I feel like I’m always posting holiday content on the day of said holiday. Sure, it’s timely and relevant, but my procrastinate-y posting schedule doesn’t always give you guys time to actually execute said holiday project for said holiday.
Today that all changes!
I’m doing a 4th of July refashion, and I’m posting it in time for you to do a similar upcycle if you so choose!
No, it’s not because I’ve become a better manager of my time. Joining the 2021-2022 Eversewn Maker Team means I have to produce a monthly project to a theme of their choosing. And they have a deadline.
I chose this $1 thrifted women’s button up shirt with a patriotic motif for this month’s challenge!
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It’s red, white, and blue. It has stars on it. The first part of my challenge (finding a good “before” piece) was done!
It even has a pocket!
My first step for this refashion was to remove the above pocket.
Well, will you look at that? You can see both of my hands! That’s because I finally spent $20 on a clip-on camera holder thingy that attaches to my cutting table so I’m not always just taking pics with one hand while working with the other.
I spare no expense to elevate your experience, dear reader.
Anywho…I carefully unpicked that pocket and put it aside. Don’t worry! It’s coming back later!
Those sleeves followed!
Next, I safety-pinned the top of the neck of my shirt (since it has no button there).
I flipped my newly-sleeveless top over.
I used my rotary cutter and ruler to measure and cut across the back of my shirt, leaving enough room above that back seam to fold over to make a casing.
I flipped my shirt back over, folded the original back/new front over and cut that part off.
I swapped out my sewing machine’s foot with my overcasting foot.
If you look clooooosely, you can see it has a little barrier that keeps the edge of the fabric where it needs to be for an overlocking stitch.
I overlocked the edge of my original back/new front of my shirt!
I folded the armholes (or half-armholes) over twice and clipped them in place.
I swapped my feet out again for my standard foot and I sewed them down.
Now for the back!
The original front/new back still had a raw edge to contend with, so I folded it over twice and clipped it down.
I sewed the top of the back down, slowing down around the placket where the fabric was pretty thick.
Time to halterify(?) the front of my new top!
I folded the top of my shirt over and pinned it in place, making sure to leave enough room for a length of ribbon to be added.
Then I sewed it in place!
I cut off a length of grosgrain ribbon and pinned a safety pin to the end.
Then, I threaded it through its casing!
I tried my top on, and realized I still needed to take in the sides a bit.
I just pinched the sides and guesstimated how much I’d need to take in from each side.
I pinned each side, measuring as I went.
Then, I stitched down each side and cut off the excess fabric with my pinking shears.
All that was left to deal with was that cute lil pocket!
I pinned my pocket to a spot on the front of my new top that I thought would be optimal for hand (and M&M) holding.
And for my final trick, I sewed my pocket down!
I think my new top looks great, and I can’t wait to wear it for whatever 4th of July shenanigans I end up attending!
I styled my new top with a pair of dark skinny jeans, my Jack Rodgers sandals, and a fave pair of red, white, and blue sunnies!
I really love how the button-up placket looks on the back!
I hope this refashion inspires you to look at those boring button-up shirts at the thrift store in a new way! With just a bit of sewing, you could have your favorite new halter top!
Cheers!
Most of the sewing notions seen in this post are from this awesome EverSewn Sewing Starter Kit! The rest can be found in the EverSewn Amazon Store!
