Refashion: Boys' Youth Shirt to Shirt for Momma

Some girls might resent having a chest equal to that of a prepubescent 14 year-old boy. Some, but not me. I actually prefer my athletic chest. Yes, that is what I call it that instead of flat-chested. It makes me feel better about the situation.

The great thing about having an "athletic chest" is that my shirt wardrobe can come from the all over the place. I have several shirts from the girls department. If the shirt is long enough and not too tween in style, then I can rock a sweet girl's XL shirt.

I had never thought of trying out little boys clothes though until a couple of weeks ago when I found a sweet crew neck sweatshirt on clearance in the boys department of Old Navy. Truth...I actually loved it and bought it for Oldest. Then I got home and for some reason hung it up in my closet. Probably because I was too lazy to walk downstairs and hang it up in his closet.

So the next day when I was trying to decide what to wear, I kept staring longingly at the sweatshirt. I decided I should probably just try it on. I mean what could it hurt, right?

I loved it. Therefore, I wore it all day long and it has never made it to Oldest's closet. It is mine now.

With that lovely crew neck sweatshirt in mind, I was more open minded when I looked in the little boys' clothing department.

That is how I found this glorious kelly green gingham gem.

Glorious right?

It was on clearance and looked big enough, so I didn't even try it on. I just bought it and triumphantly carried it home. When I got home, I decided I should try it on just to see how cute it was.

That is when I found a problem.

I may have the chest of a 14 year old boy, but alas I do not have the hips of a 14 year old boy. I have had four babies after all.

The sweatshirt had been cut wider and it was knit, so that problem never arose.

The less forgiving cotton in this button up shirt was not accommodating my  not so boyish hips.

ACK! I was so sad. I wrestled with taking it back, saving it for Oldest, or just dealing with it.

First I tried dealing with it. I wore it over a layering shirt and left the bottom button undone. I hated it.

When I was sharing my woes with a friend, she suggested I just add a panel.

Duh! I should have thought of that.

When I found this print during a recent shopping trip at JoAnn's, it sealed the deal.

This was a really easy refashion and just took under an hour.

So if you are like me, you know flat-chested, here is something you can do to expand your wardrobe options.

At each side seam, I measured up 4" from the bottom hem. I marked it with a pin. Then I cut up, just left of the double seam.

I made a triangle pattern. I added an inch in height and width to accommodate for the seams. I also cut the top tip flat. I cut two triangles from my cut print.

Pin the print fabric to the right side of the cut seam, right sides facing. Pin the triangle with about a 1/2" overlap on the top.That part will tuck under. Sew with 1/4" seam allowance. I chose to use a contrasting thread to make it pop more.

Pin the over side of the print, right sides facing with the other cut edge of the shirt. Carefully sew around the excess at the top. You still want to be able to pull it through to the back.

Press the seams. Then roll up the bottom of the triangle and press to match the hem of the original shirt.

Sew the hem in place. Then sew a line of stitches across the very top securing that excess flap to the inside of the shirt. I also did a kind of top stitch around my new panel for visual cuteness.

Easy as that!

Now I can wear this cute kelly green little boys' shirt all Spring and Summer and not worry about those womanly hips of mine. Ha!

Oh the wardrobe possibilities are endless now! Huzzah!

Follow along with Just Another Day in Paradise

Instagram        Facebook        Pinterest        Twitter

Pencil Skirt From T-shirt: Tutorial

About 2 weeks ago I shared with you my T-shirt Pencil Skirt creation. At the time, I had not yet done a tutorial. Sometimes that happens to me...

"What happens to you?" you might be asking.

Well let's just say that sometimes I bust out a project too fast and too impatiently to take pictures, document, or write down how I even did it.

You guys are in luck though.

Again, I know you are curiously asking, "Why am I in luck?".

Well you see you are in luck because the first one I made...the one pictured above...yup that one was...um...a little snug.

"How snug?"

Snug enough that it would have been improper and very unladylike to wear said skirt to church (Although Hubby did say he would be OK with me wearing it on a date. I just bet ya would buddy.)

"It doesn't look that snug in the picture?"

My, my you have a lot of questions today.

First thank you for saying it doesn't look too snug.

Second, well I didn't take any picture of my fanny now did I.

My ghetto-tastic booty would be the culprit of the too snug skirt. Who knew I was channeling my JLo.

