Ways to Remake a T-Shirt
The T-shirt is a quintessential part of the American wardrobe. In fact, according to a survey by Russell Corp., a leader in the T-shirt industry, 62 percent of Americans own more than 10 T-shirts. Not to mention that 92 percent of T-shirt owners cite a "favorite" among their collection. With so many T-shirts floating around, it's no wonder that people re-decorate and re-purpose them into different clothing items.
-
Paints
-
Craft stores carry items such as puff and glitter paint specifically made to adhere to fabric. Print out your favorite pattern and poke small holes along all of the lines that make up the image of that pattern. Place the pattern in the T-shirt and then use your paints to trace over the pattern creating an outline of the image or text. Remove the printout, then fill in the pattern with puff and glitter paints of your choosing. For example, if you're creating a holiday puff paint T-shirt, print out an image of a Christmas tree, and poke small holes along the lines of a tree with a pin, scissors or awl. Place that pattern on the shirt, then dab over it with the paint of your choosing. Decorate the rest of your Christmas tree T-shirt by adding small dots resembling lights and slightly larger colored balls resembling Christmas tree ornaments.
Cutting
-
Some T-shirts get a "worn" or "vintage" looking by cutting out the collar or sleeves. Why? Because over time these parts of the T-shirt may tear from regular wear. Additionally, if you prefer a looser fit, removing the banding from the neckline or arms may give a more comfortable fit. Using a pair of scissors, cut vertically into the seam along the back of the neck-line. Only make a cut across the seam and not deeper into the shirt. Using the seam of the neck-line as a guide, cut around the entire oval until the neckline is complete removed. Perform this same task on the arms. Whether there are elastic or simply sewn seams, removal makes the garment looser in each respective place. You may wish to apply a fraying agent to the fabric to keep it from unraveling where it was cut. After washing, the edges naturally curl and the T-shirt is ready to wear with a more "relaxed" or "vintage" look.
-
Bleaching
-
Bleaching gives T-shirts a faded look along the area that comes in contact with the bleach. This allows you to imprint images or words onto any T-shirt in your collection. After selecting a T-shirt, purchase vinyl with a sticky back. Cut the vinyl into whatever shape or letters you desire. Lay out the T-shirt and place some old rags or towels between the front and back of the shirt. This stops the bleach from reaching the back. Lay out your images or letters across the T-shirt. Using a sponge dampened with bleach, wipe across the images or letter. Rinse the shirt in cold water to stop the bleaching process and then place in the dryer immediately. After you remove it from the dryer, your bleached T-shirt will show the images or lettering you placed across the front. You may also repeat the process for the back of the shirt.
Buttons and Lace
-
Buttons and lace allow you to cinch or tie up an altered T-shirt which has been cut. Locate a pattern that requires you to cut your T-shirt in a way where the two halves in the front or back need securing. For example, for a sexy stomach- and cleavage-baring T-shirt, locate a pattern that instructs you to cut a triangle shape from the base of the T-shirt on one side to the sternum area and back down the other side. Repeat the triangle cut from the neckline back toward the sternum area and back up the other side so the T-shirt is only secured by a small piece of material in the middle. Cut the material holding the shirt together in the front and then create a button-hole on one side and sew a button on the other to close the shirt around your body. For lace, simply make sure there are slits on each side of the opening where the lace is strung and ultimately tied to secure the shirt. Pattern ideas for button and lace are endless and allow you to experiment with the front, back and even the sides of the shirt.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
