Spring Tank Top from Scraps

I made this shirt from scraps of t-shirts.

I had the remains of a shirt I bought at Target for $.60 a few weeks ago. I decided to use  the remains of it (I cut off the bottom and sleeves for this project) to make a new shirt.
 

I used a tank top that fits well to cut out a pattern for the body. There wasn’t enough of the shirt left to use for the entire top. 

I cut around the body and arms, leaving a 1/2” seam allowance.

I squared off the neck and back so they are cut straight across. I used the back part of the shirt as the front (I don’t like when my tops are too low-cut). I cut the front piece higher than the back.

I wanted to use the sleeves to make binding for the neck and armholes, so I cut them apart at the seams to preserve as much fabric as possible. 

I pinned the sides of the tank top and sewed with a zig-zag stitch. I stopped right under the arm hole. (Don’t stitch the arm holes closed. You won’t like your shirt as much.)

 

Now measure the arm holes. Cut a piece of binding 1.5 inches wide and as long as the arm hole. Fold it in half and iron it.

 

Pin the binding to the arm hole. Use lots of pins.

I sewed two rows of stitching to make it *look* like a serged seam. (I don’t have a serger.)

 

Repeat for the other arm hole.

I measured the front and cut another piece of 1.5” wide binding as long as the front piece.

 

Do the same for the back.

I like my shirts to be long. I also hate to hem things. So I added a little band to the bottom. I used a scrap of pink fabric from this skirt. 

I just folded the fabric in half, cut to the length of the bottom of the shirt and used a stretch stitch to attach it.

Next, I made some straps. I used scraps of 3” jersey fabric. I made mine 11.5” long and sewed them on three sides like a tube, then turned the tube right sides out. Then I pressed it and sewed it closed on the other end.

To finish off the straps, I top stitched around the perimeter.

To attach them to the tank top, I sewed a square of stitches.

I added two fabric flowers and a pink scrap to the shirt.
 

And that was it. I love to use scraps to make something useful and cute.