Simple Tshirt Refashion – How To Fix A Short Shirt

Time for a refashion! Magda blogs at House of Estrela and hosts Refashion Month every year – I’ve participated the past two with a men’s button-up refashion & a jogger pants refashion. I love the extra push to get something actually refashioned instead of clothes just sitting in my “idea” pile.

After having two kids, everything has shifted around, and I found that several of my t-shirts felt too short. Adding a faux second-layer and  a pocket jazzed up this plain white tee – now it covers my rear and I can wear it with leggings!

If you’re new to refashioning and don’t have a “stash” of clothes to work from, check out my post on shopping for refashions and upcycles! If you already have a shirt, read my tips for actually sewing refashions here!

I am so happy with how it turned out! Check out 13+ t-shirt refashion ideas for more inspiration, too!

This are the two shirts I started with – both knit tshirts. The pink one is a little lighter weight and several sizes larger, which gave me more material to work with.

I had initially thought about putting the pink as a longer peplum, on the outside, similar to this leopard skirt refashion from years ago, but once I actually tried it on I decided to put it lower.

This is a simple refashion; it would be a great first project! Ready to make your own?

Supplies

• 2 knit (aka stretchy) tshirts – the skirt portion needs to be from a larger size if you’d like the slightly gathered look
• Ballpoint needles*– important for using when sewing knit fabrics, standard needles will tear tiny holes!
• Coordinating thread
• I recommend an acrylic quilting ruler/cutting mat/rotary cutter* for the straightest cuts, but sharp scissors and a measuring tape will work too!
• Pins
• Iron

Steps

1- Cut off your pocket! Use sharp scissors and make sure to trim off the back without snipping through any of the stitching.

2- Tape or pin the pocket on and try the shirt on, making sure you like the position. I also used tape to mark where my natural waistline was – I initially thought that’s where I wanted the peplum to start but changed my mind! Sew the pocket on, making sure to leave the top opening unsewn, if you want it to be a functional pocket.

3- Trim off the bottom of your secondary shirt – remember it is easier to trim off more than to add any back on! I just held the shirt up and guessed at where to cut, leaving myself some wiggle room. After trying it on, I ended up cutting some more off. Using an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter will get the cleanest cut!

4-Time for gathering! There are lots of ways to gather fabric, my favorite is to crank the tension wheel up as high as it will go, and lengthen the stitch as long as it will go. Sew right along the raw edge and the fabric will magically gather up.

5-Layer the second shirt inside and pin it. I decided that a 3.5″ length was good for me, after trying it on! Make sure your side seams are lined up and the fabric is evenly gathered. No specific numbers – I just pulled the gathering tighter or looser as I went to make sure both layers matched up.

6. Time to sew! Make sure you use a stretch stitch – either the lightning bolt or the triple stitch. I prefer the triple stitch.

Done! A longer, tunic length shirt I will actually wear. Would you wear this refashion?