How to Quickly & Easily Refashion a Top in 5 Simple Steps

Tools and materials:

• Thrift store oversized top
• Coordinating decorative fabric trim
• Scissors
• Sewing pins
• Thread
• Sewing machine with a serger

1. Prep the top of the shirt

You will be using the top part of your oversized shirt, so start by pinning the sides below the underarms to a size that is more fitted for you. Then take in the sides of your shirt at that mark.

You only want to take in the top half of your shirt though, because you’ll be cutting off the bottom and want all that fabric for later.

Now, cut your shirt in half widthwise.

2. Prep the bottom of the shirt

Sew a basting stitch all around the top edge of the bottom shirt fabric. Then pull on the basting thread to gather that edge so it’s the same size as the bottom of the top part of the shirt.

When the gathering is complete, sew a serge line along the ruffled edge to hold the gathers in place. While you’re at it, serge the raw edge of the top piece as well.

3. Add trim to the shirt

Turn under the serged edge of the top of the shirt and pin your decorative trim in place around that edge, so that only the top part of the trim is attached. 

Now pin the serged edge of the shirt bottom under the bottom part of the trim.

Sew the trim in place on the top and the bottom.

4. Adjust the shirt length

Mark where you want the shirt hem to be, adding a hem allowance. Now, cut a slit from the bottom of the shirt to that line, serge along that line all the way around the shirt, and then cut off the excess fabric.

Fold under the serged hem edge once and sew the hem of the shirt.

5. Make shirt sleeves

Cut the remaining piece of shirt fabric along a side seam so that you have two matching pieces. Serge along the long raw edge of both pieces.

Then, fold the serged edges under and hem them, just like you did for the bottom of the top piece.

Turn the top inside out and pin the sleeves to the armholes with the right side of the sleeve facing in. Sew each sleeve to the top with one straight stitch.

Serge the edges of the excess sleeve fabric that is hanging below the armhole.

Refashioned top tutorial

I used almost every bit of my oversized shirt to make this new refashioned top and I love it! Try this thrift flip top transformation for yourself and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out. Thanks for joining!