Friday 8 November 2013

Lace Top Refashion/Upcycle

Adding a little lace can give an old top a whole new look, here's how I gave one sleeveless shirt a new lease of life (twice actually!)

Lace top Refashion

I have a very inexpensive little sparkly top which I bought from Tesco in the sale a few years ago. I wore it just as it was a few times then gave it a little refashion inspired by Sweet Verbena's Pretty T Shirt by adding a strip of lace to the front. 
lace top refashion

I wore it quite a few more times, then saw myself wearing it one to many times on my friends Facebook photos and decided it needed refresh.

I still like the black lace and bright pink combo so stuck with that.


First I removed the old lace strip: I had been pretty good - look I had even undone the binding at the neck to make it all neat!

neat neck edge to lace refashion

Once it was back to how it was (and I'm really wishing I had photographed that so you could see it all plain. Unfortunately I was such a busy bee I missed that step) I decided to try some detail over the shoulders this time.

I laid the top on a piece of lace and just cut round roughly, leaving a good inch all round.

Then I measured the back from the top of the shoulder to make sure the lace was straight and pinned. I pinned all round the neck and arm hole edges of the top, just in from the binding, using loads of pins and smoothing everything as I went. I also pinned across the bottom of the lace. Use loads of pins if your fabric is slippery like this was.
I found that it helps to put a magazine inside your top, that way you can pin just the layers you want to much more easily.

Then I just started to trim the excess lace, using my lovely sharp dressmaking scissors and taking my time. Slowly, slowly I just cut all round, level with the edge of the binding round the neck and arm holes.

At the front, the lace was now slightly at an angle because of how it came over the shoulders. I thought about leaving it like that but in the end thought it would look better straight so I CAREFULLY chopped it off and pinned, pinned, pinned.

Next I just fired up the sewing machine and stitched all round with black thread. Again - slowly and carefully. I had to have a pretty loose tension on this to prevent puckering as the fabrics were so fine and floppy. 
I also stitched the neck binding back up where I had undone it to remove the old lace, this time with pink thread.

Ta Dah!
 I'm really please with the results, and see how nicely it goes with my recycled necklace !

Once again we had fun and games taking photos, it was much to cold to go out in such a silly little top so we found a nice light bright spot inside. Unfortunately, the messiest room in the house, so I've done some serious cropping! I don't like this last photo at all, my phone is in my pocket and is making a weird lump and my hair is covering the lace, however you can see the full length which I thought might be helpful!


You might also be interested in:

Infinity Loop Scarf
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Tetris Tote Bag
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I'll be linking up at all these great link parties, you should pop over and check them out!
Sum of their Stories
Sum of their Stories

Hello, I'm Julie. I love making things and this is where I share my enthusiasm.

12 comments:

  1. I love this. It looks like you have a new top each time your changed it around. Very smart.

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  2. I like how you refashioned this tank. The lace on the shoulders rather than only down the back of the top is so pretty.

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  3. Super cute! I love that color with the black lace! Looks great! Thanks for sharing at Submarine Sunday!

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    Replies
    1. and you featured it too! Thank you so much, it's such a confidence boost as I get going. I'm looking forward to popping by again.

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  4. what a fantastic idea! your 'new' shirt is very pretty :)

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  5. Thank you for your lovely comments, it is really satisfying to make "new" clothes from stuff you already have. I'm all ready for the Christmas Party season!

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  6. Beautiful update! It's very trendy now. I'm hosting a Starburst Mirror Giveaway that you should enter! http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/11/starburst-mirror-giveaway.html

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  7. What a stylish thing a little bit of lace can be!

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    Replies
    1. I do love a bit of lace! I think it would have come out completely different with white or pink lace, maybe next time!

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  8. This is a great refashion!
    Pinned into our Group Board called A Refashion Obsession..... would you like to pin with us? Just drop me a line!
    I'm now following you on fb, G+ and pinterest, and I've sent you an invite for our G+ refashion community too...
    Hugs,
    MammaNene @ SergerPepper

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  9. Cute cute! I love the refashion.

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