IT MATTERS

First, I got my oldest, ugliest, most unwearable t-shirt out of the furthest corner of my over-stuffed closet. This, in and of itself, was quite a feat of strength...and endurance. Just look at it! Would you go out of your way to pull that beastie out of it's hidey-hole?! I think not. But I did retrieve it and here it is for all to look upon with terror...

Yes...it is an extra large grey monstrosity, but don't judge me. You know you have one lurking in the shadows too...

Next, I plotted my course. I knew I wanted little puffy sleeves and something a little bit more fitted around the torso...the potato sack look is apparently out this season. So, I figured an empire waist would work for me (and yes...that is to be read 'ohm-peer' as if you were Tim Gunn on Project Runway - which is a show I TOTALLY recommend watching!).

That was pretty much the sum total of my planning process. Not exactly what I would recommend to others but...it is what it is, people! I got out my shears and started snipping to my hearts delight! I cut the shirt about 3/4 of the way up from the bottom and cut off both sleeves as well (on the inside of the seam so it came off with the sleeves).

I went back into my closet and pulled a shirt that fit me well and used it as a pattern for the shape of the shoulders and sleeves. Once I had all that cut the way I wanted - after making sure I left enough fabric for the seams - I started working on my puffed sleeves. I found that the easiest way to get a pretty even puffed sleeve is by needle and thread. Using a running stitch through about half of the shoulder end of the sleeve, I pulled it to create the bunching that would make my puff.

Then I used a ridiculous number of straight pins to anchor my sleeve to the shoulder of the shirt (because if you don't then the stretchy material might go all cattywampus on you and things will get really interesting!) I did this for both sleeves and sewed them in place...then sewed the sleeves and the top of the shirt to create the top half of my new shirt! (yay!)

note: if you want your shirt to fit on the female parts...make sure you sew in a few darts for the little ladies!

Okay...from this point on, I sort of forgot to take pictures. oops! But...to sum up what you can't see, I took that bottom portion of the shirt that I cut off at the very beginning and sewed together the back portion from seam to seam. This left a big hole in the front of the shirt where the top half wasn't connected to the bottom half. I couldn't sew it straight on because the bottom half was now much larger than the top. I could have done several thing to straighten this out...I could've done more bunching with a running stitch until the sizes matched up...or I could've pleated the extra fabric...or I could've just left that big hole and called it my very own Britney Spears Belly Shirt...woohoo!!!

But I didn't.

Instead, I made four pleats - two on each side - folded away from each other, and sewed that sucker down. I did find...after trying it on the first time...that I let the back portion be a little too large and it hung awkwardly. But with a zig-zag stitch, a large piece of elastic, and some straight pins, that was fixed in a jiffy. When all was said and done...it wasn't the most beautiful creation ever. But, I'm a first-timer in t-shirt surgery...there's always the next patient!!