How to DIY a Super Pretty Lace Back Shirt

Tools and materials:

• Button-up shirt to upcycle
• ½ yard lace fabric
• Pins
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread

1. Cut out the back of the shirt

Lay your shirt out flat and cut the back out, right along the seam line, without cutting the seam line.

You need to preserve the seam so that the shirt doesn’t unravel later.

2. Cut the lace

Place the back part of the shirt that you cut out onto the lace, in the direction that you want the lace pattern to be.

Cut the lace with about an inch and a half of seam allowance all around, also to be able to button the shirt in the front.

If your original shirt is already too big for you and you want to make the upcycled shirt smaller, you can leave less of a seam allowance.

3. Pin the lace to the button-up shirt and sew

With the button-up shirt inside out, lay the lace in place. Pin the lace all the way around, following the stitching from the original seam.

Be sure to fold over your lace if it is very thin so that you get a nice grip to hold the two fabrics together.

Then just sew along the line of the pins. I definitely recommend using a sewing machine since hand sewing it will take much longer. 

4. Make any aesthetic alterations to the lace

I decided to cut out a bit of the lace at the bottom, following the pattern of the lace.

This may not apply to your specific fabric. It will also help keep the bottom from fraying.

DIY lace shirt

And that’s it! Go try on your new, lace-detailed shirt! I’m now able to button the shirt, which I couldn’t do before adding the lace. 

I hope this lace shirt tutorial has inspired you to make your own. Show us your results in the comments below!

For another fun fashion DIY, check out my post on How to Make an Easy DIY Rhinestone Fringe Jacket.