How to Turn a T-shirt Into a Shrug

I knew it was too good to be true when I bought this T-shirt at the Dollar Store.  It shrunk to become too short the first time I washed it.  Oh, but I loved the color, I look really good in this color.  So I put it way until the right project came for me to use it.   Then, I saw this Pintrest, a shrug made from a T-shirt, found here:  http://wobisobi.blogspot.com/2011/03/project-re-style-12.html.  I dug the t-shirt out of the fabric box and this is how I turned a T-shirt into a shrug.  Let’s get started.

Supplies:
T-shirt ($1-$7, not shown)
Thread (matching color $3)
Sewing machine
3/8” wide ribbon (contrasting or complimentary color, $2 a spool))
Scissors
Straight pins
Safety pin

Lay your t-shirt out on a flat surface.

With your scissors, cut from the bottom hem up the middle of the shirt and around the collar.  Throw the collar away.

 Turn the shirt inside out.  With the straight pins, pin the cut edge toward the outside of the shirt, making a ½ inch (or more) casing, for the ribbon to be threaded through.

Using a zigzag stitch, sew down the cut edge of the t-shirt,  going up the front, around the collar, and back down the other side of the front, thus making the casing solid.

Safety pin the end of the ribbon.  Using the safety pin, thread the ribbon, up the front, around the collar, and back down the other side of the front of the soon to be shrug. 

This is a good time to try it on, and determine how much you need to gather the ribbon, around the shrug.  I used straight pins to stick the ribbon end, where I want them to stay.  I used the sewing machine to run back and forth, over the point where the ribbon comes out of the shrug casing.  I did this because I didn’t want a mile long piece of ribbon hanging down from the shrug.  This way I could cut the ribbon to the length that I wanted it.  So, cut your ribbon to the length you want it.

That was easy and it looks great.  I have some great necklaces that will go with this color.  Enjoy!