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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Upcycled Button Sleeve Shirt

I like having something new to wear. Upcycled T-Shirt
I like it even more when I only spent $.60 on the new clothing! How did I do that? Read on….
T-shirt repurpose
The black shirt is my favorite t-shirt (it’s from Gap.) However, it is just a tiny bit too short. I’ve had it for quite awhile and I guess it shrank. So not only did it get new sleeves, it got a new band around the bottom, too.
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How did it only cost $.60? I found this gray striped shirt at Target. It was marked at $3.60, but I had a coupon I’d printed off Target’s website for $3.00 off a clothing item of this brand. I bought a size XXL to get the most fabric possible.
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Here’s a description of what I did to add the banded bottom.
I wanted to use the factory-serged edge from the original shirt to avoid hemming it. I don’t have a serger and I don’t really love putting a perfect hem into something like this.
From the gray striped shirt, I cut two pieces using the hem as the new bottom of the shirt. I measured and allowed a 1/2” seam allowance on one side of the pieces. I used the existing seam as the other side seam. (Does that make sense?) Then I sewed up the other side to make a tube.
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To attach the tube to the bottom of the shirt, I slid the raw edge of the gray and white striped fabric under the black shirt’s original hem. I pinned (a lot!). Using black thread, I sewed stretch stitch right on top of the black shirt’s original hem to secure the new gray and white striped piece!
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Ok. Onto the sleeves. I wanted to use the factory-serged edges again for the sleeve bottoms.
Sleeves taper a bit from the armpit to the wrist. So I measured to see at what point the striped shirt’s sleeve width matched the black shirt’s sleeve width. I cut it off a little bit longer to have extra for seam allowance.
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Then I pinned it (making sure that it overlapped with the black shirt’s original seam) and sewed it onto the black shirt with the same stretch stitch.
Repeat with the other sleeve.
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Hint: Rolling the sleeve a few times allows it to fit onto the arm of the sewing machine. You’ll have to stretch it a bit.
Here you can see how long the sleeves ended up. I wanted them to be a little bit shorter.
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After considering a few options, I decided to roll the sleeves, tack them, and add some faux buttons.
I used some gray jersey scraps. I sewed two tubes about 6” long and about 1/5” wide. Allow for 1/2” seam allowance and leave them open on one end. I clipped the corners so they would be nice and square after turning and pressing.
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Turning the tubes:
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I pressed both tubes and then top stitched them each. I did not use a double needle; I just sewed each one two times. After my struggles with my double needle tangling thread this summer, I haven’t used it.
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Anyway, after neatly rolling the cuffs about three times each, I hand sewed the strip to the shirt, catching both ends….IMG_4329
And then I added a nice green button on top of that. IMG_4330 IMG_4508
I repeated it for the other side. Now it is a nice, cute, easy shirt to wear as the weather gets warmer!
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I still have some gray and white striped fabric left. I’ll have to come up with another project to use the rest of it!

15 comments:

  1. It looks adorable, clever thinking buying the xxl!!

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  2. very cute. I've been an altering nut for a while now and am just getting serious with my blog. I'm also your newest fan. I love what you did with the sleeves. :)

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    1. Thanks for following! Can't wait to see what you're altering lately!

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  3. Super cute! I'd love it of you linked up to Crafty Cousins!
    http://crafting-cousins.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-i-wore-sunday-week-7.html

    ~Natalie

    Crafty Cousins is your newest follower! :)

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  4. Thanks & welcome!
    I did link up!

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  5. Love this, I did something similar a while back but forgot about it. I know I have some shirts now that would totAlly work to do this too
    Emily
    Domesticdeadline.blogspot.com

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    1. I have shirts I know I've given away that I could've used this same technique on to save them! Glad you still have yours in your closet!

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  6. Thank you for linking to Handmade Tuesdays. I wish I could sew! My favorite detail on this is the cute button. And smart idea buying an XL g
    To get the most fabric.

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    1. You could sew! It just takes some trial and error (at least that is how I operate!)

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  7. Cute cute! I love Gap's Favorite Tees but I have the same complaint... long enough at first and then suddenly they shrink! ERRRR!! What an awesome solution! Thanks for sharing!
    Found you on Polly want a Crafter
    Visiting from Well Rounded, leahkoenig.blogspot.com

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    1. Glad I'm not the only one with the shrinking Gap T-Shirt problem.

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  8. I love this and will do it on a couple tops that are too short., thanks, kathy

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