T-shirt Makeover Inspirations

I have collected fabric, and even some t-shirts to refashion. But I need to move from stash to suitcase. I thought that perhaps some of you might be stuck too. The trick is, these would be easy enough to do without buying a pattern. So here, I offer you some t-shirt makeover inspiration.

Altered Sleeves

For this one, cut the sleeves off the shirt you have. Be VERY careful to follow the lines that they sewed on. Use the sleeves you just cut off as a pattern template, and cut new sleeves out of your fun fabric. Be sure to leave some seam allowance, because t-shirts are sewn on a serger, and that has a VERY narrow allowance. Also include some length for a hem. Then sew your new fun fabric together, and attach the sleeve.

Happy Pocket

This is pretty straight forward, and would take only the smallest scrap. Draw a pocket on scratch paper. Cut it out. Iron down a hem on the top. Sew the hem down. Then either leave the edges rough and sew the pocket down just like that. Or turn under a tiny hem at this point, and then sew the pocket down.

Peplum Ruffle

First make a ruffle. Take a strip of fabric about twice as long as the bottom of your shirt. Make a hem along one long side. Then sew a line along the unfinished side. Use those stitches to form a gather. With right sides together, sew the ruffle around the bottom edge of the shirt. Depending on where you want the ruffle to be, and how long you want the shirt in the end, you could cut off the existing hem and shorten the shirt before adding the ruffle.

Back Triangle Surprise

For this one, I would cut a triangle out of the fun fabric and hem the bottom (short) end of the triangle. Then just cut a slit in the back, and insert the contrast fabric into the slit. It will create volume and fall in a soft ruffle. Then the front of the shirt will be fitted and the back will have this neat detail, and some extra ease. Perfect!

Front Panel Fun.

This one could be colorful and fun. Try on your t-shirt. Hold up your fabric to see where you would like the new colorful piece to end. Mark your shirt to indicate your decision. Then cut your fabric to match the size of that piece. You can either just pin and sew that right on. Or cut the piece a hair bigger, and turn under a tiny hem all the way around.
You can either cut the t-shirt away under the fabric you have inserted or you can leave it. If there is a sheer or an eyelet, it might be a neat contrast to have the t-shirt gone.

Peter Pan Collar

For this one we have a fantastic full fledged tutorial. Yeah! Kat put a very elegant version of this together, and wrote a whole tutorial for it, so I will point you to that example and you will have great success.

How about it? A quick make-over for your summer wardrobe?