So I picked up a couple of shirts on clearance from a local store the other day with plans to make a dress for my daughter. What I came up with astounded me! Sometimes I am frustrated with what I am trying to make, and sometimes I end up really surprised and happy--this time I was very happy! I had posted a picture and a lot of friends asked for a tutorial so I made another one, and took lots of pictures this time. This will be my first tutorial, so I hope it makes sense!
From this (two men's extra-large shirts)--------------------------------->to this (a girls size 5-6 dress with fabric left over)
I started with two men's extra large shirts on clearance for $2.50 each. Total cost was less than $6 with tax.
I used a dress that I liked the fit of to trace the shape onto tissue paper to create a basic pattern for the top. I just traced the arm hole shape, the side length, and the neckline, and cut the pattern out. Then I placed it on the first tshirt on a fold, and cut out the top. Cut three pieces of this (or, I used a scrap of coordinating knit fabric, so I cut two of the green pieces and one of coordinating pink printed knit). This should all be cut from 1 shirt.
I set one piece of the green cutout aside( which is the back of the dress), and layered the other two (the front part) together to create the cross top part. They are stacked wrong sides together to get a symmetrical crossover. I used a piece of chalk to draw a slightly curved line from the top corner of the shoulder to the bottom corner of the arm hole, and then I cut on that line (through both layers of fabric). Then I laid out the back of the top, and put the two front pieces together to be sure they all fit together well.
I pinned together the right sides of the fabric at the two shoulder seams, and sewed and pressed these seams.
To finish the collar area, I cut two strips of fabric from the first tshirt, near the hem (but I cut the hem off first) about an inch thick--I did it here so it was easier to keep it a fairly straight cut. You must do it in this direction of the fabric because you need the ribbing to work for you a certain way. Then I sewed the two strips together to make one long strip, and I pressed it in half, right sides out.
This part is a little bit tedious. Take the strip you just pressed and start to pin it to your top, right sides together (picture A). You want to stretch the strip just a little bit (picture B) because that will help with the shaping of the neckline. (I had to repin my collar piece because I started pinning it backwards for the way I sew). Sew all the way around the collar (picture C), and then iron the seam so it lays flat (picture D). Then topstitch around the collar to finish it and make it look nice (picture E).
Now, onto sleeves.
I used another shirt to measure the length of the sleeves. Line up the opening of the sleeve of the dress top at the top of the first tshirt still, with the length of the sleeve going right to the hem. You want to use the hem so you don't have to finish the sleeve hem later (picture A). Use a marker to trace the arch of the shoulder seam (the top of picture B), and then use the sleeve of the tshirt (like the grey one I used to measure the length of the sleeve) to measure and trace the width of one side, making sure the fold of the sleeve is in the middle, lining up with the seam from the dress top (picture C). Cut that line and the shoulder seam, and fold it in half to trace and cut the rest of the sleeve out (picture D). Then cut another identical sleeve, using the first sleeve as a template (picture E).
Now pin the sleeves on. The easiest way for me to do this is to lay the dress top flat, right side up and start in the middle at the shoulder seam, to pin the sleeve on, right sides together. Follow the curve of the arm hole, and stretch the sleeve to fit in this space just a bit. Pin both sleeves on, and then sew the seams on the wrong sides of the fabric (so the stitches don't show on the right side of the fabric).
Last steps for finishing the top: layer the crossover pieces together (I had to make sure I had my accent piece where I wanted it, which was the inside layer), and line up the seams of the sleeves and sides, and sew on the wrong sides of the fabric, all the way from the sleeve hem to the armpit and then down the side of the bodice on both sides. Trim any extra fabric, and turn your top right side out. Take a minute to admire your work. In my opinion, this is the hardest part, and you are about 70% done!
Now to make the skirt.
Take the second tshirt finally, and fold it in half, lining up the hem so its straight. Cut across the tshirt, right at the bottom of the arm holes (or however long you want it) so you just have a tube of fabric with a hem at the bottom. Use your machine to put a basting or gathering stitch all the way around the top part of this piece of fabric. Gather the skirt and pin it to the top, right sides together. Make sure your gathers or ruffles are even at this point (I use the side seams of the tshirt to match the side seams of my dress top to be sure there is equal fabric at the front and back of my dress). Sew around the skirt, on the wrong sides of the fabric, and then turn your dress right side out, and top stitch the seam to finish it (I make sure the underside of the seam is up to be caught in my stitching while I am doing this--does that make sense? It helps with shaping and how the dress lays). Clip any stray threads, and rip out the basting stitch if it strikes your fancy (or bothers you, the way it does me). And thats it! Your upcycled dress is finished!
I hope this makes sense. If there is a part that is confusing, please don't hesitate to ask me for clarification or help!
Also, here is a good overview of basic tshirt construction that might help explain or clarify some things I have tried to explain!
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