"Knot" Again! T-Shirt Tutorial

I know I have said it on here before, but I just NEED a break from any piece of clothing with a ruffle or bow embellishment! My closet is full of them - the stores are full of them. I always know when I need to get a grip and step back from an obsessive trend. For me, that time is now! 

(hey world...it's me, Amy!)

While still liking a good embellishment, I wanted a shirt that avoided the above mentioned but still had a little flair! Knots! Why not!? This project is super easy, repurposes an old shirt, takes less than an hour and uses very little supplies - most of which you probably already have at home.

Materials that you will need:

-iron

-heat and bond (light weight)

-1.5 yards ribbon

-scissors

-1 shirt in good condition

-1 shirt to be repurposed

-ruler or tape measure

-sewing machine

At the last minute, I changed out my ribbon from the orange ribbon shown in the picture. When I looked at the front of it, this is what I read! Undetermined content doesn't belong on my chest! I decided to go with a black grosgrain ribbon instead!

Start by cutting out a piece of your heat and bond into a strip that measures 2.75" in width. Measure the length of your shirt and add 1/2" to the length of your heat and bond. This will allow your strip of fabric to be folded under when you are ready to sew.

Be sure to cut a curve at the top of your strip to fit the curve of your collar.

When your strip has been measured and cut, place it down on the old shirt that you want to repurpose. Find a section that fits the strip of heat and bond and iron it down. You may have to use the back like I did.

Cut the fabric around the strip of heat and bond with a 1/4" allowance on all the sides.

Next, remove the backing from your strip. Fold your fabric over with the use of the edge of your hot iron and press the sides down onto the adhesive. Be careful not to get the hot iron onto the adhesive - keep it strictly on the edge where your shirt is folded over. 

*Sorry, photos for the next 2 steps were accidentally deleted!*

Now, lay your strip of fabric, adhesive side down, on the center of your good shirt. Make sure to measure and pin. Use your iron to press the strip of fabric down on your T shirt. Be careful not to stretch or pull the shirt while ironing as to not offset the strip. Fold and adhere the bottom 1/2" of your strip under your shirt for a more finished look.

Once your strip has been ironed down, you are ready to sew it on. Try to sew as close to the edge as possible. 

Next, you want to cut your ribbon into 7" lengths. 1.5 yards of ribbon will get you 8 pieces. Lay your pieces of ribbon down the front of your shirt measuring and pinning as you go. I spaced mine out at 2".

Now you can sew your ribbons on! I used a horizontal stitch about 1/2" in length. I tried to use a vertical one, but the knots felt flimsy and would flop from side to side. 

Tie all your ribbons in a knot. Depending on your ribbon, they may look crooked.

I went back over the ribbons and did a tiny stitch (not to be noticed) to hold them in place by walking my machine over them a few times. It may seem redundant to sew them on twice, but this was the only way I could figure out how to get them to be sturdy and hold them in place at the same time. Trust me, I tried other ways! 

You are done! How did you do? Was it easy enough for you to get it done in between folding the laundry and making dinner?

As with all my projects, if you decided to tackle one and have a photo of it, I would love to see your work! It always makes me so happy! Simply email me at the address in the right hand column so I can tell you how amazing you are! 

*Click HERE to see where I have linked this project up to this week!*

Loved your visit! Until next time....