So basically this was a longer and slightly more embarrassing way of saying that you get a tutorial on how to make my T-shirt Pencil Skirt because I had to make myself another one. One less emphasizing of my backside. Silver lining is that now I have a tutorial to share with you.

Whew...enough talk of well my you-know-what.

On to the tutorial for my new better fitting T-shirt Pencil Skirt.

You will need:

1 Men's T-shirt, without a pocket...I recommend the biggest size you can find. That way you have the most fabric.
Freezer paper
Thread

Now let's get started.

1. Make a pattern for your skirt. You can either outline an existing skirt, or you can do what I did and I outlined my self...yes I did. I laid down on the freezer paper and traced from where I wanted it to hit on the waist to below my knees. I added 1/2" on each side (the 2nd time that is...hehehe) to allow for the seam.

I made sure to have the skirt taper for the pencil skirt effect. Make sure not to have it taper so much though that you won't have the give to actually walk in the skirt once it is made.

I adjusted the tracing on the freezer paper to make it symmetrical.

Lay the pattern over the t-shirt.

2. Iron the pattern (freezer paper) onto the shirt to stabilize it.

3. Cut out. Start by cutting the top layer and then going back and cut the back layer (front and back of the shirt).

4. Save the side seams scraps of the shirt.

5. You will have two pieces. These will be the top bands of your skirt.

6. Layer them, folded edge at the top. Lay them at the top of your skirt pieces. Cut the two strips a little bigger than the width of the top of the skirt.

7. Now to make the waist bands the same height (top to bottom), layer them on top of each other with the folded sides flush with each other.  Cut off the excess of the raw edges to make them equal. Mine ended up being between 3-4 inches. Your band width could vary depending how much excess you have from the shirt.

You should end up with two band pieces.

8. Pin each band strip to one piece of the skirt. Pin right sides facing with the raw edges on top. 

9. Sew them together with a serger if you are one lucky dog and have one...I will try not to hate you. Otherwise, just sew with a zig zag stitch on your regular machine.

10. Fold up the band and press with an iron.

11. With the band attached to the skirt pieces, lay each new skirt piece on top of each other, right sides facing. Pin. By now the freezer paper should not be on the fabric.

You will probably need some patience here. If your shirt is like mine, it will roll a little.

Just take a deep breath and think about how cute you are going to look.

12. Sew from top to bottom with a serger...eh hem...still not jealous...or zig zag it. I made sure to back stitch at both ends.

13. Now simply turn your skirt out. Since you used the bottom of the shirt for the bottom of your skirt you don't need to sew a hem.

Isn't it glorious when part of the job is already done for you.

Press you skirt.

Now shimmy yourself into it and make your husband, boyfriend, or potential boyfriend/husband take you to dinner.

You deserve it.

Pencil Skirt from a T-Shirt

Before I discuss the skirt in this little picture, two things.

Thing One: Does anyone recognize that I gave you all a break from seeing my front door? I am not sure why every skirt post I have done in the last few months has me standing in front of that door.

Knit Maxi, High Waist Maxi, Summer Striped

See what I mean?

This is probably because I am lazy and don't go out on photo shoots. Some ladies always look so classy and model-like when they pose their homemade clothes, strolling some droll location.

I mean seriously, have you ever seen Leanne Barlow's blog? Then there is the blog Kristina J I just found. Why can't I strike a pose like these ladies. GLAM much.

I digress.

Basically, I just wanted you to know I've got your back and I will give you a reprieve from my front door. I just um, took a few steps to the right...now you can look at our stone wall. Lucky you.

OKAY.

Thing Two: I must, must, must give a little Hallelujah for the yellow cardigan.

I have been yearning and craving fortnightly for a yellow cardigan. Seriously I have been looking for years. I had searched online, in every store, thrift stores, my sister's closet...you get the idea. I simply could not find one at all.

Then while reading my friend Vanessa's blog recently, choirs sang, bells rang, and I darn near fell out of my chair.

She too had been on the same search, but her search was over. She had found one, and glory be it was at Old Navy. We have an Old Navy. Boom.

I may or may not have hit the store that very night. I may or may not have cradled the cardigan in the store. I may or may not have clapped like a 5 year-old getting a new pony.

So review-

Yay for a no door photo.
Dreamy yellow cardigan...check.

So wait, wasn't there something about a pencil skirt from a t-shirt?

Why yes, yes there was.

