t-shirt chop shop
Last summer, when I was putting together a box of clothes to donate to the homeless shelter, I picked up a few ill-fitting T-shirts and got happy with the scissors. This summer, I’m bringing it to the blog.
Redesigning an old shirt with a few snips and knots is a great no-sew way to make the old new again. This project works best with over sized, frumpy, tight-necked, concert and even giveaway shirts (you know the ones you get for free from events that come in the one-size-fits-all poorly variety). It’s also a great way to jazz up your kids summer camp T’s.
I am going to start the post-series with a simple cut and work my way up to more intricate designs in the following lessons. This simple cut is also the starting point for other designs. So pay attention!!
Check out the images below for instructions, and please…
** click on the image to see full-size!! the thumbnails crop out details **
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- Start by laying the shirt out flat, upsidedown.
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- Locate a corner of the collar near the seam and make a cut straight through, stopping when you’ve cut through the collar.
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- Cut the collar of the shirt off, following along directly below the seam. Make smooth long cuts to avoid jagged edges.
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- Grab the corners of the neck by the seams and give a gentle outward pull.
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- Pulling the cut fabric makes a nice rolled edge.
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- Cut the sleeves on an angle, narrow near the armpit and wider on top.. like a little triangle.
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- Gently pull on the sleeves to curl the edges.
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- Cut along the bottom hem of the shirt under the stitched seam. If you trim under the stiching the shirt will not loose its shape.
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- Gently tug the bottom hem to curl. Done.
Once you’re done, try on your new creation to see how it looks!! You may decide to make a larger scoop of the neck for a little off-the-shoulder action, or you might grab another T and get snippin’… just remember to save some shirts for the next tutorial.
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http://craftawl.com/2010/07/21/t-shirt-cutting-series-a-little-racier/ craftAWL.com » t-shirt cutting series: a little racier
