How to Make a Convertible Shirt

Mix and match colors and patterns for an interesting convertible shirt

There are lots of different types of convertible clothing on the market. There are the simple styles, pants that the bottom half zips off of to become shorts, long skirts that the hem zips off to turn into a mini-skirt, and jackets with removable sleeves turning them into vests. The convertible dress with it's simplistic design but multitude of ways to wear it is extremely popular. With a couple of recycled t-shirts it's easy to make your own convertible t-shirt top which will offer a variety of ways to wear it.

Things You'll Need

• Two t-shirts in a size Large or bigger
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Ruler
• Chalk
• Threaded sewing machine

Instructions

Making the shirt

1. Cut the bottom hem off both t-shirts just above the seam.

2. Lay one shirt on top of the other, lining up the bottom edges and armpits. Pin the t-shirts together to keep them even.

3. Use your ruler and chalk to mark a line across the top t-shirt from armpit to armpit use the armpit seam as a guide and draw your line just under it. Cut through both shirts so you have two equal sized tubes of fabric.

4. Cut each tube in half vertically. You will now have two wide rectangles of fabric.

5. Lay one t-shirt on top of the other, right sides facing. The right side of the t-shirt fabric is the one with the printed design, if it has one, otherwise, the right side is the side you want facing out without a seam showing.

6. Pin the two pieces of t-shirt fabric together along one of the short edges and sew the ends together. Double stitch for durability.

7. Remove the pins and unfold, now comes the fun yet a bit tricky part of how to wrap your convertible tee to create three different looks.

Wrapping your convertible top

1. Hold the fabric behind you. Hold one end 12-inches from the end, hold the remainder in your other hand. Bring both ends to your front across your bust and tie tightly at your bust leaving the 12-inch end hanging. Wrap the other end of the fabric around your torso, wrapping and tucking the fabric into it to hold it in place. This creates the tube top wrap.

2. Lay one end of the fabric over your shoulder just long enough so it covers your breast. Take the long end of the fabric, pull it across your back to the opposite side of your body. Wrap it around your bust tightly and continue wrapping down your torso. Tuck in the end when you've finished wrapping to hold it in place. This creates the one shoulder top.

3. Drape the fabric around the back of your neck and let it hang down your front covering your bust. Pull one side so the shorter side hangs a few inches below one breast. Fold the long end over itself and wrap around your torso. Be sure to catch the shorter end of the fabric in the wrap or you'll be exposing a lot more skin than you had planned. Continue wrapping and tuck in the end to hold in place.This creates the halter top.

References

• "Generation T Beyond Fashion"; Megan Nicolay; 2009
• Generation T