How to DIY a Cute Wrap Top From a Men's Shirt
For this men's shirt refashion, I'm showing you another way to upcycle a men's shirt.
I turned this one into a DIY wrap top with a striking sleeve feature. You'll need a lightweight shirt for this that's 2 or 3 sizes too big for you.
Tools and materials:
- Long-sleeved men’s shirt
- ¼ to ½ yard scrap fabric for the tie
- Seam ripper
- Ruler
- Fabric marker
- Measuring tape
- Pins
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
1. Deconstruct the shirt
Remove the pocket carefully with your seam ripper.
Cut off the collar and stand and both the button and buttonhole plackets.
To reduce bulk for the next step, turn up the hem to the finished length you want.
Press the fold and cut off the surplus fabric, leaving a half inch allowance. Put it to one side for later.
2. Create the wrap
Decide which side of the shirt will be the bottom of the wrap. I went with the side where the pocket used to be.
Choose how wide you want the neckline to be and unpick the shoulder seams to that point.
Turn in the edge of the bottom wrap first and pin it diagonally across your body (or a dress form).
Do the same with the top wrap and press the folded edges in place.
Trim the excess fabric from the edges, leaving a half inch seam allowance.
Finish the front edges by turning under a narrow double hem and sewing with a straight stitch.
3. Alter the back
Fold the shirt lengthways at the center back, with the right sides together.
To prevent the side seams from being offset by the wrap, pin a new center back seam a couple of inches from the folded edge.
Sew close to the pins and cut off the excess fabric.
4. Hem
Finish the hem by turning it under twice and securing with a straight stitch.
5. Back neck edge
Remove the excess from both sides, tapering your cut into the top of the shoulder.
Measure around the back neck, from one end of the yoke to the other. Add a couple of inches allowance.
Cut a piece of this length and 1.5 inches wide from the surplus fabric.
Turn in one end of the strip and pin it on one side of the yoke, with the right sides facing.
Continue to pin the strip around the back neck edge, turning in the other short end and cutting off the excess length.
Sew the strip to the neck edge.
Clip the seam allowance so the curve will lie flat.
Fold and pin the neck binding to the inside of the shirt, turning under the raw edge as you do so, and sew in place.
6. Make the wrap ties
You will need two ties, at least 60 inches in length and 4 inches wide.
I got one out of the fabric I cut off the hem, and a second piece from another shirt. You can use any similar weight fabric you have, in a toning or contrast color.
Cut one end of each tie on the diagonal and leave the other end straight.
Finish the edges by turning them under twice, starting with the diagonal end. Leave the straight short end unfinished.
7. Attach the ties
Make an opening in the side seam of the top wrap, at waist level.
Secure the side seams so they don't unravel and finish the edges of the opening with a zigzag stitch.
With the right sides together, align one strip with the opening. Place the unfinished edge to the inside edge of the top wrap.
Make a small pleat in the center of the strip and pin it in place.
Pin the other strip to the bottom wrap in the same way.
Sew both ties in place, following the wrap stitch line.
Turn both strips on to the seam allowance and sew as close to the edge of the wrap as you can.
8. Pleat the sleeves
Turn the sleeve inwards to make a short version. Pin and tack around the sleeve, 1 inch from the fold.
Pull the sleeve down to create another layer below the first.
Continue making layers until you get to the cuff, tacking each layer 1 inch above the fold as you go.
Button the cuff and fold it in half, tacking it to the bottom layer.
DIY wrap top
And that's a wrap! To fasten your DIY wrap top, feed the tie from the bottom wrap through the opening.
There are several different ways of tying it, at the front, side or back. Here's a couple of my favorites.
How many more can you find? Let me know in the comments.
Next, check out my post on How to Upcycle a Men's Shirt Into a Cute Ruffle Mini Dress.
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