5 minute DIY Upcycle mini-project - Tshirt neckline redo

Well, let me start by saying that I'm apparently not good at this whole blog tutorial thingie. I do try, I promise :)

I did a mini-upcylcing project this weekend. It seriously took 5 minutes.  I wish I would have gotten more pictures of what I did, but I was so excited to get it done that I forgot.


I have a nice t-shirt, Sinful brand, that was fairly expensive but never quite fit right in the neckline. I'm not a fan of the usual crew neck tees.  That high of a neckline just doesn't flatter my larger bust.
I hate having clothes that I don't wear in my closet, but couldn't justify getting rid of that one. I love the prints, the colors, and the material feels nice too. So I decided it was time to get to work, and make  it work.
Cutting this one up is just too hard to justify - so sewing a little gathering into the neck is the perfect solution - easily un-done to return the shirt to it's prior glory if I mess it up :)

The before:

Not bad, but not the best it could look.

When I put this shirt on the other day, and was unhappy with the neckline, the idea popped in my head. Why not add some ruching to the neck to make it into a V? Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Saturday, I decided it was going to happen. It was the perfect combination of happenings for it to get done. T was at his mother's for the weekend, and Baby C was taking a nap.  Mr E had snuck out my sewing machine from the nursery/guest room/office/craft room on Friday night so I could work on some Project Linus blankies, and so it was still on the dining room table from the night before.

I folded the shirt in half with the sleeves meeting, so that I could get a straight line down the center of the neck.
My fabric pencil was nowhere to be found, so I grabbed a fat lead pencil and marked a faint line on the crease as my guide.
Using basing stiches (or the longest stitch), I sewed from the very edge of the neck, down about 4-5 inches. I eye-balled it, from where I had predetermined when trying it on for the "before" shot.
I pulled the top stitch through to the back, and knotted it.
Then using the bobbin thread, pulled the fabric into a gather. This takes a little easing if your stitches are tight.  The gathering is again eye-balled. I tried it on before knotting it at the bottom, to make sure it was roughly how I wanted it. The bottom threads got tied & trimmed, and my project was DONE! Yay! It feels like a new shirt for FREE! (my favorite kind)

Here's how it turned out:

Update!!! -  I must not have sewed it robust enough, I went to grab this shirt from the closet, and the stitching had partially come out! To fix it, I will gather up the neck, then stitch over top of the gathering once. Still will be removable, but more sturdy. Maybe some heavier duty thread would solve the problem too.




I can often be found linking up at these fabulous parties-
Monday: Make It Pretty Monday, Skip to my Lou, DIY Showoff Project Parade,  More the Merrier Monday, C.R.A.F.T., Just Something I Whipped Up, The Gunny Sack,  Debt Free Mommy,
Tuesday:Get your craft on Tuesdays, Project Queen, Sugar Bee Crafts, Running with Glitter, New Nostalgia, Lady Bug Blessings, Too Cute Tuesday, The Schwins Tuesday Party,
Wednesday:The Thrifty Home, Linking up with Lil Luna,
Thursday: The Shabby Creek Cottage,52 Mantels, Catch a Glimpse Thursday, Throwback Thursday
Friday: Shabby Nest,Whipperberry, Its a Hodge Podge Life, 30 Handmade Days,
Saturday: 
Sunday: