DIY Fringed T-Shirt
Altering tee shirts like this is my favorite way to instantly enhance my wardrobe. All it takes is a pair of scissors and half an hour to make this festival inspired fringed tee. Check out this easy step-by-step tutorial to find out how!
The one thing I miss the most about the span of time I like to refer to as "The Before Times" (you know, pre-2020) is outdoor summer activities like concerts or music festivals. A couple years ago, I altered a Janis Joplin tee-shirt that didn't quite fit me right into a breezy, 60's inspired top to go see Weezer & Pixies with my husband. To this day, it's one of my most worn pieces because of how easy breezy it feels while still looking stylized and cute.
Then I was going through my tee-shirt drawer earlier this week and came across this CBGB's tee I bought years ago. It used to be one of my most worn pieces (you can even see it's faded a bit on the stomach from being stretched so much during my pregnancy) but I haven't been reaching for it very often now because of it's frumpy fit. That's when I decided to retry my favorite simple DIY that I'm going to share with you today!
Supplies Needed:
- T-Shirt. (This styling works best with a loose fitting tee. Mine is a men's size S for reference, but any oversized fit will do.)
- Scissors
- Tailor's Chalk / Any Marking Tool
- Ruler *optional*
Remove the sleeves from the shirt
Cut the hemline to remove (this reduces bulk at the bottom for flowy tassels).
Wearing your shirt inside out, use your tailor's chalk to mark where you'd like you tassels to start. I chose to start mine just above the waistband of my jeans, and used that as my guide.
Remove shirt and lay on a flat surface. Using the ruler as a guide, cut tassels. The thinner your cuts, the more tassels you'll end up with. I cut mine about 1/4" wide for reference, but it's really up to you.
Knot each individual strip of fabric. The tassels will start pretty flat, but after one washing they'll curl up on themselves for a more streamlined, hippie look.
And now you're all done!
Altering tee shirts like this is my favorite way to instantly enhance my wardrobe. All it takes is a pair of scissors and just over half an hour! Any project you can do while watching TV is a win in my book!
I also love that this is such a simple way to instantly elevate a classic "jeans and a tee" outfit.
There you have it! The perfect top to wear to an outdoor concert, music festival, craft fair, farmer's market, or any other summer what-have-you. Enjoy!
Enjoyed the project?
The author may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.
Comments
Join the conversation
So glad to see this...I just bought a souvenir tee from a recent trip to the beach. It is bright green with a tie-dye print on front. My first thought was to fringe the bottom...never done it before but figured it wouldn't be too hard. Now I just have to follow your directions...didn't think to tie knots. Super Cute! Thanks for sharing.
I was just wondering what to do with some too large shirts, then your idea pops up! Genius!!