How To Do T-Shirt Make Over (From Plain T-Shirt To Fabulous Shrug)

Sewing tools and equipments:

Sewing Machine

1 = French Curve
2 = Tailor's Chalk
3 =  Safety pins
4 = Pins
5 = Tube Turner
6 = Scissors
7 = Bobbin
8 = Spool of thread
9 = Tailor's Square

Diagram on how the t-shirt is cut apart

The t-shirt is divided into 3 main parts upper part (Bodice), middle part (mid section), lower part (Bottom) 
The lower part of the shirt becomes the band of the shrug and the middle part becomes the left and right ties.

Bodice:

Top diagram = Fig. 1;  Bottom = fig.2

photo A

photo B

Instructions:

1.  Choose a well fitting t-shirt. (Old one is recommended for practice).
2. Put it on and using a safety pin, pin at the front center where you want the sash to be tied.  Put another pin toward the side seams below the bust.  
3. Take the shirt off and fold as shown in fig.1.  Lay it on the table with the safety pins facing you.  See fig.1 above.
4. Pin side seams to get the front and back center.  Match the shoulder seams also. Use pins to hold  seams together.  See fig.2 above.
5. Using tailor's chalk or washable crayons,  mark the places where the safety pins entered the fabric.  Remove the safety pins. See fig.3 above.
6. Use a French curve (photo.A) as a guide to mark the cutting line starting  where you just marked (step 5)  from the center towards the side and then use a tailoring square (photo.B) if you have one, if not, use a ruler or yard stick) to guide the marking straight across to the back of the shirt.  See fig.4A
7. Add 1/4 seam allowance toward the bottom of the shirt from where you marked and this is the actual cutting line.   If you cannot cut by sight maintaining the 1/4 seam allowance all through, mark this area first before cutting.  Then cut on this line. See fig.4A and fig.4B above.
8. Cut through the front center, which is where the shirt is folded.  Cut a 1/8 ( or less ) notch (A) at the center back of the bodice.  See step 8 diagram above.
9. Remove the pins and unfold the upper part of the shirt.  Zigzag or serge the raw edges of the front of the shirt, using the same color of thread as the shirt.  Do for left and right front of the shirt.  See step 9. above.
10. Fold zigzaged (serged) edges 1 and 1/4 inch toward the wrong side of the shirt and pin in places.  See Step 10 and 11 diagram above.
11. Starting at the neckline, sew (using straight stitch) down to the bottom of the shirt. See Step 10 and 11 diagram above.
 

Band:

 

 

1. Make this middle part ( mid section)of the shirt straight by cutting away the slope (uneven) front center created when the top of the shirt was cut away.  See (Band) step 1 diagram above.
2. Fold lower part of the shirt (hemmed part) towards the middle part, to within 1/2 inch of the raw edge.  The 1/2 inch is a seam allowance.  See (Band) step 2 and 3 diagram above.
3. Cut at the fold.  See step 2 and 3 diagram above.
4. Make a 1/8 notch (B), ( or smaller) at the center fold of the bottom part of the shirt.  Later, this notch is to be lined up with  notch (A) of the back center of the bodice before seaming the two parts together.  See step 4 and 5 diagram above.
5.  Cut open the un-notched center fold.  See Step 4 and 5diagram above.
6. With right sides together, match notch A (center back of the bodice) and  notch B  ( center ) of the lower part of the shirt.  Stitch together leaving a 1/4" seam allowance, starting from the center (notched) part toward the front.  See step 6 and 7 diagram above.
7. Finish with zigzag or serge the raw edges.  See step 6 and 7 diagram above.
8. Cut the excess fabric ( if there is any) at the front ends of the band leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.  This is where the front ties will be sewn.

Ties:

photo D

Ties  (The midsection of the t-shirt becomes the front ties)

1. Cut the side seams of the mid section of the shirt.  This makes the left and right front ties.  See (Ties) step 1 diagram above.
2. With right sides together pin the ties to the band's end, positioning the mid sections so that there are 1/4 allowance on top and bottom edges.  See (Ties) step 2 and 3 diagram and photo D above.
3. Sew together band's ends and ties, starting at the last stitch of the center front. See (Ties) step 2 and 3 diagram above.
4. Fold lengthwise toward the right side of the bodice (right sides together) and pin to stay in place. See (Ties) step 4 diagram above.
5. Seam along lengthwise starting at the front where the stitches intersect,  turn at the corner and finish at the fold.  Do the same for the other tie.  Left and right  tie tubes are sewn. See (Ties) step 4 diagram above.
6. Turn tie tube right side out using a tube turner (See Sewing tools and equipments: # 5).  Dull pencil or size 5 or 6 crochet hook can be used.
7. Finish front tie by turning seam allowances in and do 3/8" wide top stitching to the tie and bands 1 and 1/2 inch from the front center.  See (Ties) step 7 diagram above.
8. Clip thread ends and enjoy wearing the T-Shrug.  See (Ties) step 8 diagram above.

If anyone wants to try this project, I recommend to practice on  old t-shirt that is no longer worn.

Good Luck and enjoy the project!