Add a Ruffled Collar

 Hello Readers. Let's make a men's button-up shirt by adding a ruffle at the collar. It adds a fun new shape and detail at the neckline. This was quick and easy to do. It didn't require any extra fabric. You just need a men's shirt. 

Before and after. 

Our first step is to use a seam ripper to open the collar and remove it. I unpicked stitch after stitch until the collar could be open.This wasn't difficult at all. 

 

The band around the top of the shirt is open now and I could remove that collar. It came right out and I don't need it anymore. It can be tossed out or saved for scrap fabric.

 

I cut the bottom edge off my shirt. I wanted a 2 inch wide piece along the entire hemline of the shirt. I also cut off 2 extra inches just to shorten my shirt. It was a men's shirt so it was long on me, you don't need to make your shirt even shorter. That is just what I wanted. You can leave the length intact. The only piece you need is the 2 inches of the  hemmed edge of the shirt. 

 

I inserted the piece from the bottom of the shirt that I cut off, into that neckband. The raw cut edge goes into the band like filling into a taco. The finished hemline is sticking out at the top. I gathered the long piece so that it made a ruffle around the neck. 

 

The pins and clips hold the ruffle in place. It needs to be pinned and/or clipped or it will fall out. The pins will really help keep the ruffle gathered while I sew it in. It was a simple straight stitch along the collar band to hold it in place.

 

Stitch slowly and remove the pins one by one as you sew along. 
 

 I stitched the new collar in place and it looks so cute. You can see the finished collar here. I stitched along the line of stitches that I had picked out in the beginning so the collar looks nice and neat.  

 

I needed to hem the bottom of the shirt since I had cut it. I turned the edge in twice and ironed a sharp fold. I wanted it to be smooth and the hot iron really helps.

 

I used my sewing machine to sew the new hemline with a straight stitch. This only took a few minutes but it really makes the shirt look well finished. 

 

My new collar is finished and I like the feminine ruffle. It is a fun change without a lot of time, work, or extra supplies. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 
 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Men's Shirt Upcycle

 Hello Readers. This linen men's shirt has been around in so many ways for so long. I have refashioned it before, about 2 years ago. I didn't wear it much and decided to re-refashion it. 

Before and after.  

I refashioned this men's shirt the first time in 2023. I took it to England on a trip and it was great. 

 

It was light and easy to wear. It was perfect as a tunic in Bath, as a bathing suit cover up in Lyme, and as a night shirt in London. But it stayed as a night shirt since then. There is nothing wrong with that but I wanted it to be a shirt I could wear because I love the checked blue pattern. 

 

It was just too long, I didn't want to wear it over leggings now. 

 

I liked the loose fit but it had to be shorter. I gave it a big cut. 

 

I gave it a nice hem at the bottom. 

 

I liked the new shorter length and it was so easy and comfortable to wear. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 
 

 

 

 

 

2 Striped Shirts

 Hello Readers. I had 2 striped button-up shirts. I was surprised at how well they matched. I knew that they could make something fun if I put them together. But what should I make?

Before and after. 

I had 2 shirts. I like the one I am wearing in this picture. I wear it often. The shirt on the hanger was from a clothes swap. I didn't realize how much they matched until I brought it home. How should I put them together? I thought about making a skirt so that it would look like a dress when I wore them both together. 

 

But then I thought matching shorts would be better. It would make a cute 2 piece set. And I could continue to wear the shirt alone if I wanted to. I cut out my shorts from the body of the shirt. 

 

I just had to put these 2 pieces together. What an easy project, right? Well, it was about to get messy. 

 

I decided to add the shirt pocket to the back of the shorts. That would be useful and the pocket was already put together. I wanted to use it. 

 

I put them together and I thought everything would be fine but I was wrong. 

  

I attached the pocket and I thought I was almost done. I added an elastic waistband and then... I realized that the shorts were a little tight. I didn't want tight shorts. I wanted a looser fit to match the fit of the over-sized shirt. 

 

All I had left were the sleeves. Let's try to enlarge these shorts. 

 

The only fix I could think of with the fabric I had available was to add panels to the sides. The stripes on the sides would have to be horizontal but I liked that so I got to work. 

 

I cut the shorts open on the sides. It was a straight cut and straight new seams to sew in the extra fabric. 

 

I added the side panels and hoped for the best.
 

Here are my new shorts. They would be looser now and I thought they would work. 

 

I liked this new 2 piece set. The loose fit is comfortable and casual. Life is too short and too difficult for uncomfortable clothes. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. And if it doesn't work out at first keep going, keep trying, you'll get there.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plaid Shirt

 Hello Readers. I have had this XL men's shirt for a while. I liked the seersucker fabric and wanted to use if for a summer top. You can see here what I did to make a top for myself. 

Before and after. 

My son told me it looked like I was wearing someone's grandpas's clothes. He wasn't wrong. I liked the fabrics and was determined to make something new from the materials

I used this shirt as a pattern to cut out a new shirt. I cut it at the bottom so the hem of the blue shirt could be the hem of my new shirt.

I used my seam ripper to remove the front pockets.

I used my serger to sew the sides and shoulder seams together.

I cut the sleeves off what was left of the shirt. I also cut the sleeves down in size and length. 

I sewed the sleeves in with my serger. 

 

The new sleeves look different. I wanted small cap sleeves. I thought that would look more feminine and like this was my shirt and not grandpa's. 

I cut the pants down as well. I cut the pockets out of the way and cut the sides of the pants to make them more narrow. I cut the length so that I would have shorts instead of pants. 

Now I has a new summer top and shorts. 

This was a great outfit for a day at the beach. (And some ice cream.) Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.

Crop A Button-down

 Hello Readers. I wanted to make a loose cropped shirt that tied in the front. I found this striped shirt at a clothes swap and it seemed perfect for this project. I went right to work.

Before and after. 

This was a men's shirt but it fit well enough. I loved the fall colors and stripes. 

I cut the bottom of the shirt off. I wanted the shirt to end at my waist. I didn't throw it away that extra fabric though. I wanted a waistband that would tie in the front. I would need to make that.

I cut that extra fabric into 2 narrow strips and connected them so it was as long as possible. I sewed it together with the right sides facing each other.

I had to turn the long waistband right side out. It was very wrinkled

so I ironed it flat.

 

Here is my long waistband now I need to connect it to the shirt. 

 

I wanted to match the stripes in the back of the shirt as best as possible. I took this to the serger. I sewed the long strip to the bottom of the shirt.

 

When the waistband was on, I could tie the shirt in front. I liked the finished look so...

 

I liked the shirt tied over this blue knit dress. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself. 

***Year End Update***- I love this top and it worked so well with the dress. I have worn it a bunch.