Basic Button Up

August 20, 2012

This shirt was so much fun to sew because it was simple, easy, and turned out great! What's better than all that, though, is that it cost me a grand total of $5.00! Wanna know my secret? Thrift stores. The D.I. To be precise! I went with Mari shopping on Friday and we hit the store! While exploring the knit tops, electronics (I was hoping to find some speakers for our computer), blouses, and skirts, we found this beauty...
Exactly what I was looking for. I bought it for $5.00 and mapped out my plan...

Here's what you'll need:
1 very large button-up shirt
Scissors
Thread
Double needle (optional, but I would strongly suggest it!)

Here's how you do it:
1. Lay your blouse out, buttoned up and as flat as you can get it.
2. Cut a straight line down from just outside the seam connecting the sleeves to the end of the shirt. Do this on both sides.

3. Decide how long you want the shirt to be on you then add one inch (for the hem) and cut it to that length.

4. Now take your shirt, and fold it in half so the sides of the front are together. Doing this will ensure that the curve of your neckline will be the same on both sides.

5. Cut a half U for the front of your shirt and cut just below the collar for the back.
 

6. Now use a zig-zag stitch down the sides of your shirt (front and back). If you don't have a double needle, also do the sleeves, neck line, and bottom edges of shirt. This is so that your shirt won't fray when you wash it! Make sure you're not sewing any parts of your shirt together yet!

7. With right sides together, pin the sides of your shirt from the bottom up until you are about 7 1/2" from the shoulder on both sides.

8. Begin at that point and straight stitch at 3/4 of an inch or more depending on how tight you want your shirt to be.
 

9. Now for the sleeves. If you have a double needle, install it now and hem your sleeve at the length you want your sleeve to end up.

If you don't have a double needle, that's okay. That's why you listened to me and zig-zag stitched all your edges already! Hem.

10. Before you start going hem crazy and pinning everything in sight, make sure you make little clips about two inches apart all around the neckline. You NEED to do this so that you can hem without pulling on the material. Trust me.
 

11. Hem the neckline and bottom of shirt. Make sure you're not sewing the top or bottom fronts together because you need to be able to unbutton your shirt!

Voila! C'est fini! Your very own Basic Button Up! Happy sewing!

 

Couldn't resist putting one in of the babe!

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