Earlier this week I was cleaning out my closet and decided to get rid of some graphic tees I no longer wear. I had them sitting in a pile for a few days before coming up with the idea that I could rework them into something fun and unique that I will actually wear! I decided to remake the sleeves for a totally different look… and let me tell you I absolutely love the way it turned out!
What you will need:
– Graphic tee or tee of choice
– Lace (I purchased this lace from Hobby Lobby and it was perfect)
– Fabric scissors
– Pins
– Sewing machine or thread and needle to sew by hand
The first thing you will want to do is lay your graphic tee flat and decide where you want to cut the sleeves. It doesn’t have to be perfect because the lace will end up covering this area up anyway. I left about a half an inch of space outside of the seam when I cut the sleeves. I left a bit of extra space so I could sew the lace onto the already existing seam where the sleeve used to be attached.
Once you’ve cut off both sleeves you will want to begin pinning your lace into place. If you purchase the same ribbon I used from Hobby Lobby you will want the large ruffle on the outside of the seam (in place of where the sleeve used to be) and the smaller ruffle hanging over the inside of the seam towards the graphic. I began pinning the lace starting at the bottom, underneath the armpit. On my shirt there is a seam there and that is the exact spot I began pinning.
You will want to pin the lace around the entire arm hole making sure that you are pinning it as straight as possible. Once you’ve pinned all the way around check to make sure it looks good. When you cut the lace you will want to leave an extra half inch of lace hanging over the point you started pinning. This allows your sleeve to look seamless and to overlap slightly for a better hold.
Once you’ve done that you will want to begin sewing the lace on. I used a sewing machine and it only took a few minutes to sew it together!
When you finish sewing the lace on you have a unique and fun new graphic tee! This was such a fun and easy DIY and in my opinion doesn’t require a lot of sewing experience to be able to make. If you don’t feel like sewing or are too intimidated you may be able to achieve a similar look using fabric glue as well!
When you finish sewing the lace on you have a unique and fun new graphic tee! This was such a fun and easy DIY and in my opinion doesn’t require a lot of sewing experience to be able to make. If you don’t feel like sewing or are too intimidated you may be able to achieve a similar look using fabric glue as well!
I hope you all enjoyed this graphic tee rework and I hope I’ve inspired you to look twice at your clothes before giving them away. You just may be able to turn your unworn pieces into something you not only love but something you are also proud of!
