Beyond Knitting
T-Shirt Makeover
Dear Ann,
In honor of “me-made May,” here’s a fun way to spend a few precious Saturday hours, making something for yourself.
Take a printed t-shirt that you like because it’s clever or holds a good memory, but that looks awful (because it’s a generic, factory-made t-shirt), and turn it into a t-shirt that you do like, very much.
Here’s the article, by my sewing-circle pal, singer/songwriter Allison Moorer, in The Bitter Southerner.
Photo by Hayes Carll; t-shirt from the Bitter Southerner General Store.
If you have one of these books—Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns or Alabama Studio Sewing + Design—then you already have the paper pattern that you can use to cut a generic, unflattering t-shirt down to a lovely shaped one. Or, if you’re full of piss and vinegar and bravado and such, just get the scissors and cut off the sleeves and the neck ribbing, and maybe the hem, of the t-shirt, without using a pattern. It’s sure to be an improvement.
Then, use the excess fabric that you’ve cut away, or some spare cotton jersey if you’ve got an old t-shirt stash, to make bindings for the neck and sleeve openings, and leafy appliqués for decoration. You hand-sew all these things on, using a needle and thread and a simple running stitch, until you are happy with the shirt. And then you’ve got a customized shirt like Allison’s. It doesn’t take more than an afternoon, and it’s really fun.
Some say this style of sewing is addictive, but I can quit any time I want to. I just don’t want to.
Thanks, The Bitter Southerner, for the worthy starting t-shirt, and thanks to Allison, our lady of mad skillz, for the inspiration.
Love,
Kay
P.S. For those who insist on entertainment that you can knit to, you cannot go wrong by dialing up Allison Moorer on iTunes or YouTube. Enjoy!
This is something new and different to try! Thanks, Kay❣
Well I went right down that rabbit hole! I’m now waiting on delivery on a “Abide No Hatred” shirt from The Bitter Southerner and have lots of new stuff to read, so thank you!!
I went down the same rabbit hole and ordered the same shirt this morning!
I love Alabama Chanin! I visited her place in Florence last year, something I’ve been wanting to do for sometime. Amazing . Thanks for this post.
Ooooh, this will help me to rescue some T-shirts with nostalgia that are no longer flattering and just taking up space in my drawer.
I went down the Rabbit Hole of The Bitter Southerner site. I read portions of the “About” page to my partner—an ex-pat from Clarksville Tennessee—with great interest. From there we went to the review of The New Mind of the South, by Terry Thompson, and put the book on hold at the library. I then perused the site ever-so-briefly, and glimpsed fascinating-looking stories and essays, and can’t wait to look at them. Thanks, as always, for a link to yet another wonderful resource! Oh, and the t-shirt looks great, too!
This is the project I’m hoping to introduce for a craft night next month! Yep. Saw it on IG last week, and already chose a couple of old Ts.
Those Theo’s tees….
I’ve been cutting the neckbands off tees for almost 20 years, ever since the shocking moment when I realized a crew neck in any garment flatters me not a whit. But this all-over cut-and-rebind styling takes personal styling to a much higher and more interesting level! Wheeeee!
Well that looks like fun. I’ve been doing a version of this for years. First order of business: Cut 4” off the bottom! Next, take those straight sides and baste in a waist. Check. Sew. Cut. Flattery!
We used to do big family vacations, and MIL would get Land’s End polos embroidered with a family trip logo. So not flattering on me. I started asking for mine early, so I could adjust the fit. Much better.
But this sewing on by hand? I think I’m going to do this!
adorable! Where is the grey wool tote from? I iknow I have seen it before somewhere?????????