my too short t-shirts- how can i turn them into dresses?

[ms.shell]

i'm supposed to be taking a break from crafting today to clean my big mess spilling forth from the bottom of my closet. which i am doing. dealing with still too small clothes and also too big maternity and putting away summer stuff and dealing with a lot of clothes- that i cant wear. I am starting to get back into my old pants, but there are lots and lots of small, fitted type tees that are all of them too short for me to wear with a big middle, lol. SO im wondering about attaching skirts to make dresses. Would the skirt fabric have to be knit, too? I am wondering about making maybe a patchwork or other skirt bottom, gathering and attaching, then using some kind of ribbon around the waist to tie in back. or some other way, not really sure what to do, looking for the way to repurpose these loved tees into something i can wear...

i am going to start tonight, making a (hopefully) sexy nighty top. I have this super pale scooped (low) neck really pretty details stretchy tee style top someone gave me that always reminded me of a leotard. And i have a long, wide black, sheer scarf/shawl that came with a ballgown. everything is hemmed already, so i plan to gather the sheer into a (very short) skirt and just attach and then hopefully it will be a pretty top to wear over black panties to bed
but after that, i would love to make pretty dresses from some of these other tees. tips thoughts or ideas appreciated....
please and thank you!

[Ruthla]

I've seen t-shirts turned into dresses both ways: with knit skirts of the same fabric (or the same texture but a different color/print), as well as with woven fabric used for the attached skirt. Generally, the woven fabric gives more of a funky/hippie look and the knit fabric a more "tailored"/neutral/casual appearance. It really depends on what your style is and what kind of effect you're looking for.

Also, what's your current "body change" situation? Are you currently pregnant or nursing? Making t-shirt dresses "nursing friendly" is a bit of a challenge but definitely do-able. Making dresses you can't nurse in is a whole lot simpler. In any case, adding a skirt to a short t-shirt is likely to make for practical maternity wear, as the waistline is going to be high.

[ms.shell]

well, dang- i guess that wouldn't be useful, as i am nursing, and that style dress would be inconvenient for nursing. i thought i had a good idea, maybe its not. now im thinking about making like a "suit" where the skirt was attached to the tee, but the tee is slit for nursing access and then i guess i would have to make (or have) some kind jacket or top to wear over. which is not as simple as the original idea I cant think of a way to slit the tee for access and then neatly cover that with a flap....but maybe i could just layer over with a different coordinating tee...
still wondering about this idea, will be glad to get advice

[ms.shell]

thanks, ruthla- i didnt see your post when i started my last one.

[doubledutch]

i think your plan sounds good. i'd start with your least-loved t-shirt for experimentation. the skirt would not have to be a knit fabric, but should be gathered with elastic so you can pull it on over your head/shoulders. i mean - if the fabric itself doesn't stretch, then the waistband has to.

i would sew the skirt on a bit above your natural waist. maybe that's where the too-short t-shirts are hitting anyway - but if they're coming down to your natural waist or a bit below, think about making the waist of the dress a little higher. it's kinder and gentler to the post-partum tummy.

i'd also feel like a ribbon (on myself) is too dainty. a more substantial sash, as in the kimono dress in "weekend sewing" by heather ross, would be really cute! (if you go to flickr and search for kimono dress, weekend sewing, you'll see lots of examples.)

another use for too small (or stained, or unloved) t-shirts is undies! i just whipped some up sunday, using an existing pair as a template, and it was really easy and fast.

[doubledutch]

gah! i was posting the same time as you two! i must be a slow thinker/typist.

the undies idea would work. you can always nurse in undies!

or you can layer the t-shirts (if they're not too tight) over long, tight tank tops. then when you need to nurse, pull the t-shirt up and the tank top down. it's nice because your belly is covered.

[doubledutch]

ooh, you could make the dress and cut side slits in the t-shirt for nursing, and wear it with a cardigan or shrug at all times.

[sweetpeppers]

Originally Posted by doubledutch

the undies idea would work. you can always nurse in undies!