A mans shirt and 2 hours. What kind of trouble can I get into?

Here is an idea I got after seeing a friends board on Pinterest and I thought, "I can make that." So I did.

What I'm referring to is the green camisole.  Now I can make one identical to it but that would have required me leaving the house, going to Joanns and buying fabric, buttons, matching thread, you get the picture.  Since it was near the end of the month and most months you run out of money before you run out of month, I decided to search the stash and see what was available and I this is what I found.

My husbands old shirt from Nordstroms that he was planning on getting rid of.  It had this amazing pique weave and was 100% cotton! Not only that, you have to admit that good mens shirts are made out of the best cotton!  So let's get started.

To do this, you will need:
Man's Shirt -make sure it's not your hubbys favorite
Sewing Machine
Scissors
Seam ripper
Matching thread
Bias tape
Pins
Fabric marker or chalk
Ruler
Elastic
Safety pin
Ribbon or a man's tie
Iron
Ironing board

To get started measure up about 2 inches from the third button, mark, using the edge of the placket square a line across the shirt arm hole to armhole.

Like this then trace the armhole on the inside of the seam

 

Going from the mark at the bottom of armhole repeat on backside of the shirt, this will be your cutting line. If the shirt has a pleat or pleats on the back don't worry about them you can straighten the back after you cut.

                                  Back or shirt

If you would like, at this point remove the pocket.  I should warn you that the scar from the pocket stitching will be slightly visible, it's up to you if you want to remove it.  Just be careful since the stitching on mens shirts is very tiny and fine.

Cut along the line you made

I didn't have bias tape to match the shirt so I decided to make my own, if you have bias tape skip this step if you want to make bias tape to match read on.  I found out it would have been easier to cut the sleeve open to do this but kids were coming in asking for dinner.  I fed them yesterday! How could they possibly be hungry again?  Anyway bias is 45 degrees from straight of grain, it is the stretchiest bit of woven fabric.

I drew it out for you, find the straight grain line in the fabric and then make the bias.  You will need bias that is about an inch wide and enough to finish off the underarm opening

Since I wasn't smart enough to open the sleeve before marking and cutting I had to piece my bias tape together. Ignore my blue marks from the pen, they rinse out.

On right side of underarm opening pin bias tape

Sew a quarter of an inch removing pins as you go

Press bias tape and seam out clipping curve as needed

repeat with other armhole

Fold over twice to inside and press

Pin in place

sew, removing pins as you go

Finshed armhole edge. Repeat for second armhole

This part is optional. Attach a zipper foot to machine

Sew center placket down next to buttons

 Sew down the other side of buttons. Sew in same direction from top to bottom or the fabric will ripple

 Serge or zig-zag top of shirt along cut edge repeat for top of back.

Fold over 1 inch press, pin in place. This will form a casing for the ribbon.

Sew repeat for back edge

Your shirt should look like this now.

Attach safety pin to ribbon and insert into one of the casings you just made.

Feed ribbon thru casing exiting other side

Starting at right front casing feed ribbon thru

 exit casing at left front

 Enter left back casing

 Exit Right back casing.

Adjust gathers and tie ribbon where it's comfortable for you. Now you can call it done here but I still had one sleeve left and some elastic

 Marking between the 2 bottom buttons, this is where my elastic casing will go.

 Ignore the blue line at the bottom, that was an oops. I marked 1/2 inch above and below my original pin mark all the way around the shirt.

Cut open the left over sleeve along the seam line 

 Mark and cut 2 inch strips the length of the sleeve, you will need about 3 unless your shirt is huge. Sew strips together and press edges under slightly less than 1/2 inch. Sorry no pictures, my camera didn;t save them. :(

Turning shirt inside out, don't worry you should still seen your markings or you can mark on the inside of shirt intead, pin the casing you just made to shirt starting at side seam. Follow the marking all the way around pinning as you go ending at side seam you started at.

Make sure to tuck ends under

Sew into place removing pins as you go

Repeat on the other side sewing in same direction. Trust me this is imortant.

Follow the safety pin procedure for ribbon with the elastic.  To determine elastic length stretch around waist so it's comfortable and add 2 inches.

Insert into casing and feed thru adjusting gathers as you go. Make sure the end of the elastic stays out of the casing or you will have to do this again.

Pull safety pin edge of elastic out and remove pin, overlap the ends together.

Pin and zig-zag in place.

Adjust the gathers on the shirt and elastic will settle into place

And you're done!

Here's a variation I thought of the next morning. It would probably work better with a skinnier tie but I raided my hubbys closet for this one.  I will have to go thrift store shopping to find skinny ties.  Also if you use purchased bias tape one of the sleeves may be used to create the ribbon tie or even one of those new drapey scarves.  The extra sleeve can also be cut into strips gathered and sewn along the front placket, just like the camisole that started this whole thing. Just use your creativity!

That's all for now! Happy Sewing,
Terri