Make a T-Shirt, T-Shirt Dress, or Tank Top out of a Bed Sheet

This tutorial will show you how to make your own shirt, t-shirt dress, and tank top.

I was SO happy when I made my first shirt! I mean really, what is better than making your own clothes. I dont know what is. 

The best thing about this project is that you don't have to hem anything! Stretchable fabrics take their own shape, so hemming isn't necessary. Unless you want to of course.

Here are some of the dresses and shirts I have made:

Lets Get To It!!

What You Will Need:
-A Stretchable Bed Sheet or Stretchable Fabric: no matter what you use make sure it stretches! Thrift stores always have jersey cotton bed sheets. I would recommend looking there first. More fabric for your money!

-Your Favorite Stretchable T-shirt or Tank: make sure the t-shirt or tank you use as your pattern stretches too!

-Scissors
-Sewing Machine

-Push Pins

Optional:

Hand Sew

Note Before We Start:

Use a stretchable T-Shirt to make a T-Shirt or T-Shirt Dress

Use a Stretchable Tank to make a tank top

The same instructions apply if you are using a tank top

1. Fold your fabric in half. Smooth it out.

2. Lay your T-Shirt over the fabric.

To Make a Dress

 Give yourself more fabric at the bottom.

If you want you can measure from your shoulder down to where you want your dress to end.

Add the additional inches to the bottom of the fabric.

You will also want cut a few more inches away from the shirt to give room for your hips!

To Make a T-Shirt or Tank

Add a few inches of fabric to the bottom of your shirt

You can always cut off extra fabric if it is too long when you are done

Note:

I like to use the part of the bed sheet that is hemmed at the bottom so my shirt is hemmed at the bottom. Saves me time.

Dont worry if you dont have a hemmed edge. That's why we are using stretchable fabric.

It takes its own shape, so you dont have to hem anything!

3. T-Shirt and Tank Top Makers: Cut 2" away from your shirt

Dress Makers: Cut 3" away from your shirt

Starting at the bottom cut around your shirt until you get to the middle of the neckline

4. Remove your shirt.

Fold the shirt over and cut the other side out

This will ensure both sides are even

5. After you cut your shirt out turn the right-sides so they are is facing in

The wrong-side should be facing outward

6. Line up your shirt so all sides and corners are matching

8. We arent to the point of sewing yet, but I wanted to show you where you will put your push pins at.

Pin your shirt were the black lines are below:

9. Now we sew. Sew where the black lines are on the photo below.

Sew 1" from the edge of the shirt

Do not sew where your body parts are going to be: waist, arm holes, neck. 

Here is a closer view of the shoulders:

The photo below shows where I sewed

10. Fold your shirt right-side out

Try it on

If it is too big, hem the sides in another 1/2"-1"

YOU'RE FINISHED!!!

Unless you want to make it a swoop neck like mine....

1. Start by putting the shoulder seams together and laying the shirt flat

You will notice that the sleeves will be touching.

2.Smooth out the shirt so you get a clean cut
In the photo below the top left of the shirt will be my front, the top right will be the back of my shirt
It doesnt matter which one you choose since they are the same. 

3. Cut a scoop out of the top left. 

Note:

The closer you cut to the shoulder seam the wider the neck will be.

For example: if you cut close to the shoulder seam you can get an "over the shoulder look", but if you cut a few inches away from the shoulder seam your neckline will not be as wide and will be more like a t-shirt.

 I would start by going 2-3" away from the shoulder seam, then cut 2-3 inches down and over. If you want more scoop you can always come back and cut more off.

4. Do the same to the top right side, except you wont cut as far down this time.

This is the back of the shirt.

You dont want as big of scoop as the front.

Cut 1-2" down and over until you hit the end of the shirt

Ta-Da! 

Use scissors to fix any jagged edges. (Pun unintended)

You can also pull on the shirt a little to get the material to roll up a bit

Now, YOU'RE FINISHED!!!

ENJOY!!

Thread Organizer from a Cork board and Toothpicks

I cant tell you how many times I go digging in my sewing box and find all of the spools of thread twisted together! This project is going to make your sewing days a dream cruise...well, something like that. It's cute, cheap, and keeps you organized and I love organized. 

