Here is an idea to upcycle a mans dress shirt....
06-17-2013, 05:44 AM
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06-18-2013, 07:03 AM
#15
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Instructions for a thrifted man's shirt into a tabard style apron
I have have had a couple of requests on how to make this shirt so I have some guide lines. It is really simple and quick but other than using a thrifted pattern for a tabard style apron I don't have a pattern. So here it is and I hope it is clear enough so you all can try making your own.
I reused a tabard style apron from a thrifted paper pattern. I think there is a current one out there but patterns are expensive now. So here is sort of how I did it
first button up the shirt and pin the front button placket all the way down to the hem. cut up the sides and all around the sleeves, eliminating the seam allowances. Set sleeves aside. lay out the flat piece and sew the button placket closed from about four or five buttons down to the hem. You need enough of an opening to easily pull the apron over your head. Take the two sides of shirt front lining them up, cut away the sides up to the sleeve edge. It is a sort of A line from the bottom of the shirt front to the top of the sleeve. I don't cut away much from the sides but maybe about one to two inches. Do not cut anything away from the part that was the sleeve opening. Here is where I used the side part of the pattern piece. Do not cut the back and front together but rather cut the front and then flip to the back and do the same there. Due to the fact that shirt backs are larger than shirt fronts cutting them together won't work. Rather cut them with front to front sides together and back to back together. Cut in a gentle A line from bottom to front or you can cut straight up from the bottom to the sleeve edge, do not cut into the sleeve edge.
Once you have made your cuts give it a good press and sew a narrow rolled hem along both sides. If you are using a long sleeved shirt cut both pockets from the cuff ends or if a short sleeved shirt patch pockets using the sleeve hem as the pocket top. From the left over fabric cut the ties two inches by eight to ten inches long, fold over and sew into four narrow ties. Find the natural waist (I again used the pattern for this) and sew the ties onto the hem portion so that the front can be tied to the back. Lastly sew on the pockets just below the waistline. Sew patch pockets down the usual way. for the cuff pockets open up the sleeve seam and lay the pocket flat. It will be too wide. Trim to desired width. Look at the cuff pleats, tuck them in so pocket is not flared and iron down, pin in place. fold over and press quarter inch hem. Stitch down as a in a patch pocket. I can sew up three or four aprons in an afternoon as this goes very quickly. I will cut and press up some aprons and then chain sew them. I made several and will save them back for Christmas gifts. I usually buy the shirts in xlarge or 2x so I have lots of material to work with. For a child choose a womans shirt in a small or medium. Also works real well with denim shirts. I am looking for some of those embroidered chambray shirts at the thrift shop as I think they would make wonderful aprons, on one shirt I added rick rack. I think there are many ways to vary the look just by what shirt you choose. Think Hawaiian prints and so on....
I reused a tabard style apron from a thrifted paper pattern. I think there is a current one out there but patterns are expensive now. So here is sort of how I did it
first button up the shirt and pin the front button placket all the way down to the hem. cut up the sides and all around the sleeves, eliminating the seam allowances. Set sleeves aside. lay out the flat piece and sew the button placket closed from about four or five buttons down to the hem. You need enough of an opening to easily pull the apron over your head. Take the two sides of shirt front lining them up, cut away the sides up to the sleeve edge. It is a sort of A line from the bottom of the shirt front to the top of the sleeve. I don't cut away much from the sides but maybe about one to two inches. Do not cut anything away from the part that was the sleeve opening. Here is where I used the side part of the pattern piece. Do not cut the back and front together but rather cut the front and then flip to the back and do the same there. Due to the fact that shirt backs are larger than shirt fronts cutting them together won't work. Rather cut them with front to front sides together and back to back together. Cut in a gentle A line from bottom to front or you can cut straight up from the bottom to the sleeve edge, do not cut into the sleeve edge.
Once you have made your cuts give it a good press and sew a narrow rolled hem along both sides. If you are using a long sleeved shirt cut both pockets from the cuff ends or if a short sleeved shirt patch pockets using the sleeve hem as the pocket top. From the left over fabric cut the ties two inches by eight to ten inches long, fold over and sew into four narrow ties. Find the natural waist (I again used the pattern for this) and sew the ties onto the hem portion so that the front can be tied to the back. Lastly sew on the pockets just below the waistline. Sew patch pockets down the usual way. for the cuff pockets open up the sleeve seam and lay the pocket flat. It will be too wide. Trim to desired width. Look at the cuff pleats, tuck them in so pocket is not flared and iron down, pin in place. fold over and press quarter inch hem. Stitch down as a in a patch pocket. I can sew up three or four aprons in an afternoon as this goes very quickly. I will cut and press up some aprons and then chain sew them. I made several and will save them back for Christmas gifts. I usually buy the shirts in xlarge or 2x so I have lots of material to work with. For a child choose a womans shirt in a small or medium. Also works real well with denim shirts. I am looking for some of those embroidered chambray shirts at the thrift shop as I think they would make wonderful aprons, on one shirt I added rick rack. I think there are many ways to vary the look just by what shirt you choose. Think Hawaiian prints and so on....
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