How to Repurpose a Button-Down Shirt to Make a DIY Tie-Back Crop Top
Do you have a button-down shirt that could do with a little transformation? You can easily make a DIY tie-back crop top from it!
In this open-back crop top DIY tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how you can do this amazing upcycled transformation. Grab your materials, and let’s get the show on the road.
Tools and materials:
- Old button-down shirt
- Rotary cutter or scissors
- Measuring tape
- Marker
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Iron
1. Make the pattern
So it’s pretty easy to make a pattern for a sleeveless tie-back crop top. Wear your shirt the opposite way and mark your neckline. Also, figure out how short you want to crop the shirt and mark the bottom accordingly.
Now, cut out the sleeves.
Cut the bottom too.
Add a 1-inch seam allowance before cutting the neckline. When you cut this part, make sure not to include the fabric at the back.
For the back part, trim the fabric with a straight line going across from under the armhole.
Fold the piece and cut along the existing line so that both sides are symmetrical.
Mark 2 inches from the short ends of the shirt and cut. This is actually where the button panels are located.
Now you have an outline of the DIY tie-back crop top. Let’s get into the finer details.
2. Hem the raw edges
Double-fold the raw edges of the armhole by ½ cm (0.19 inches) and the bottom edge by 1cm (0.39 inches).
Pin carefully and sew to secure.
Tip: Because the fold is super thin, take your time with this step.
Fold the top seam by ½ an inch and make sure it’s wide enough for the tie to pass through it.
3. Make the strips
Measure five equal fabric pieces from the remainder of the shirt and connect them at the short ends to make one long tie. I measured a total of 85 inches and divided it by 5 so that each strip measured 17 inches. The width of these strips is 1½ inches.
Fold the strip in half, right sides facing. Pin the edges and head on over to your sewing machine to stitch in place.
Turn this spaghetti tie inside out with the help of a bobby pin. Then press it to smooth out the fabric for an even finish.
4. Insert the tie
Now your tie is ready insert through the top tunnel of your DIY open-back crop top. Pin a safety pin to one end of the tie to help feed it through the tunnel. Then, tie a knot on both ends of the tie.
5. Make and attach loops
Make four tie pieces measuring 2½ x 1½ inches.
Double fold the side seam of the top, fold the tie in half and sandwich it. Then, sew across the fold to secure the loops in place.
Tip: Be sure to space out your loops evenly.
Turn the loops backward and sew over them.
Feed the tie from the neckline to the loops, alternating between each side for a criss-cross effect.
DIY tie back crop top tutorial
Here’s the finished DIY tie-back crop top. I hope this guide gives you a good idea of how to make a criss-cross back crop top. You don’t even need new fabric for this project; you can totally repurpose fabric from an old shirt to get the job done. Thanks for tuning in.
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