DIY Plain White Tee Shirt Refashion {Lace Front with a Peter Pan Collar}

Have you found that the fashion world passes you by when you have a baby? By the time I actually fit back into my clothes they are all out of style! So what is a girl to do? Take those clothes and make them fabulous!

Let the refashioning begin! 

I started with a plain white tee, a seam ripper and this pin from Pinterest.

At this point you need to evaluate your shirt.  Does it already fit you or is it too big? Mine fit just right so I couldn't cut the seams, I had to ....unpick. Dun Dun Dun.  I unpicked all the seams except for the hems.  Next I cut off the old collar using a pattern that I made from an existing shirt I liked.

Take the front of your shirt and use it as a pattern to cut out the lace piece.  I got my lace from JoAnn's. I found it tricky to sew the lace onto the tee because the tee was so stretchy and the lace, not so much.  I cut out my lace to be the exact size of my tee shirt.  As I sewed, the T-shirt material stretched  more than the lace.  Because of that, the lace didn't end up being as long as my shirt.  I actually ended up liking the look of that but if you want your lace to go all the way to the bottom of your shirt or longer, make sure you cut out more fabric.  Sew the lace onto the whole front of the shirt- sides, collar, arm holes, everything.  I also found it easier to sew with the lace side down.

I chose to only put lace on the front of the shirt.  You can see this in the picture above.

Now we are going to put the shirt back together.  Once the lace is attached, sew the front to the back at the shoulder seams, right sides together.  Pin and then sew the sleeves back in.  Once both sleeves have been sewn back in, pin the sides right sides together.  Do this all the way up, pinning together the bottom part of the sleeve as well.   Now you can sew one stitch down each side and you will sew up the sleeves as well as the sides.

You now have your lace front shirt.  On to the peter pan collar.  

I used wrapping paper to make my peter pan collar pattern.  I traced the bottom of a round pitcher to get a nice round collar for my pattern.  I just eyeballed the pattern and sketched it with a pencil around where the collar would go.  Honestly I had to make 2 patterns before I got it looking right.  Here is a nice little tip, once you have drawn it out, you can use two pencils hooked together and trace it again to get the right seam allowance.   Cut it out and pin it on to make sure it will work.  

I folded my pattern in half and cut 2 out on the fold of my black fabric.  I marked where the center would be on my shirt and tested the fabric collar on the shirt to make sure it fit.

When you know it fits, take it off.  Cut out your interfacing slightly smaller than your pattern and attach it to the back side of the piece that will be the top side of your collar.  With right sides together, sew the two pieces of collar together just around the outside.  Do not sew the part that will be attached to the shirt.   Snip little triangles out of the rounded seam allowance portions of the collar so that it will lay nicely.  flip it right side out and iron it so that it is nice and flat.

Mark the center again and attach the unsewn side of the collar to the raw edges of the right side of the shirt collar.  That sounds confusing doesn't it! Just make sure that when you pin in the collar, the collar is on the inside of the shirt so that after you sew it and flip it out you won't see the stitching.

To make sure the collar lays flat, sew it down on the top side as close to the edge as possible.

 Wahoo! done!! 

I have to add this next picture because it is kinda cool and kinda creepy at the same time.  It is like I am locked in a zombie's death ray.

How does it wash? I have not clue.  We will find out tomorrow when it takes it's first swim in the washing machine.

*Update: I washed it and it is still perfect! The lace didn't fray at all and the collar is as crisp as ever. Score!

Linking to:
http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/

http://suburbsmama.blogspot.com/
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/
http://www.the36thavenue.com/
http://www.momnivores-dilemma.com/
http://tatertotsandjello.com/