DIY Hippy High-Low Blouse

Normally, people go to a clothing store and shop for their size. If they like an item of clothing but can't find their size and the store is out of stock, they simply don't buy it. There are some sizes that are hard to find because of how common it is. I used to think those were the only options, but after learning about Refashioning, now when I shop, I know that even if the store is out of my size, it doesn't matter. If they have it in any size bigger, I can make alterations and I'll still get to wear that item I've fallen in love with. So a couple weeks ago I found this gem in Goodwill:

That's right. No makeup, hair done, etc. Let's be honest, ain't nobody got time fo dat all the time! I've got refashioning to do... It was a cozy extra-large cotton knit and Loft is a really good brand. Plus you can't beat the price.

There were only a few things wrong with it.

Aside from the neckline being too big, the sleeves needed to be re-seamed. They were curling up all weird-like, is the only way I know how to describe it.

No bueno. Also, I wasn't satisfied with the plain cut of the blouse. I wanted to spruce it up somehow and make it fit my style. So first, I got to work fixing that neckline. Since it was a baseball-style collar, I had to think of some way to take it in without messing up the pattern or making it obvious. I decided that sewing it along the natural seams in the back would achieve just that. First I flipped the shirt inside out and placed it on my dress form. Then, I pinned along the seams on both sides in a wedge shape, starting at the neckline and tapering as I go, down towards the armpit area.

I used a straight stitch to sew along my pins, blending the new seam smoothly into the original one.

Then, I sewed right outside of it with a zig-zag stitch to keep it from fraying and then cut off the excess fabric. Now that the neckline was fixed, I had to make the sleeves a little neater. I folded the fabric under twice, going with the direction it was gravitating toward, and pinned it all around on both sleeves.

Using a straight stitch, I carefully sewed over the inner edge of the seam.

Ta-da!

With the sleeves fixed, all that was left to do was to change the bottom of the blouse. First I put on the shirt and rolled it up in increments of the natural seam and pinned it in a weak "n" shape.

I didn't want it to rise too high in the front and show a ridiculous amount of midriff so I placed pins to estimate where I'll be cutting. Then I removed the shirt and folded it vertically in half, the opposite way to where it looks the sleeves are in the middle of the shirt, and placed it on the floor. I unpinned the fabric and repinned over the imaginary line I made in the last step, and then cut a wedge shape. I ended up cutting more than pictured in order to make the sides more subtly rounded toward the back.

I used my flat iron (yes, the one for hair!) to iron down the raw edge in order to make sewing easier. I then pinned it about an inch in width in order to imitate the original seam.

I sewed using a straight stitch, twice. Just like the original seam.

And when the fabric tapered down near the ends, I just kept sewing straight to match the original.

The final step is just to tie and trim any loose threads and press the seams. And there you have it! A bohemian-style top that you can make from almost any oversized shirt.

Well, I hope this will enlighten your future shopping experience by showing you more options than just one size. If you have any feedback, please comment below and make sure to Like Leggy Jane on Facebook to stay updated on upcoming posts. As always, thanks for reading. :)

#boho #hippy #highlow #diy #dressform #oversized #shopping