Projects on My Plate

  • Veda's Birthday Party
  • Sienna's Birthday Party
  • Sienna's Pencil Skirt
  • Pencil Skirt
  • Wardrobe re-do
  • Floral Skirt for Mommy
  • Breck's Bedding
  • Sienna and Veda's Bedding
  • Apron

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Super Easy Top Re-Do

Have I mentioned that I'm tall?

Pretty sure I have. But in case you didn't know... I'm 6'1". Yeah, not just kind of tall.

I have the same issues that every other tall girl has. I have trouble finding pants long enough, sleeves long enough, and most mid-length skirts end up looking like mini skirts on me.

Oh, and then there's my torso. The torso is a story within itself. My torso is WAY long. Like, almost too long for the rest of my body. Really, the length of my torso almost suggests my legs should be a few inches longer...which we all know I don't need...

I have to preface that because, due to my extreme lengths, I tend to have devastating results when items shrink up in the dryer. I need every inch of fabric my clothes can offer, and if any of it gets lost...I'm outta clothes.

Well, unfortunately it happened. A shirt I loved previously ended up in the dryer, and shrunk in the torso length. The cry of death for any of my tops.

The top had previously been one of those loose, boxy-fitting, v-neck shirts. It was a very silky and slinky knit, a peachy pink color, with light grey feathers printed here and there on it. After washing it, I felt like a little kid wearing it, because it was too short, but not intentionally short. Like I was a 5 year old wearing a 3T.

I just couldn't let the shirt go, so I thought about what I could do. Make it into a dress for one of the girls? No. Make it into a shirt-dress? No, it's too loose fitting in the sides for that. But wait... if I were to cut it, and make it intentionally short, then I might be onto something!

I thought about it, went back and forth, decided to scrap the idea in fear of looking too much like Bill S. Preston, Esquire.

But no, I couldn't let it go. The day before Thanksgiving, I made the cut. And the hem. And got one of the easiest, flub free refashions, I'd ever done. No regrets.

So here's what I did:

The shirt...after the wash, before the cut.

The pattern

 As seen below, I cut an arched line from left side to right side. Then I hemmed it, but you don't have to, if you use a top with a knit fabric.

Another variation could include making it a "hi-low" shirt with the arched cut in front, gradually descending into a reverse arch down in the back, so the front is cut high, and the back is cut low.

And here's how it looks all put together:

 These pictures are not the best quality...we are looking into getting a new camera since our camera broke...so these are with my phone, hopefully you get the picture.

3 comments:

Rachael said...

Such a good idea and totally cute on you! As awkward as it is for you to be super tall, I'm so short next to you that I look like I'm in kindergarten! :)

Mr and Mrs Smith and Co said...

Cute idea! Too bad you have to be skinny to pull that off. Gimme another few months (hopefully). We'll see what I can do. BTW, I haven't forgotten about asking you to help with my skirts... But I can't fit into them right now. See previous answer :) We'll get together and do them later.... ;)

Unknown said...

That's a great idea and is very flattering on you. I'm interested in you living room afgan...how to find the pattern for the edging, needle size and best yarn

Blog Widget by LinkWithin