to make more strips into ruffles if your neckline is larger.  I sewed down the middle of the ruffle over the gathered fabric.
4.  The sleeves are capped flutter sleeves and do not meet under the arm pit.  I did puff the sleeves by making pleats and then sewed them into the shirt, making sure each sleeve was even.
5.  Make sure to hem the sleeve before sewing it to the shirt - much easier!
6.  Cut your stars first before sewing the two sides of the shirt together.  I gently traced and then cut the star pinning whatever fabric you desire underneath - to keep the stars shape, use lots of pins!  I stitched the star from the right side of the fabric.
6.  Sew the open sides together but be sure to measure arms first so that it's not too big or small around.
7.  I cut the fabric from the underarm to the bottom of the shirt in a diagonal cut to make the shirt look more of a bell look.

 8.  My last step was to trim off all the extra thread and then embroider the star shape onto each shirt.

I really enjoyed this project!  I hope this helps and inspires :)

Love, Michelle

3 comments:

Melinda said...

Wow, very impressive. I never would have thought of any of this. Way to go.

Serendipity said...

So cute and festive...

Anonymous said...

Cool! Great idea!

themommist.blogspot.com