Stripy T-Shirt Refashion

I saw this lovely top in very nice department store a few weeks ago.

It's from Dickins & Jones, it's very lovely, and it's £35. Ah.

I already had this stripy t-shirt.

It was a bit too short, a bit too wide and it has 3/4 sleeves. I may have mentioned before, I don't really "get" 3/4 length sleeves. Surely it's either cold enough to need your arms covered or it's not! Anyway, this top has it's faults but it is a really nice quality thick jersey fabric.

I scoured our local Charity shops until I found this little beauty for £1.99:

Ideally I wanted red but pink is nice too. The fabric is a nice thick quality, not quite as thick as my white/navy stripe but almost. The neck is soooo tight, I had to undo the buttons just to get it over my head, but perfect for a t-shirt mash up! 

The pink T-shirt was a good width on me, you can see here how the white top is too wide:

You can also see here the white top has a slightly wonky front edge:

I chopped about 4 inches from the bottom of the white top, straightening it up. That's the good thing about stripes like this, it's easy to get things straight. That brought the bottom of the white top to just below my waist level which is where I want the coloured stripes to begin.

Next I sorted out the "too wide" issue with the white top. The easiest way to do this if it's not too massively ill fitting, is to put the top on inside out. 
Then just pin two new side seams (one each side) where you want them to be. Now take the top off carefully so you don't stab yourself. This can be done with safety pins if you are clever and sensible.

As you can see this only needed to come in an inch or so:

I stitch down these seams, but on the left side I left a gap of about 2 inches at the bottom edge, like so:

This gap is so I can attach the pink border on the bottom.

I chopped carefully cut a 7 1/2" wide strip from the bottom of the pink t-shirt, and then cut off the left side seam to make one long rectangle. I did not photograph this stage. I have no idea why, sorry, you'll have to imagine a long rectangle of stripy pink and white fabric. The old bottom hem of the pink t-shirt will become the bottom hem of the new top, no need to make work for yourself!

Next I attached this long pink rectangle to the bottom of the white top.

Right sides together, I lined up the two intact side seams and pinned - the picture shows it better than I can describe:

I then carefully pinned the pink strip to the bottom of the white t-shirt. Do this carefully, making sure the pins match the strips on both sides, Stripes are good for following when you are cutting or sewing straight along them but if you make a mistake it will show!

This is that same seam opened out whilst still pinned, i.e. before stitching - just to check it's straight.

On the left side seam on the white top - where I left the gap, it looked like this:

This is where I started and finished stitching my carefully pinned seam, I used a very slight zig zag stitch as this is jersey fabric.

I just stitched up the side seam, pressed it all with the iron then gave the join seam two rows of top stitching so it now lies nice and flat. 

Next extending the sleeves. The 3/4 sleeves on the white strip top are 9" wide and 7.5" too short to reach my wrists. So I cut 2 rectangles of the remaining pink t-shirt 9.75" x 10" (this allows for a hem at the wrist and seam allowances)

I turned one long edge and gave it two rows of top stitching to form a cuff. 

Next I turned the rectangle into a tube by sewing up the long edge leaving a 1" seam allowance and then turned it right side out.

I just slid the tube into the white top sleeve, lining up the seams and pinned it in place. At this point I tried it on to make sure the sleeves were the right length, then attached these new sleeve extensions with a simple row of top stitching.

You might also be interested in:

Daisy Jumper Refashion

Lace Top Refashion

Pom Pom Scarf Refashion

Heart Elbow Patch Cardigan Makeover

I'll be linking up at these great link parties.

Easy to Sew Cushion Cover - just 4 seams!

Cushion covers are a perfect beginner sewing project. They are really easy, they WILL turn out great and you will be able to share the fruits of your labour with all who come round to your house. Sounds perfect eh! 

We needed new covers for a couple of our cushions. The reason we needed new covers is a sad tale of woe which I will share so you don't make the same mistake I did:
About 6 months ago I made two very lovely (though I do say so myself) cushion covers. I had some lovely woven brown fabric and a little bit of red left over fabric from something else. I messed about for a whole Sunday afternoon, making pin tucks and a wave design central panel. I was very happy with the results, much fancier sewing than I would normally do but they looked so nice it was worth the effort.
Fast forward just a few weeks and look (and they looked worse in real life) - 

This brown fabric is not suitable for the rough and tumble of family life. I've lost track of how many times I have patiently de-pilled these covers. 
Note to self - Choose your fabric carefully! I think that maybe, just maybe upholstery fabric is called that because it is suitable for upholstery!

Time for nice new covers.

I'm sure the internet is awash with tutorials on how to make super easy cushion covers, and I'm sure they are all variations on a theme. In case you want to make some like my nice new ones, here's what I did, with what I hope are helpful photos and diagrams. It also includes how to centre the pattern on the fabric if you want to. Dead easy, just 4 seams, I promise.

You need:
SUITABLE Fabric
Thread in a matching colour
Tape Measure
Pins
Sewing Machine (or a plenty of time if you are hand sewing this!) 
A cushion pad/old cushion

First you need to work out how much fabric you need. This depends on how big your cushion pad is.

My cushion pads are 15"x15". 
I picked up some bargain fabric from a beggar's basket in a local shop. Two pieces each 1/2 metre lengths and 45" wide. (this is plenty, I've got leftovers to use for something else)

You need to cut a long rectangle.

The short side will be 2 inches bigger than your cushion pad and the long side needs to be double your cushion pad plus another 8".

My cushion pad is 15"x15" so I cut my fabric 17" (that's 15+2) by 38" (that's double 15+another 8)

With me so far?

My fabric is stripy so I thought it would be nice if the stripes on the finished cushion were nice and central. To do this I measured, then marked with pins, a 15" central "chunk" of the fabric. This photo shows it best, there are pins by each arrow. the gap between them is 15".

So, from left to right we have 10", pin, 15", pin, 13"

Next we want to tidy up those short edges. Turn a hem on each, press with the iron then stitch (seams 1 & 2).

The selvage edge I just turned once.

The raw edge I turned 1/2" then turned again just so it's a bit neater. this is not essential as it all ends up inside in the end, just habit I guess. 

Lay your fabric out flat right side up, then fold where your pins are still marking the points along that long edge. Fold the slightly shorter "Flap" first.

Then fold the other "flap". It will look like this:

The arrows are where your pins are.

Pin across the ends like this:

Then stitch both ends (seams 3 & 4), allowing a 1" seam allowance.

Turn it right side out, press with the iron and you're finished.

 This is the back, where the flap is.

This is the front, where the flap isn't.

Insert your cushion pad in then toss it casually onto your chair or settee. Stand back to admire your work. Make yourself a tea or coffee, maybe even have a biscuit.

Confession time (what can go wrong): 
When making the first cover I measured a little too short and my flap was not really big enough. The measurements I've shown above are the better ones, with a bigger overlap. See the difference:

Little overlap.

Bigger, better overlap.

When you pat it down they look the same, but I made this mistake so you don't have to. (I'm kind like that!) 

These lovely new covers have been in our house for about a month now, and just a couple of days ago our youngest was tossing them around (like you do) and suddenly noticed the gap in the back. "Wait a minute," he said, "these cushions are just our old cushions in disguise!"

You might also be interested in:

Lace Top Refashion

Infinity Loop Scarf

Owl Granny Square Cushion Cover

Tea Towel Totes

I'll be linking up to all these great link parties, why not go and have a look!