T Shirt To Argyle Drop Waist Dress

See T Shirt To Argyle Drop Waist Dress and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

This is for http://30daysofcreativity.com/ and the theme was "Argyle" so I decided to turn a toddler t-shirt into a dress for http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/howyoucanhelp.htm, which is a non-profit organization that accepts donations of homemade dresses for little girls around the world who don't have one.

As I had only seen Argyle in solid colors before I decided to try with print fabric and stitching instead and attached a skirt in coordinating fabric, putting a decorative black stitch at the hem.  It was simple and fun to make.

I have posted a tutorial over at Cut Out + Keep

MELDED T-SHIRTS

Meld a too small t-shirt front to a t that fits in 20 minutes!

My son is in to car themed t-shirts and when I found one at the thrift store that was too small I decided to meld it to one that fits.  (It looks a little crooked in the picture, but it is how it is hanging on the hangar).

Items used:

• T-Shirt front that you want to use
• T-Shirt that fits
• Heat N Bond
• Iron
• Scissors
• Pen or Tailor's Chalk
• Sewing Machine and Thread

To get an even rectangle shape, I used a piece of scrapbook paper and drew with a pen around the edges, then moved the square to the left and did drew around the edged on that side to make a rectangle.  You could use a circle a square or freehand it, depending on the design you want to meld onto the other t-shirt.

Cut out where the lines on the t-shirt have been drawn with a pen or Tailor's Chalk.

This step is the biggest time saver - instead of pinning and re-pinning to get the piece straight on the t-shirt you are melding the piece to, use HeatNBond on the edges.  I cut approximately 1 inch strips of the HeatNBond and then on the wrong side of the t-shirt piece approximately 1/4 inch away for them edges.   I placed it 1/4 inch away from the edges at it will curl up a bit on the edges and look more natural, more like a meld than an applique where you would just stitch or zigzag around the edges.  I do not recommend using HeatNBond on the entire piece as it will make the finished product too stiff, unnatural looking and may even be uncomfortable.  The HeatNBond it more to tack it down in place to it can be sewn without having to use any pins.

Using an iron set on medium to high heat (depending on the fiber content in the t-shirts - if polyester blend, go with medium heat, if both are cotton you could use high heat) and set on the strips for 30 seconds pull up, repeat until all strips have been irorned.  Allow to sit until cool to touch (1-2 minutes) then pull off the paperbacking off of each strip.

Flip the t-shirt piece over to the right side and position it on the t-shirt you are melding it to.  Repeat going around the edges and holding the iron in place for 30 seconds, then lifting and going on to the next edge until you have gone all the way around the t-shirt.

Using a sewing machine, stitch around the edges 1/4 inch from the edge all the way around and then you are ready to wear your creations!

Patching Jeans

While distressed jeans are in fashion, so are patches this season. If you wanted a distressed look but still wanted to keep the cold out, this is a good option. This is good for using on any area except around the zipper of the inside of the legs.

Items used:
Jeans
Jeans fabric scrap for patch
HeatNBond Iron on adhesive
Steam iron
Scissors
Pen
Sewing machine (optional)
Thread (optional)

Put piece of jean materials over area that needs patched and make sure it is at least an inch wider on each side than what needs to be patched and cut to fit.

Put the scrap fabric top of the paper side of the HeatNBond and draw around the edges with a pen, then cut.


On the right side of the scrap fabric, but the shiny side down on the HeatNBond (the paper side will be up) and iron with steam setting until set (about 30 seconds).   Let set a few minutes to cool off - when cool paper should be easy to remove.


Turn the pants inside out.  Position the patch right side (now will be shiny side) of patch to the wrong side of the jeans over the area to be patched and iron on using steam.

Optional - if you want to make it extra secure, you could turn the jeans right side out and stitch around the the distressed area at the edges where it is distressed.  I do this when the area is right around the pockets in the back around the edges up to, but not on, the pocket itself.

Patching Jeans Near a Zipper

Repairing jeans or camouflage pants or shorts with patches using the reverse applique method.

While patched jeans are in trend this year http://www.fabsugar.com/Trend-Alert-Patch-Jeans-6911177 and this method could work for that, but my reasons for doing this are more utilitarian.  I had several pairs of jeans that my son and his Dad asked me to repair because either very worn or completely ripped out near the zipper (which is why the the pictures look different depending on which pair I was patching.  No sooner did I get them patched, they wanted to wear them so I would have to start pictures with the next pair.)  I used a reverse applique method instead of an over the top patch because when I asked my son which one he said a patch over the top was too obvious and people might stare at his crotch -  I sure didn't want that happening!

Items used:

• Pants that need patched
• Similar scrap fabric for the patch
• Scissors
• HeatNBond Iron on adhesive
• Steam iron
• Sewing machine or needle
• Thread

Turn the pants wrong side out on an ironing board, if torn, scrunch the torn edges together so the edges meet.  Lay a piece of the scrap fabric over the top so that it is an inch or more away from the area that needs to be patched on all sides.

 

Turn the patch right side up and cut pieces of  HeatNBond to put around the edges only - I used scraps that were left over from other projects which is why this one looks so patchy, but it is just to keep it in place to make it easier to sew the patch down without having to mess around with breaking a needle or getting pricked by straight pins.  I would not recommend putting the HeatNBond over the entire patch - I did this once and was told that it made the area too stiff and uncomfortable.

Put the HeatNBond pieces with the shiny side down, paper side up on top of the patch and use a steam iron to iron them to the patch.  I use the setting a notch below the maximum on my iron, but it may vary depending on the fabric content - that might be too hot if there is a high polyester content in the fabric.   Wait a few minutes to allow the strip to cool until they are easy to peel off.

 

After pulling off the paper, flip the patch so the right side of the patch is down on the wrong side of the jeans, position in place. If ripped, be sure to line up the edges of the rip as close as possible.  If a piece goes over a seam on the leg that is not necessary, trim it off, and then iron down with a steam iron.

 

 Turn the pants right side out and stitch around the edges of the worn area or the ripped area.

  Turn the pants inside out again and if there are and loose corners or area near the stitching, trim them off.