Change a Lace Tee to a Banded Tee Tutorial

This is my latest project.  I added a quick tutorial with it, but I have to say that I would change a couple things the third time around!  My tutorial only includes adding the band to the bottom of the t-shirt.  If you Google appliqué, you will find more than enough tutorials on that subject!  I simply sewed buttons on top of the flowers at the end as well.

You’ll need:  A shirt to add the band onto, and a shirt to cut up.  (I used the lace tee because the lace was getting really gross, but the shirt was still in great condition!)

First, cut the lace off the bottom of the tee.  If you’re not using a lace tee, just cut off the stitching for the hem at the bottom of the shirt.

Then cut the bottom of your shirt you’ll be using for the band.  I cut 5 inches off the bottom.  If you want to make the shirt longer, or shorter, just figure out the length and multiply by 2.  We will be folding this piece in half to make the band.

Then fold your banded piece in half.  As you can see, the band is a little smaller around than the shirt.  If you were really picky, you could cut the band and add a bit on one side or both to make it the correct width.  I didn’t do this, and ended up with a few puckers, but I was totally okay with this.  You choose.  It just depends on how much of a perfectionist you are I guess! :)

Then pin your band to the bottom of your shirt, with the raw edges of the band being pinned to the raw bottom of the shirt.  One thing to make sewing easier would be to do a basting stitch to sew the band closed.  Also make sure that the hem of the “banded shirt.” is facing you.  This way it will be inside of the shirt when you wear it instead of being visible to everyone you know!  :) 

(This pic just shows the finished edge before the band is folded down like you'd wear it.  I hope that makes sense!)

Then with your zig-zag stitch or other knit stitch (mine’s #6 on my Bernina), sew the band to the shirt.  The zig-zag stitch (or any other stretch stitch) will help the shirt stretch instead of being stiff.

  

There’s different views so you can get an idea of the appliqué I used, and see the band.  Love this shirt because the band keeps the shirt down a lot better than the lace ever did! Wahoo!