Before and After: Striped Crop Top

First off let me just say this fabric is insanely pretty, don't you think?

I began with this thrifted dress which had quite an awkward waist line. But I loved this fitting of the top half of the dress and knew it would be perfect as a crop top.

 I had thrifted this dress at a second hand market for $2 a couple of weeks ago. One thing you ought to know about me is that I find it really strange wearing 2nd hand clothes unless I have cut them up in one way or another. Otherwise I just won't wear it.

So I cut it in half.

Then I decided to do a sort of fishtail effect by making the back a bit longer than the front.

I am incredibly pleased with the result but still am not sure what to do with the left over fabric, don't want to make it a skirt. Any ideas?

DIY 2 Color Pocket Tee

What's the point of shirt pockets? Old men in suits use them for handkerchiefs and pens. Apparently they were first invented so that you could keep business cards close to your heart... strange. Personally I prefer it when shirt pockets are empty, brightly colored, and worn by women.

I like the photos above way better than this, but I have to admit his mustache pretty cool.

So, it is time for yet another DIY.

The white stuff is chalk that I forgot to dust off. Whoops!

Stuff you need:

2 oversized t-shirts

Chalk

Sewing machine (needle and thread will do, but it will take 10 times longer)

Seam ripper

1. Start off with your 2 t-shirts. The pink one is A and orange, B.

2. Using a seam ripper remove the sleeves t-shirt A. Be careful not to rip the fabric.

3. Then cut off the neck of the t-shirt A.

4. Afterwards pin the raw edge of the neck inwards and sew in place. (t-shirt A)

5. On each t-shirt draw a line where you want the 2 colors to meet. On t-shirt A draw another line 4 cm below. Cut on this line. And on the t-shirt B draw a line 4 cm above. Cut on this line.

6. Next, decide how large you want your sleeve to be. You may decide to turn the fabric inwards to this. Mark it by make a line with some chalk. Draw another line 3 cm to the side. Repeat this step on both sleeves.

7. Cut on the line closer to the edge.

8. Using a seam ripper, split t-shirt B into 2 pieces of fabric.

9. Pin t-shirt B to t-shirt A so it looks like below. Then sew the fabric together.

10. Next, turn the tee is inside out and pin then sew the sides together. Make sure to leave space for the sleeves.

11. This time turn the tee the right way out. Turn the raw edge of the sleeves inwards. Pin and sew.

12. Finally, the shirt pocket. Using a piece of chalk draw a shirt pocket of your preferred size on excess fabric from t-shirt B. Draw a line around it for seam allowance. Cut it out and turn the fabric above the pocket inwards. Pin and sew.

13. Pin the pocket onto the tee and sew.

Finally! Ta-daa!