Recycle a man's shirt into a dress...

Out op-shopping, I found this huuuge men's shirt that looked like it'd never been worn.  It's big - I'm talking Biggest- Loser-before-shot-size big.

A little elective surgery  -  I cut off the sleeves and took the sides in. Knowing how to take in the side seams on a garment is a useful thing.  Try it out on your Clothesline pattern garments,  if you prefer a closer fit. 

Here's how...

1. Try garment on inside out.
2. Pin excess fabric - a bit like in picture at right, but don't pin in so close. (Clothesline patterns don't have buttons like this shirt to help you get in and out of them.)
3. With pins still in place, carefully take off garment to be certain you can get in and out of it OK.( ie don't make the waist so skinny that you can't get it over your ample bosoms!)
4. With an ERASABLE marker, draw lines where pins are.
5. Remove pins and stitch along drawn line.
6. Trim seams to 1.5cm wide.
7. Zig-zag finish seams.
8. Think to self - "Boy, that was easy, I'm not scared of altering clothes any more." 

For this shirt dress, I put a rolled edge hem on the armholes and also sewed in a couple of darts along the bust line for a better fit.

So... that's how dejected Biggest Loser shirts get born again. Give recycling a go - it's eco-friendly and a fun and creative skill for the new recession.

Update on Oct 14, 2010 at 8:34 by [Carmen]

Thanks for the tip Luc!  Just yesterday I was wearing my dress and someone asked what it was made of.  Now I know it's a traditional Filipino embroidered shirt and the beautiful fabric is made from not cotton, as I supposed but pineapple or banana. Love it!from Renziebaluyut's blog

Comments

[Cassie]

Such a great idea!!! You are right though, being able to take somthing in is SO useful!!

[[Carmen]]

Thanks, Cassie. Having clothes altered by a dressmaker is an expensive exercise, but it's pretty simple to learn to do it yourself.

[Luc Jenson]

Are those dress are made from "abaca"? I am sure Filipinos wear this kind of fabric and it is in there tradition and culture wearing this in a fine event. I must say is very elegant to look at and Filipinos are great artist in various aspects.

Luc Jenson
Leather Jacket Vintage