So, I don't think I've ever written a re-fashioning tutorial before, but I was so pleased with how this came out that I just had to share it with you, and thankfully I took WAY too many pictures along the way!
So I started with this (pretty seriously) ugly button down lace top that I got at the V-V boutique (aka Value Village). I liked the lace and... that was about it.
First thing to go was the collar. Then the sleeves. The trick with the sleeves is to cut them so that the seam that connected them to the body of the shirt is still there. That gives a nice solid amount of fabric to fold under and hem for the arm holes. Then I cut out a much more flattering neckline. (Looking better already!)
Then I cut open both sleeve along the seam to give myself more fabric flat to work with
And created a little collar pattern to work with
Pin the pattern to the lace (because lace is finicky and hard to work with). If you're not using lace, you could just trace your pattern onto the fabric. Making sure you're cutting 2 pieces for each collar piece. (so 2 pieces here)
And cut it out with a seam allowance
I then cut it in half and cut two (four - two of each) more pieces because I wanted a wider peter pan style collar to go with the neckline. You can use your judgement for whatever piece you're working with here
Now that you have all your pattern pieces, on to the sewing!
First I sewed down the button placket. I wouldn't be unbuttoning this shirt ever anyway, and buttons at the bust always gape on me, so I sew down plackets wherever possible.
Then, turn under the raw edges of the armholes that you cut, using the seam allowance that was left as a stabalizing edge to sew on
Then sew each of the collar pieces together, and turn.
Once you've turned each collar piece, you'll need to topstitch each piece as close to the edge as possible. I use this stitch setting on my machine.
and sew right near the edge of each piece
voila! Collar!
Next I turned the bodice of the shirt inside out, sewed up about an inch on each side and an inch at the top of the shoulders to take it in to fit (no picture). Then I pinned the collar the way I wanted it to lay, but backwards, on the inside of the neckline.
Sew that down, turn it right side out, and then pin again so that you can topstitch the collar down on the neckline, and take this time to turn under any other raw edges on your neckline
and once that's done, you have a fab new lace shell, where you once had an ugly lace button down!
Voila!
Now throw that baby on with some pearls and head on out. I did!
Tea.
C&C VERY welcome.
Show Images
