What's Too Tight and Too Short? Not This Shirt!

So, I've learned that buying clothes from a yard sale or Goodwill can be a gamble with the sizing if you don't try on the clothes. I encountered this problem with both Shirt #1 and Shirt #2 in the above picture. I can't remember why I didn't try them on. I wanna say it was a time issue. Anyways, In the first picture, the shirt is too tight even though the tag assured me it shouldn't be. (Liar, Liar pants on fire!) The problem with Shirt #2 was everything. The cut was awful, there was just no shape whatsoever, and it was way big (it may not look like it in the picture, but trust me on this one). The pattern wasn't bad, and the colors are what prompted me to purchase it. However, that pattern all over the shirt turned out to be just TOO much.  I think I only spent about $5 total on the shirts.

 I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way, but I'm a big fan of long shirts. After you hit 30 and have a baby, you tend to not like short shirts. I also don't care for clingy shirts that show any lumps and other such imperfections goin' on under my clothes, amiright?  And if I'm being honest here, most of the shirts I own these days are too clingy for my taste. I think I'm gaining too much weight...or the shirts could be shrinking...Yeah, I like that, lets go with that! ;)

So, I've come up with a really good solution to the too tight, too short problem. I took two shirts and formed them into one miracle shirt! 

 Enjoy this fun tutorial! 

      First, decide which shirt is going to be your main shirt. The other shirt will be for accents.  With the main shirt, cut the side seam open about 10 inches from the bottom. Do this on both sides. (I would have used the seam ripper for this, but since my shirts are knit, I didn't want to rip holes. And lets face it, scissors are faster.) It should look like this:

Next, you're going to cut out two triangle pieces of fabric to make inserts where you cut up the sides seams of the main shirt.  With the accent shirt, I measured 6 inches across the bottom, at an angle measured up 10 inches and at the "point" of the triangle, I made it 1 inch across. (This could vary depending on how loose you want your shirt) Cut out two of these.

 Turn the main shirt inside out. Lay the triangle (right side down) and pin the triangle to the shirt. You want to pin the right sides of the fabric to each other. Once that is done, sew it together. I used a zig zag stitch. Not sure if this is the correct way to do it, but I've found that zig zag works well on knit fabrics. There is actually a special needle you can buy for this, but I don't have one. I think it's called a double needle.

 Now your shirt should be wider than before and not clingy.

To Lengthen your shirt: 

You need to decide how much longer you want your shirt to be. I cut 4" wide and gave myself 1/4" seam allowances. You'll need to measure around the bottom of the shirt to decide how long your strip of fabric needs to be. The best way is to carefully line up your shirt and measure across and double that number. My measurement was 28"x2. But it will probably be different for you. (If you don't have one continuous strip of fabric the length you need, you can sew them together like I did below.)

Once that's taken care of, you need to pin the strip of fabric (right sides together) on the hem of the main shirt.  Then sew all the way around the hem of the shirt. I used a straight stitch on this part. I'm not sure why, I just did. Once you get to the end, you need to sew the two ends of your fabric strip together. Do this carefully, I messed mine up twice.  Oh, and pay no attention to that seam ripper in the picture...I didn't use it, it was just there.

Lastly, if you have any raw edges that you need to hem, you should do this now.

 Wasn't that easy? Now you have a one of a kind shirt that's pretty and comfortable!

I'm so ready for spring...can you tell? =)

These are the accessories I added to my outfit. I got the shoes for 25 cents at a yard sale 2 years ago. The flower barrette is from H&M (on clearance) and I made that bracelet. 

Thanks for reading! I hope this tutorial helps someone salvage shirts they may have thrown away! =) 

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Easy Tunic Tutorial

I have had this fabric for a while now.

 I believe I bought it at a yardsale last year. I know I didn't spend alot. I think it was less than a dollar.  And I'm not sure how much there was. If I had to guess (and that's what I'm doing because, like an idiot, I didn't measure this before I started cutting), I would say it was about a yard of fabric.

I knew I wanted to make something to wear. I've searched and searched for the perfect tutorial, and I never really found one I was in love with. So today, I decided to make a tunic for my daughter without the help of a tutorial.  What I really love about this is I didn't have to put in sleeves!  

The materials I needed for this were:

Fabric- I had about a yard of knit fabric...but it just depends on the size of the shirt 

Thread - a color that goes with your fabric

Elastic - I used 1/4" wide for the sleeves and 1/2" wide for the waist

Scissors

Stick Pins

Sewing Machine

Measuring Tape

And a tshirt that fits to use as a pattern

I folded my fabric in half. I pinned the open sides together so the fabric wouldn't move around while I was cutting out the tunic.

I grabbed a tshirt from my daughter's closet. I chose one that fit comfortably and was a little long on her.

I lined up the shoulders of the shirt on the fold of the fabric. 

 I pinned the shirt down face down. I used a piece of red chalk to outline the tshirt.  I left about an inch between the top of the shirt and the outline. This was to make sure the tunic was a little loose and for a 1/4" seam allowance  I drew a curved line where the armpit is. From the armpit to the bottom of the shirt, I flaired out my outline. I wanted the shape to be more like a dress than a tshirt.  I freehanded the outline.  Once I finished outlining, I marked where the neckline of the tshirt was with 2 chalk marks.

Next, I cut along the chalk line. Be sure to keep the shoulder seams uncut, so once it's cut out, it will be all one piece. 

I cut the neckline into a boatneck style. I did this by measuring about 1/2" from the chalk mark I made at the neck and scooping down just a little until I reached 1/2" past the other chalk mark on the neckline.  

To sew the tunic, I flipped it.  With the right sides together, I sewed up the sides, bottom of the sleeves and at the top of the sleeves.

At this point, I had my daughter try it on to make sure I didn't make any mistakes.

While she had it on, I measured from her shoulder to a little above her waist.  This is where I will place the elastic. 

With the shirt inside out, I chalked a straight line where I decided to put the elastic. This will be the guide used when sewing the elastic into the tunic. This line needs to be straight all the way around or it will be noticeable once the elastic is sewn on.  

I measured around my daughter to get a measurement for the elastic. I subtracted 1 inch from this measurement.  I cut the elastic that length.  I pinned the end of the elastic to the side seam of the shirt and started sewing all the way around. I stretched the elastic while sewing to give it a gathered look.  When doing this, remember to stretch the elastic with one hand and guide the fabric through the machine with the other.

This is what it will look like on the inside after the elastic is sewn on.

When I sewed all the way around, I had my daughter try on the shirt AGAIN to make sure it looked even.

With the tunic inside out, I sewed a small piece of elastic (probably 3-4" long) on the top seam of the sleeve. I did this by stretching the elastic while sewing.

This is how it should look after the elastic is sewn on

The only thing left to do was finish the raw edges of the sleeves, neckline, and bottom of the tunic.

This tunic from start to finish only took about an hour, but it is super comfy and totally adorable! =)

 

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