I am on a t-shirt kick this week. Did you see the scarf and dress I made for Kayla already? I thought it would be fun to paint stripes on an old t-shirt (that got accidentally bleached – DOH!) and turn it into a ruffled striped skirt for my daughter.
I did this project a couple of years ago and my daughter still wears the skirt. While is is almost ready to be passed down on the hand-me-down train I thought we could retake a look at it once more before that happens.
And my little sweetheart loved it.
Supplies:
- Scotch Blue Edge Lock Tape
- Old t-shirt
- Martha Stewart Crafts Fabric medium and acrylic paint or fabric paint
- Foam roller and tray
- plastic to cover work surface
- sewing machine
- 1 1/2” non-roll elastic
- scissors or rotary cutter and mat
- safety pin
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Step 1
Deconstruct the t-shirt. I wanted to keep the bottom edge of the t-shirt so that I didn’t have to create another hem.
The middle part of the shirt was for the top part of the skirt.
Step 2
Cut open the t-shirt loops and start taping the fabric in place onto some plastic drop cloth to prep it for painting.
I did horizontal stripes for the top and diagonal ones for the bottom soon-to-be ruffle.
I just used the width of the tape as my guide for the width of my stripes.
Step 3
Then I used a foam roller and some white acrylic paint mixed with Martha Stewart Craft Fabric medium and rolled two coats of paint on it.
The paint seeped in but I didn’t want stark lines so that was just fine with me.
Step 4
After it was completely dry I ironed it with a press cloth to set the paint and then I washed both pieces to take the stiffness out of it.
Then I trimmed the pieces to even out the edges.
Step 5
On the longest and widest stitch I ran the bottom piece through my sewing machine to create a small gathered ruffle.
I also cut my top piece to give it an angle and then sewed one side back together.
Step 6
I pinned the ruffle to the top piece of the skirt right sides together and sewed the ruffle on.
I then top stitched it so the ruffle would lay flat.
Step 7
Then I pinned the sides of the skirt right sides together and sewed.
Step 8
Next I pressed the top of the skirt under 1/4” and then under 1 3/4” to create a casing for the elastic.
I sewed that leaving an opening for my elastic to slide in.
Using a safety pin, I slide my elastic through the casing and then sewed the elastic together.
Finally I sewed my casing shut.
You have a beautiful model with a very cute skirt.
I love this! It’s amazing what you can do with a T-shirt!
thats wicked GOOD!!!
Brilliant! You’d never know the skirt was once a shirt.
I would never have known you painted those stripes! She is just precious, Beckie. 🙂
Awww thanks Amanda. I am pretty much in love with that sweet thing of mine.
This is so cute. I would seriously wear it myself…you know, if it was a lot bigger! LOL I can’t believe the stripe was created using tape and paint. So creative.
It turned out super cute!
http://mandycrandell.blogspot.com/
This is adorable! It is going in my T-shirt craft roundup!
super job Beckie! what a cutie your daughter is! 🙂
The skirt is adorable, but I’m afraid the model stole the show! 🙂
Awww thanks Sheila…I am so fine with that.
Thanks Gail, btw the I need some more of your content for RR. Do you mind sending a bunch of links again? I know you always have stuff for me to post.
Thanks Johnnie!
Thank you Sandra. I know I want it like 20 sizes bigger to fit my butt!
Love it!!!
You couldn’t ask for anything more perfect! Looks fabulous, great tute. 🙂
Thank you Shelly, I wish it were my size!
Long-time reader, first-time commenter here. I’m wondering how soft the fabric medium with the paint makes the fabric, because I know how stiff acrylic on fabric is. Will the fabric medium make the paint softer like the t-shirt cotton?
I’m shopping around for my son’s Halloween costume and can’t find a red and white striped shirt in his size (they only exist for Where’s Waldo costumes for men, psh!). Thinking of doing this instead to guarantee the look and results I want.
Btw, super cute skirt!!
yes it is pretty soft. It isn’t just like the t-shirt material but it surprisingly soft.
I wish I had the talent and time. Beautiful!
Thank you Chantal.
The skirt is ok (wink,wink) but the modelo is just too stinkin’ cute!!
I think so too 😉