The other day when walking The Mart, a place I find myself WAY too much, I passed a rack of men's t-shirts on clearance. My eye was immediately drawn to a navy blue and white stripped shirt. As soon as I saw it, I saw a pencil skirt.

No, I don't know why. I don't ask my brain these things. I am just feel grateful when the thing actually works.

So without hesitation, I picked up the shirt.

This skirt literally came together in about an hour. My kind of project.

In about an hour I turned a ordinary t-shirt to this-

I paired this knit pencil skirt with a white shirt, my yellow cardigan (yay), and nude peep toes.

I am working on a tutorial for you. I whipped out this skirt so quickly, oh and late at night, so I didn't get a tutorial put together. Don't worry though, it will happen.

I pinky swear.

Thanks for reading. I sure appreciate ya.

A Pinteresting Wednesday: Frayed Cut-Off Shorts

Do you have a wild, running willy-nilly, noise-maker, knee scrapping, jean ripping, bundle of energy?

Also known as a Little Man...

Well it is no secret that I have three said Little Men and one teeny tiny Little Man in training. So it is not surprising that I have a whole pile of jeans missing some much needed fabric around the knees. 

I tell you what, I am getting tired of seeing my boys walk in with yet again another hole in the knee.

Not sure why I kept them because jeans are hard to repair and still have look nice. But kept them I did.

How happy was I when I came across this tutorial on Make it and and Love It? 

So happy!

I immediately pinned it to my Project To-do Board.

I went from a couple of pairs of ratty-tatty jeans to a couple of sweet pair of frayed cut-offs

I.am.in.love.

I mean it.

All I had to do was cut off the end of the jeans, making sure the holes were gone. Then I ran a stitch around the end 1/4" up from the frayed end. Then I threw the shorts in the washer and the dryer to get the fray going. To finish them off I just cut off the long strings.

Then I put them on the coolest eight-year-old I know.

He is still my rough and tumble, knee-scrapping Little Man.

However, now he is rockin' a pretty stylish pair of frayed cut-off shorts instead of a ratty pair of jeans.

Yup he is pretty gosh darn cute.

Happy Pinning everyone!

Maxi Dress to Maxi Skirt Tutorial

Have you joined the maxi skirt craze?? Man-oh-man I have. I only have two skirts BUT I want more. I mean for sure. They are so cozy plus they are pretty stylish. They can be dressed up or dressed down. Luuuhvve them. I kind of want like 20.

Unfortunately, I don't have the wad of cash I would need to buy 20. Cry. I know...poor me. I will get over it.

Did you know that you can make your own if you have an already existing maxi dress? Well if you didn't know, now you know...AND knowing is half the battle...

The other half is just a smidge of work.

With just a little bit of cutting, measuring, and sewing back together, you can refashion an old blah dress into a delightful skirt.

I started with this dress circa 2009...aka my fat dress for after I had Little.

I decided how long I wanted it to be, then cut the bottom off. Saving enough of the top to make the waistband.

Then I cut off as much of the top as I could to make the waistband.

Then I measured around my waist where I wanted the skirt to hit. I like to wear my skirts low on my hips so that is where I measured. Since the dress is made of knit I subtracted a couple of inches and trimmed off the excess from one side.

Then I sewed the fabric together with a zig zag stitch because I am not cool enough to own a serger...eventually I will be cool.

Next I just folded down the waistband so it is in half, right side out. There will be a folded edge and a raw edge.

The width of my skirt was much bigger than I needed. So I trimmed the width of the skirt to be just about 2 inches wider than the waistband. I cut the excess off of one side.

Then I turned it wrong side out and zig-zaged up the side I had just cut.

To finish up, I turned the skirt right side out. Then I matched up the raw edges of the waistband up with the top edge of the skirt and pinned the waistband in place.

After I attached the waistband I just folded it up, hiding the seam on the inside of the skirt.

Done. One ugly maxi dress gone and one cute maxi skirt made.

Now I can strut my stuff and pretend I am stylish at least once a week...which, yes is how often I wear this skirt.

See what happens when I try to pretend I am all vogue and model-esq...

...my kid reminds me that I am his mom and I am on his turf...

Don't let me get in your way Little! Just trying to get my photo shoot on.

Good thing I have kids to help keep it real.

Hope you have joined the maxi skirt craze too and are joining me in all the stylish Summer fun.