Canalis Shirt Tutorial

Lately I've been on a kid shirt redo kick so I decided to take a break from that and make something for me...finally, something for this Mama...

and, yes, it's another tshirt refashion.

It reminds me of tube corals on a shirt...

and that is why I named it Canalis which is Latin for "tube".

You will need two of the same color shirt; one shirt needs to be one size larger than what you normally wear.  Take the other shirt, fold in half - hot dog style and fold in half - hot dog style, again. Cut it into strips like this:

You will end up with lots of tshirt  loops...cut your loops in half at the seams...you want to take off the seams and then pull each strip till it curls up...do this to each one.

Now take the larger shirt and cut right at the seams...from the bottom of the shirt all the way to the end of the sleeves. You want to open up your shirt completely so that it is easy to sew on the strips of from the other shirt. 

Now start sewing your strips onto the front of the shirt, beginning from the neckline and work your way around the neckline and then start filling down and across...just take one strip and begin sewing and fill up the front of your shirt in any pattern you like. If a strip is too long, just cut it and use elsewhere on the shirt.  Use up as many strips as possible to get it to fill in nicely. Since  your shirt is opened up, you can sew on strips even over the seams at the shoulders and onto the back of the shirt...Have fun with it...Just be careful to sew down the middle of each strip and make sure that the curled up part doesn't get caught with the needle...

like this...but if it does, just stop, put your needle up, release the foot and gently tug and snip off the thread until the shirt is free again 

Once you've filled up the front of the shirt with lots of tshirt tubes, turn the shirt inside out and line up the sides again, pin and sew up again...once with a straight stitch and a second time with a zig-zag.  

And you're done

Once you wash it, the tubes will curl in more...if you end up with some strips that don't want to curl up, just take your scissors and cut across the length of the strip about half ways and they will curl up for you.

Baby Rose Shirt Redo

I hope you are not getting too tired of my kid's shirt redos, but I REALLY like to make their shirts, especially if I can reuse their baby clothes.  My kid's baby clothes were/are so cute...I just can't help myself.  
So, this refashion comes to you courtesy of my daughter's long sleeved 2T shirt.  I love the details of this shirt and how cute it looked on Sam when she was little.  When she outgrew it, it got put away. I figured I would let Sam use it for her dolls someday. Well, forget the dolls, I used it to make a cute shirt for Sam ...six years later.

Here is what the 2T shirt looked liked before the transformation.  See how wrinkled it is from being tucked away in a chest for years?  I love the rose cut-out and the striped sleeves especially the ruffled edge at the end of the sleeves...

So, basically what I did was cut out the flower cut-out  and centered it to the new shirt. I did this by folding the shirt side ways and ironing a line down the middle.  Then I did the same with the cut-out.  

See the thread running down the middle...that is just to show you how to line up the shirt with the cut-out to get it to look centered. 

Then pin and sew around the cut-out

I sewed around the cut-out twice just because...and then trimmed the edge (sorry, forgot to take pic)

Make several strips by cutting up the sleeves. Fold and iron your strips length wise

and use them to trim out the sleeves like you would with bias tape.  Just start with one strip and when that strip runs out, layer another and continue around the sleeve.

Just sew around the sleeve.  I used the width of the foot as a guide. 

Once I was done sewing, I just trimmed off the extra fabric.

Don't forget to do the same for the neckline. Remember the cute ruffled edge on the sleeves? I cut the ruffle close to the edge and made these pretty roses. I pinned them to the flowers that were printed on the cut-out.

I sewed/tacked them down by hand and added clear beads.

and there you have it...still cute six years later ...

and, um, yeah, don't you think the shirt is cute too...?

I love you with all of my HEARTS...shirt

I made this shirt for my 3rd grader on her first day of school. 

It matched nicely with the Charming Rose Hair Clip I made for her. 

Our town Wal-Mart was in renovation mode this summer so I bought several shirts for a buck a piece.  

I used two of those shirts to make this one for Sam; the solid one fit and the flowered one was a size 5 (way too small for Sam).  It didn't matter since I knew I would use it somehow. 

I cut up the flowered shirt...

and cut out as many hearts as I could. 

I pinned them onto the solid pink shirt...

and went to town sewing across each heart with contrasting thread. I didn't bother stopping when I came to the edge of a heart; I just kept  sewing.  I made sure to back stitch each line before and after the stitch.  

I like the rawness of the look.

It didn't matter if the stitches were kinda wonky or uneven...

I even added hearts to the back of the shirt.

Then I cut in-between the stitches.  

You can use these 2 tutorials (here and here) for further details on how to do this. 

To the sleeves I added the ruffle that was on the neckline of the flowered shirt. 

I just cut it in two pieces and sewed them on.

It just seems to complete the look of the shirt.

And so off Sam went to be a 3rd grader, 

heart shirt and all.  

I'm glad that she's never too big to be Daddy's girl...

doesn't this picture just melt your heart...?

Easy Backpack to Shoulder Bag

My daughter loves this backpack, BUT it was way too small for her.  She's had it since she was two years old.  Anywhere she went, Deery- Lou had her back.  

So entertaining the idea of giving it away sent Sam into pleading mode; "Please mom...can't you make it bigger?"  Hmmmm?  That got me thinking.  I could make it "bigger"...  

All I did was seam rip-off the straps, 

sewed the straps into one long shoulder strap, (I used the handle to connect the two straps.)

hot glued shut the openings left from seam ripping-off the straps,

 and reattached the now shoulder strap to the sides of the backpack. 

Deery-Lou no longer has Sam's back...now they walk side-by-side. 

I'm positive Sam will continue to treasure her "new" purse for many more years to come, especially since the straps are adjustable and she can make it as "big" as she needs it to be. 

You Decide My Skirt's Fate

I have this skirt from Gap.  It is an A Lined circle with panels so it flares out at the bottom. I really love the style and how it fits, BUT I want to do "something" to it.       

I hardly wear it because it is too simple...

Our sweet Sofie Girl ... 

I want to do something creative to it.  And this is where I need your help...I can't decide what I want to do to it.  I've pinned way too many skirts on Pinterest and now I can't make up my mind. Here is what I've chosen in no particular order...

1) Sew on circles and add a matching trim?

2) Paint or sew on a floral design?

3) Paint words? Maybe on one panel or along the bottom?

4) Sew on circles in a pretty pattern? Maybe going up one panel?

5) Paint or applique a pattern around the entire bottom of skirt?

6) Change out a panel and add a trim to bottom?

7) Add different rows of lace?

I am going to leave the decision up to YOU; my readers, followers and anyone that just stops by and leaves a comment.  There are 7 choices (see why I can't make up my mind?) to pick from.  To vote just leave me a comment (voting ends August 19th) at the bottom with your favorite one.  The number with the highest votes wins and I will go with that.   Once I finish with the skirt, I will definitely show you the outcome.  Thanks in advance for your help.  Can't wait...