Repurposed Fashion

Got an men's button up shirt that he no longer wears? Or maybe just one that has a nice print that you can swipe from his closet? Let's make it into a cute women's waist tied shirt with a ruffled sleeve! You need to have a little bit of sewing knowledge for this project, but even if you are a new to a sewing machine, you can make this shirt. As you are shopping in your man's closet, consider the size of the shirt you choose. I wear a women's large, but my husband wears a men's 2XL. I'll show you how to cut it down, but we can't add to it and make it bigger!

Notes:

1. All seams are 5/8" unless otherwise directed. If you are using a regular sewing machine, not a serger, for your seams, finish all seams by trimming to 3/8" inch and pressing seam open.

2. When cutting a seam away, cut next to the seam on one side. Next, cut close to the seam on the other side. Discard the seam.

For this project, you will need:

• 1 men's button up collared shirt (should be a bit too large for you)
• sewing machine
• thread to match your shirt
• scissors (thread snips and pinking shears are helpful too)
• tape measure
• pins and/or sewing clips
• tailor's chalk or whatever you use to mark your projects
• button up shirt in your size for measuring
• serger, optional

Remove the front pocket if there is one.

Decide how long you want your sleeves to be on the finished shirt. Remember that we will be adding a ruffle at the bottom of the sleeve. I cut my sleeves 5" from the underarm seam. Cut the sleeves, slightly angling the cut out toward the top of the sleeve. Check out the angle in the picture. Save the cut off sleeves; we will use those later.

Grab a shirt that fits you well and your tape measure. Measure from the left top shoulder seam to the right top should seam to help determine sleeve placement. Divide this number by 2.

Find the middle of the back collar on your project shirt (You can easily do this by folding it in half.) Using the number from above, measure from the center of the neck outward toward the sleeve shoulder seam. Mark this location with tailor's chalk or other marking device. Cut the sleeves off at the seam, discarding the seam.

Open the shirt and locate the side seams. Cut the sides open at the seam, discarding the seam.

Find the center of the top of the sleeve by folding it in half; mark it. With right sides together, match the center and the shoulder seam. Align the sleeve next to the mark made when you measured by moving it away from the edge of the shirt. Sew or serge the new shoulder seam. NOTE: The sleeve will not fit the same way it came out. There will be fabric on both ends that is left over! Clip the curves in your seam (make small cuts perpendicular to the the seam in the curve area-do NOT cut through the stitching) if you are not using a serger.

Using the shirt that fits, measure from side seam to side seam at the bottom of the front. Using this measurement, mark the new side seam on both sides. If your bra cup size is C or above, you may want to add a dart on the side seam just below the sleeve. Cut away excess fabric on the side.

Measure the length desired for the back. You will want the shirt to sit just below the waist. Add 1 inch to this measurement to allow for a hem. Cut away the extra fabric. Do NOT discard.

Using the extra back fabric, cut off the curved tail edge to create a rectangle. Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise. These will be used for the sleeve ruffle. Press up a hem on one long edge of each ruffle piece. It's easier to do it before it is sewn on the sleeve! Using a long machine stitch, stitch along the side opposite the hem 3/8" from the edge. With right sides together, pin the center of the sleeve edge to the center of the ruffle piece. Pull threads to gather the ruffle piece to fit the sleeve edge. Stitch or serge to the bottom of the sleeve. Repeat for the other sleeve.

Stitch or serge the new side seam from the bottom all the way through the sleeve and ruffle. Open the hem on the ruffle to complete the side seam.

Lay shirt with flat with front facing up. Ensure that front and back are lined up and straight. Cut away bottom front pieces to match the back length.

The cut off sleeve will be used for the front waist tie. Cut the cuff off of the sleeve and discard. Cut up the seam of the sleeve, discarding the seam. Lay one sleeve on the lower end of a shirt front, overlapping at about a 40 degree angle and extending approximately 3" up the seam side of the front. Look at the picture to ensure placement before cutting. Trim the top of the sleeve piece even with the bottom of the front. Leave the triangular point on the piece and cut the bottom side at an angle to create the lower front edge with the point becoming the tie piece. Look at the next picture for clarification.

With right sides together, pin the bottom front to the straight edge, extending the triangular piece toward the center front and beyond the seam. Ensure that the end opposite of the tie extends 1/2" beyond the side seam to allow for a narrow hem. Trim any extra angles and curves to ensure a smooth fit. Stitch. Repeat for the other side.

Press up a narrow hem on the bottom of the shirt, including the edges around the tie. Machine stitch hem for bottom and for the sleeve ruffle. Press hems.

You will have a completed shirt like the one in this first picture. If you like this style collar, congratulations! Your shirt is complete. If you prefer the collarless option, continue on for the final transformation.

Cut the complete collar off of the shirt. Cut as close to the collar as possible. Machine stitch around the top cut edge of the shirt approximately 1/4" from the cut edge.

To create a V neckline, fold the top front corners above the button at a 45 degree angle. Trim the corner point and fold under a hem. Pin or clip in place.

Cut the collar (the pointed piece) away from the facing (the piece that was attached to the shirt). Discard the facing. We will only be using the collar (pointed) portion. Using the tailor's chalk, draw a curved angle along the corner of one end of the collar to create the edge of a rounded placket. Use as much of the collar as possible without using the stitched areas. Fold the collar in half and pin together to hold in place. Trim along chalk line through the entire collar, cutting both sides at the same time. Open collar up and separate into front and back pieces. There should be a piece that has an interfacing attached to it. Leave it attached.

Fold up a 3/8" hem on the straight edge of each section and press in place. With right sides together, open up hems and stitch around the rounded edge, leaving the straight, hemmed edge open.

Refold hems and press placket. Fold placket and shirt back section in half to find centers. Pin placket center to shirt back center with the shirt between the two layers of the placket. Continue to pin the placket around the collar area until you get to the front edges. Adjust the folded V sections so the edge fits under the final area of the placket and pin in place. Adjust the folded edge of the V if needed, and trim away any extra corners to cut down on bulk.

Stitch through the hem of one V section, around the straight edge of the placket, and down the opposite V section, attaching the placket to the shirt collar area. Be sure to catch the front and back of the placket with the shirt in between. Top stitch around the rounded edge of the placket.

Press the collar and V neckline, and you are finished.

I hope you enjoy your new shirt.