"Let's Get It On"...& Revamp this shirt!

I recently shared my pledge to re-fashion my wardrobe in an effort to add some funk to my closet, keep money in my pocket & save the planet!  It's a fun & practical challenge that I am really excited about participating in.  You can read more about the challenge here: Wardrobe Re-Fashion

I had a super soft brown UFC t-shirt I bought way back in August of 2006...UFC 62 - Liddell vs. Sobral.  It's an extra large and is a bit frumpy on me now...time to cut it up & refashion it.

My first step was to find a good fitting shirt that I liked which will be used as my pattern.  It's comfy & flattering...simple too.  =)

I put my UFC shirt on top of my "pattern" shirt, matching up the sleeves & neckline, then using a sliver of rescued bar soap...hey, it's readily available & marks your fabric nicely!

Then I cut the neck off my shirt...once again using the scrap of soap to mark my cut line.

 
I have to say...it was pretty liberating to grab my scissors & cut up my shirt!  =)

To create that simple little gather at the bust, I stretched & pinned 2 1/2" of elastic, stretched over 4" of fabric...then stitched it on.  

The tricky part is that you have to hold on tight to the elastic while you stretch & sew it.  I found it helpful to crank my presser foot down a few notches.

 This was surprisingly simple with great results.

I should have stopped right here...but I didn't!  I got the bright idea to cut up the back...wanted to try some lacing.  I cut the shirt straight up the middle of the back, then made a "V" shape on top.  I tried it on & pinned it to fit comfortably. 

I liked it so much at this stage, but really wanted to try that new leather cording I just got my hands on...so I punched some holes in it every inch or so on each side...then laced it up.

I wasn't in love with my bra showing through the back...and I sewed it back up!  Much to my dismay, it was now too small...so I'll have to revamp it again.  I think I'll make another t-shirt dress with this shirt...but I'll leave that for another post!  Can't be afraid to just go for it sometimes...lesson learned!  =)