How to Make an Old T-Shirt Into a New One
- 1). Dye a white or other light-colored T-shirt a bright new color using fabric dye. This is especially good if your T-shirt is plain white and has some undesirable stains.
- 2). Briefly sketch a design for the new shape of your T-shirt. The possibilities are endless.You can cut off the collar to make a V-neck, remove the sleeves to make a tank top, or take in the seams to create a tighter fit.
- 3). Turn the T-shirt inside out and put it on. Using fabric pins, pinch together any excess material under the arms and along the sides of the T-shirt where the seams meet. Space out a few pins evenly along the seams and penetrating both layers of fabric, then carefully remove the shirt.
- 4). Take in the seams of the shirt. Thread the needle with thread that matches the color of your T-shirt. Use two-arms length of doubled-over thread. Stitch together along the new seams demarcated by the pins. Tie off the thread at each end. Flip the shirt right-side out.
- 5). Cut off the collar of the shirt plus a few inches of surrounding fabric to make a collarbone revealing neckline. Gently tug on the new collar to flex the fabric, reducing the raw edge of the fabric.
- 6). Find some interesting scraps of fabric, such as flowered patterns or interesting printed graphics from other T-shirts. Cut out an interesting shape 3 inches smaller than the size of the chest of your T-shirt to use as a patch. Pin the patch to the center of the front of the T-shirt, and sew it on using the thread and needle. Sew on more different sized and colored scraps to create a dimensional, colorful feature on your shirt.
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