Turn an Oversized T Shirt Into a Hot Mini Dress

T-shirts from many events seem to come in two sizes: "family-size tent" and "circus tent". One way to salvage the t-shirt into a fun, flattering item of clothing is to turn it into a flirty mini-dress. And it's great for the environment. No one will wear a circus tent, but you might wear a cute dress.

Steps

Making a Quick, Basic Dress

  1. Cut off the sleeves and across as shown.
  2. Fold in the armpits slightly towards the front of the shirt. In order to determine how far in to fold, put on the shirt so that it reaches just below your bustline. Pinch the underarms so that the dress fits as loosely or snugly as you desire.
  3. Cut along the folds you just made. Remember to leave a little bit of a seam allowance.
  4. Turn the shirt inside out. Sew the sleeve holes closed, and hem the opening at the top.
  5. Turn the shirt right side out again. Cut the sleeves into triangles. Cut along the side that you had cut before (where the sleeves attached to the shirt).
  6. Sew the sleeves to the front of the the opening. The cut edge should be facing the center.
  7. Reinforce the center where the triangles meet. Bunch the fabric and sew it in place so that the cut edges don't show.
  8. Cut the collar away from the piece you cut off earlier.
  9. Sew the collar onto the dress as a halter strap.

Using a Seam-Ripper

  1. Use a seam ripper to remove the sleeves from the t-shirt.
  2. Cut straight across the back of the t-shirt, making a line between the arm holes. Lay the t-shirt down flat, front side up. Pull the cut section up, so that you have a square flap sticking up with the head hole in the middle.
  3. Using chalk, mark a point about 3 inches (6 cm) below the front collar of the shirt (assuming the shirt has a high crew neck).
  4. Mark two diagonal lines between the corners of the flap to the mark below the collar. Try to touch the collar with your line as you go by. You should have marked out a "V" shaped area of cloth around the collar.
  5. Cut along the marked lines. You should now have two long triangles of cloth where the shoulders were.
  6. Hem the raw edges.
  7. Put on the shirt and have a friend tie the two triangles behind your neck when you're happy with the height of the neckline. Now you have the halter-top part of your dress.
  8. Have your friend fold in the loose fabric at the sides of the shirt, starting below your arms and ending at your hips, and pin the folds when you're happy with the fit. There should be an even amount of material pinned in at both sides.
  9. Hand sew the fold down. Use small stitches, and be sure to use a color of thread that matches the fabric.
  10. Remove the pins.
  11. Mark about 5 pairs of points, one on each side of the fold, up the back of your shirt.
  12. Use your sewing shears to snip a small hole at each mark.
  13. Put the dress on again
  14. Have your friend weave your ribbon in, starting at the bottom. It should look like the lacing on shoes. Tighten gently to achieve the perfect fit. Finish with a bow.

Things You'll Need

  • Over sized Tee-shirt
  • Thread
  • Sewing shears
  • Sewing machine (optional, but recommended)
  • Chalk
  • Seam ripper
  • Ribbon
  • Pins
  • Needle (even if using a sewing machine)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  • VideoJug.com - Original source of images and instructions (Method 1). Shared with permission.
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