Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Wardrobe Refashion--big & shapeless into cute and tailored



This used to be a shapeless 2XL shirt which I bought at the DAV thrift store for $3. In fact, I thought it was a men's shirt, but my friend informed me that the buttons were on the woman side. I cut all the seams apart and using pattern NEW LOOK 6407,



I recut it out. I made a size 16 because I am not one of those tiny petite creatures that you usually see on wardrobe refashion blogs--you know, the ones who can take a men's shirt and have enough fabric to make a dress. sigh.

Anyway, I lined the pattern pieces up with the shoulder seam and the button placket and chopped away, marking the darts. the only change I made to the pattern was to cut a round neckline because I wanted it that way.

It was pretty much the same amount of work as just making the shirt from new fabric, except :

I didn't have to make any button holes or sew on any buttons. That was TOTALLY WORTH IT!! I hate making button holes.

Plus buying fabric and buttons would have cost me more than $3.

I really like this pattern and will be using it again. I tried on several button down shirts at the mall recently, and was very depressed at how top heavy they made me look. This pattern fits me as if I was that skinny girl who lives in my head, instead of the generously proportioned mother of 5 that I really am.

3 comments:

  1. Awesome!! Good job.

    I guess that's one difference between us... i've NEVER tried on a shirt and felt i was too TOP heavy. Not even right after childbirth.... oh well. :-)

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  2. I love it! You are fantabulous with a sewing machine, you know that? It's a lot of fun seeing what you come up with. Thanks for helping me test my new website!

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  3. I thought it was a cute shirt when you wore it to quilt club, now I'm double-impressed since it's refashioned!

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