An Outgrown Cello Shirt Becomes a New Upcycled and Resized Cello Shirt

And another t-shirt comes into being. My daughter outgrew her favorite cello shirt and since it wasn't one the other kids would wear I turned it into a new shirt.

This project took a bit of searching at the craft store I must admit, because I wanted to keep the upcycle in theme with the previous shirt that I was reusing.  We found some musical ribbon and buttons to help finish off her shirt much to my daughter's delight.

I cut the front of the shirt out with the words and designs and then cut the rest of her old t-shirt into strips.  The strips I sewed together end to end and then folded in half and sewed the ends to make a circle.  I also sewed a loose straight stitch along the outside where the two folded edges meet so I could gather, and gather those ruffles for the sleeves.

Once that was done I took another shirt from the local craft store and ironed the previous t-shirt front to the front of the new shirt and sewed the ruffles onto the inside edge of the t-shirt sleeve.  After the ruffle was attached I sewed on the ribbon to the top of the sleeves where it would cover the stitching from adding the ruffle and around the bottom edge of the shirt, because we had the ribbon and because my daughter asked me too.  Finally I attached the buttons I could with my sewing machine and then attached the others by hand.

I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out and my daughter couldn't be happier.  I also think these little projects might just be my answer for conquering stress.

An Old Paint Stained Pair of Sweats and a New T-Shirt

My daughter had this pair of sweat pants that she had used to help paint the chicken coop and in the inside of the house and various other projects.  So they were paint stained in places.  She also put on a growing spurt recently and they had become too short for her.  So I found I had two choices.  Toss them out because lets face it her sister would never want to wear them or as she put it save them for me mom, they are my favorite pants.

So I got creative.  I removed the ankle cuffs.  No paint on those and they were in good condition.  Then I cut out the cute glittery words and accents on the pant legs.  How she managed to not get paint on those I will never know but the designs being paint free are the only thing that made this t-shirt upcycle possible.

Once that was done I played around with placement until we both liked it then I ironed on the designs to a t-shirt I bought from the local craft store when they were on sale.  Then I sewed the ankle cuffs to the sleeves and satin stitched around the sweat pants designs to give it a puckered wavy look.

She loved it and I got to be a bit creative today.  Win, Win.