Lisa Comfort Customises it!
Spend an afternoon using your skills to transform a dull shirt into a Bardot-style top! Perfect for sunny summer days
THE Steps
❶ Using a ruler and a fabric pen, draw a line across the top of the shirt, just below the collar. The line needs to continue straight across the sleeves, too.
❷ Cut along this line, cutting off the collar and the top of the shirt (discard this part).
❸ Now cut into the sleeves by about 4cm. You may need to cut further once you start creating the casing for the elastic but, at this stage, it is better to not have cut enough rather than too much!
❹ At the top of the button placket (this is the thicker, reinforced section of fabric that runs behind the row of buttons), pin the shirt together to hold it in place. Next, stitch over the existing top stitching through both sides of the placket to hold it in place.
❺ Using an iron, create a double hem around the top of the shirt, folding 1cm and then 3.5cm. Pin in place to secure. At the point where the hem hits the sleeves, you won’t be able to fold the hem the full amount – this is fine, simply fold it neatly to line up with the front and back line of the shirt. You may need to cut a little further into the sleeve to allow you to keep the casing the same width either side of this point.
❻ Using the sewing machine, edgestitch the hem in place to create the casing for the elastic. Start and stop at one sleeve, leaving a gap of 5cm so you can insert the elastic. Remember to back stitch.
❼ Using a safety pin, thread the elastic through the casing.
Join the ends together, overlapping them by 1cm. Zigzag stitch in place on the machine. Then, using your existing stitching as a guide, sew the gap in the casing closed.
❽ Distribute the gathers evenly around the top and voilá, you’re done!