How to Make a Cheerleader Dress From a T-Shirt
Creating a cheerleader dress yourself allows you to customize the size and personalize the style. Whether you want the dress in a particular team's colors or your favorite colors, the fabric and T-shirt you choose is completely up to you. A T-shirt cheerleader dress makes an inexpensive Halloween costume or toddler play outfit. With a few craft items from home and some special accessories, your cheerleader dress is sure to be a winner.
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Things You'll Need
- Large or extra large V-neck T-shirt
- Sleeveless top in child's actual size
- Pins
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- 1 yard of fabric in contrasting color
- Pencil
- Glue gun
- Computer
- Printer
- Needle
- Thread
- Sequins or other accessories
Instructions
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1
Lay the T-shirt on a clean, flat surface. Place the child's sleeveless top directly on top. Line up the shoulders and smooth out any wrinkles.
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2
Pin the sleeveless top to the T-shirt every 5 inches. This ensures the top will stay in place while cutting.
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3
Place your scissors at the right-side shoulder and carefully cut the T-shirt along the edges of the sleeveless top. Follow the sleeveless top silhouette around the entire T-shirt. Unpin and remove the sleeveless top, and discard the T-shirt scraps.
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4
Measure 6 inches down from the T-shirt's armpit. Mark the spot with a pencil. Diagonally angle the measuring tape to the center of the shirt front. Cut four one-half-inch strips of fabric to this measurement.
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5
Plug in the glue gun. Wait five minutes until hot. Turn the fabric strips over and squeeze a line of glue down an entire strip. Flip the fabric and place the strip at the pencil mark. Press the strip on a downward diagonal. Repeat with the second strip, meeting at the center to create a V-shape. Turn the shirt over and add the next two strips in the same way.
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6
Print out a letter of your choice, such as your child's first-name initial or school initial. Lay the letter on top of your piece of fabric and trace with a pencil. Cut out the letter. Add glue to the backside of the fabric, flip the letter over and center it on the t-shirt above the v-strips.
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7
Make a horizontal cut across the t-shirt just below the "v." This bottom half becomes the skirt. Cut four four- to six-inch segments, depending on the width of your t-shirt, out of the t-shirt bottom. Notice a total of eight pieces because you are using the front and the back of the t-shirt.
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8
Lay out your contrast fabric and place one of the t-shirt segments on top. Trace the segment with a pencil. Repeat seven more times for a total of eight fabric segments.
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9
Alternate the T-shirt and fabric segments in a single line. Squeeze a vertical line of glue on the right side of the first segment. Place the second segment about a half-inch over onto the segment with the glue. Press firmly for a few seconds. Continue on each segment until you have a straight line of attached segments. Pick up both ends and loop around to form a skirt.
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10
Unravel your thread to 25 inches and cut. Thread the needle and pull through until you have a six-inch tail. Using your thumb and forefinger, wrap the other end of the thread around your finger while holding the thread down with your thumb. Begin twisting the thread by rubbing your fingers together. Move your forefinger toward your thumb slowly and carefully, and push the loop you just formed off the end of your finger. Pull taut to create a knot.
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11
Place the skirt on the child. Measure the skirt so that it fits snug. Mark with a pencil where you should sew the skirt shut. Push the needle through the top of the skirt at the pencil mark. Pull the thread all the way through both segments. Place the needle on the inside of the skirt and pass it through to the other side. Continue sewing all the way down the back until the skirt is sewn shut. Cut off the needle. Tie a knot and cut off any loose threads.
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12
Cut off any leftover fabric where you sewed the skirt together.
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Tips & Warnings
Iron the cheerleader dress when you are finished.
Felt can be used instead of fabric.
Add sequins or other accessories to the dress.
Children should not be around a hot glue gun.
References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
