Tutorial: Upcycled Striped Bow Tank

I have been wanting some new summer tops. However, the chance to get anywhere to shop has evaded me for several weeks. 

So I raided my [small, yet growing] stash of thrift-store finds.   

I refashioned a striped shirt (it was a long sleeved girls’ size XL). I got it for $1. I took scraps from another t-shirt and made it into this! 

I really love how it is longer, almost tunic-length. I love the vertical stripes at the bottom. I also love that the neckline isn't too low. Which is a problem I have experienced with tank tops sold in various stores.

I love my new $1 shirt.

It all started like this….

I was going to use that hot pink fabric pictured above. Ignore that! 
I changed my mind and used some pale pink instead.

I started by cutting off the sleeves. I wasn’t too sure what I was going to do at first but the shoulders of the shirt were just too tight. So the sleeves had to go.

 

I decided the neck had to go as well. So I cut around one side…

To make the neck symmetrical, I flipped the part I had cut over and cut around it like a pattern.

 

This is what the neckline looked like prior to binding. The straps were really skinny.

I made binding from a pink t-shirt by folding a 2” wide piece in half and then pressing the edges under about 1/4”. I pinned it to each armhole (with loads of pins).

 

I did a double row of stitching to secure the binding.

 

For the neck binding, a cut strips 2 1/2” wide and followed the same technique to make, pin and sew the binding.

 

I let the seam of the binding be in the front. I later covered this seam with a bow.

 

To make the bow, I sewed a tube of 2 1/2” wide strip of jersey. I turned it right sides out, ironed it flat, and starched it before tying it into a bow.

The shirt was a bit short for my taste. I removed the bottom hem and pressed the old hem flat.

 

To add extra length to the shirt and create the contrasting stripes’ direction at the bottom of the shirt, I used the former sleeves.

I needed two 17” widths of fabric.

To get as much fabric as possible from each sleeve, I first cut off the cuff as close to the stitching as possible.

 

Then I opened each sleeve up right at the seam.

I cut two 18” x 4 1/2” wide pieces (one from each sleeve). I allowed a 1/2” seam allowance.

After sewing the short edges of the 18” x 4 1/2” strips into a tube, I started pinning the right sides of this wide tube to the bottom of the shirt.

I lined up the seams, pinned with lots of pins, and sewed it onto the bottom of the shirt using a stretch stitch. I pressed it flat.

I opted not to hem the bottom. Since it is a jersey knit, it will roll and not fray. I like the look of jersey rolling at the edge.

Now I have a shirt that fits and looks good. Since it didn't cost much, I won’t mind wearing it for everyday tasks…going to the park, cleaning up sandy footprints, cooking…

Here are a few more pictures. Hope this inspires & equips you to raid a thrift store and make a new shirt for your everyday summer wardrobe.