Tshirt to Tshirt refashion

I love getting a good bargain. I regularly trawl the local charity shops for hidden gems and try to keep an open mind for things I could refashion, refit or use for fabric. 

I've found that charity shops are a brilliant place to find baby clothes in good nick, but I often find that the adult clothes are rather worn and past their prime. So when I found this tshirt, I was delighted! It isn't my style at all, but I liked the cute bobble trim and it was in excellent condition. Checking the label, it is Next, so I know it's good quality. I immediately saw the potential for a cute baby tshirt...
Start point!
I know it's hard to see from that rubbish picture, but there's a lovely white bobble trim around the neck and arms. I wanted to simply make a smaller version of this for Flower. Unfortunately as soon as I started to pull it apart, I realised that (being a Next tshirt) it was far too well made. Extracting the bobble trim would involve significant amounts of unpicking that I just can't be bothered with. Ain't nobody got time for that.

So the bobble trim was sacrificed.

Continuing my love affair with Brindille and Twig, I used the Ringer Tee, which is a free pattern (and the one that convinced me that Brindille and Twig was worth spending my pennies on!). I used some scraps of teal jersey for the neckband and waistband.

Ringer Tee!
 I rushed this...so I made some fairly crucial mistakes. The first was attaching the waistband inside out. The seam allowance is on the outside. What a doughnut. Having made it on my overlocker, it would be a huge faff to unpick, so I decided that Flower won't mind. I stitched down the seam allowance to make a bit of a feature of it!

The second far more significant mistake was the neckline. The jersey I used only had 2 way stretch. And I cut the neckband in the wrong direction. So the neck doesn't stretch!! There was no way I was going to be able to get it over Flowers head. Again, I could have unpicked and cut a new neckband...

But I'm too lazy. So I cut a line down the back, added a makeshift binding and then used my Prym popper tool to add a star shaped popper.
It isn't neat. Especially the binding. But now it goes over her head!

The view from the back.

So in the end it is a wearable tshirt. But I don't feel I've done Next justice. They make lovely, quality clothes. And this is...frankly...a bit pants. Flower has worn it a couple of times. I like the fit and the shape, but it's a shame that I made such a mash of the back neck opening!

Terrrrrrrible messy back neck!

Flower doesn't care.

Brindille and Twig really is my favourite kids clothing pattern company. I recently bought a couple of new patterns so that I can completely fill up Flowers wardrobe! I've also had another go at the Ringer Tee, with far more success! I'll share soon.

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