Goodwill Alterations with Chanté Gibbs
I’ve noticed on TikTok that DIY no sew shirts are trending once again! And, I saw an influencer use a gold circle ring to make the back of her dress more interesting, which inspired me to create this month’s Stitched Up blog post.
My goal was to find an interesting graphic tee that wasn’t too big or too small on me. When I arrived at the store, I went straight to the women’s tops section. After searching though three different racks, I finally came across a cute ‘Sublime’ t-shirt. The beautiful colors and flower design grabbed my attention, and I also really liked the soft hand feel it had.
How do I make it?
- First I tried on the shirt to see how it fit me. (This is usually my first step!)
- Then I made a small notch where I wanted to crop it. On the back of the shirt only, I marked a horizontal line and started cutting across the back layer’s fabric.
- I turned the shirt over to the front and marked a vertical line straight up the middle of it, from the collar to the hem.
- When I was satisfied with the placement, I cut along that line and put the shirt back on.
- Next I grabbed an old metal ring that I used to hold my sewing patterns from college. I inserted the lower right flap of the shirt through the ring and folded it over towards me. Then I did the same to the left flap and pulled it through the ring.
- Make sure the ring is close to your breastbone and centered on your chest when you are adjusting your wrapped knots on the ring.
- Lastly, I stretched out the remaining fabric from the bottom of the tee and let it hang freely. If desired, you can also tuck in the straps underneath the cropped edge of the tee for a more polished, chic look.
Chanté is a local thrift blogger and sustainable designer. She is our inspiration and guide to exploring what can be done with some creative alterations and updates of thrifted finds. Each month she starts with a concept, shops our stores, and reworks her thrift finds into high-fashion pieces. She takes us on a thrift journey from start to finish, and it’s a great ride every month!