What You Will Need:
-Cork Board
-Hammer
-Toothpicks (notice mine are little umbrellas. Hey, do what you can with what you have, right!)
-Measuring tape or ruler
-Marker or Pen
-A nail or pin to hang it up

Lets Begin!

1. Start by laying your cork board on the ground

2. Lay your measurement stick or tape down :

- 3" from the top
- Put a dot every 2" across your board

Note: Play around with where you would like your toothpicks to be.
I choose to space mine out every 2", but do whatever works for you!

3. Push your toothpick into the cork board a little.

4. Hammer it in on a slight angle, so the thread wont just fall right back off after you put it on

5. Hammer a toothpick in each dot you made: 

6. Measure 3" down from your first row of toothpicks to add a second row:

Again, you can play around with the spacing

7. Repeat steps 2-6

I did 4 rows of 7

&

1 row of 3

8. Hang your new board up

What a mess!

Hang your spools of thread up:

YOU'RE FINISHED!!

Enjoy!!!

This Project was inspired by my friend Jen. 

How to turn an old leather belt into a Cuff Bracelet

This tutorial is going to show you how to turn an old leather belt into a cuff.
I have seen so many awesome leather belts at the thrift store, but most of them were not my size. This project gives me a whole new outlook on leather belts... just turn it into a cuff!

What You Will Need:
-Leather Belt

-Snap Fasteners Buttons (at any craft store)
-Setter & Anvil (Comes in Snap Fastener Button Kits)
-Rotary Hole Punch
-Scissors
-Mallet or Hammer
-Something to hammer on, like a cement surface with a hand towel on it
-Pen or Sharpie

Let's Begin!

Start by wrapping the belt around your wrist.

Make sure it is fairly sung.

Give yourself 1 1/2" of extra length.

Cut the belt.

You could also measure your wrist, add 2-3 inches,

then measure and cut your belt.

Now you will punch a hole into the belt.
Start by using a smaller punch first.
You want the snap to be snug in the hole.

For the Top Snap:

Right Side up, on either end of the belt ,go up a 1/2"-1" and

punch out a hole. Try to slide one of the snaps into it.

If it definitely wont fit, go up one punch size.

For the Bottom Snap:

Once you get your top snap fastener in (see below) wrap the bracelet around your wrist again

and make a mark where you would like the bottom snap to be.
Punch out the hole.

Do your outside snap first.

The outside snap will have the shiny button-like top.

Please refer to the directions in your book if you become confused.

 Here is how you will layer the first set of snaps:
1. Top Snap (has ridges on the bottom)

-Push the top snap into the top part of the belt, the side with the print. Flip it over and add the bottom piece
2. The Belt will be in the middle (the belt should have a hole in it)
4. Bottom piece (it is the one that has the ring inside of it)
-This piece goes on the wrong side of the belt.
5. Anvil (what you will be hammering the snaps on)

This is how you will layer the second set of snaps.

Note: Make sure you hammer in the first snaps before punching out the hole for the second set of stamps. This is going to make sure your cuff will fit properly.

The second set of snaps are the opposite of the first ones.

- The snap that has a point goes through the bottom of the belt.

-Then the snap goes over it on the right side of the belt.

-The Anvil will be on the bottom scoop side up.

Now comes the setting of the snaps.

You are probably wondering how they are going to stay since they are too big.

After you hammer them in they will cozy up to your belt.

Find a very hard surface, like concrete, and lay a towel down so you dont scratch your buttons.

1. Lay the Anvil down scoop side up

2. Lay the round button top end onto the Anvil.

3. Here is what it will look like once you have the button top on the Anvil.

4. Place the Setter point in the hole. Hammer the hole down with a few good hits.

If the snap wobbles you need to hammer it a few more times.

You want the snap to be snug.

Do this to both sides.
When you are finished cut off any extra belt that is left over.

This is what it should look like when you are finished:
(this is before I cut off the extra leftover belt on the right side)

YOU'RE FINISHED!!

Enjoy!!!

This project was inspired by: http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2012/02/v-and-co-how-to-make-leather-cuff-from.html