Quick sewing project - Dress from oversize Tshirt

While working as a volunteer, I was given an XXL shirt. Why XXL when I wear XXS, you ask? One, the organization could not afford to get different sizes for everyone and two, it was meant to be used outside in November, in the North-East United States. In other words, it was meant to wear over a coat. It worked well in that capacity (albeit not the sexiest look), but afterward, what to do with it?

Turn it into a dress, evidently!

One of the tutorials I came across when I first got my sewing machine and was working on 

resizing my first Tshirt, was one on how to make a dress out of a supersize T-shirt. Super-simple. For the dress itself, it's just two seams to sew (most of the work was put into using the leftover fabric to make a belt), zero hemming, as I used all the existing hems.

Design considerations

• I used the wrong side of the shirt as the right side. The print on the shirt was not particularly attractive (as I said, not the sexiest shirt). It can still be seen through on the wrong side, but now it looks muted and interesting. The seams of the shirt are neat and work as embellishments. Extra bonus, the shirt is tagless.
• I did not fuss with making new shoulders. The original shoulders are so wide that the shoulder seams occur squarely across my biceps. With the apparent seam there, it can work as an embellishment.
• For the shape of the sleeves, I used as template a shirt that has sleeves fitted down to above the elbow, a style I love. I continued on to the end of the T-shirt sleeves, for fitted 3/4 sleeves on the dress.

A favorite top of mine (I am a little disheveled as this was in the midst of my photo shoot, where I was pulling different pieces of clothing over my head)

• For the shape of the dress, I overlayed a T-shirt dress I already own that fits well and used that as a template from the underarms down. 

My other template: my Freddy Krueger casual summer dress

• What really makes the dress is the belt. I used the fabric left-over from the cutting.

Tutorial

1) Trace the sleeve and side seams, using the templates of your choice (I describe mine above). Make sure the templates are centered on the shirt. Leave a generous seam allowance. If in doubt, leave more fabric, you can always trim more later.

2) Cut off the excess fabric on the side you traced, then fold the shirt in half. Pin the two folded sides together and cut off excess fabric from the other side of the shirt.

3) Baste stitch the two halves together and try the dress on for size. Make necessary adjustments.
4) Sew the seams with a straight stitch, reinforce with a zig-zag stitch to prevent the fabric from fraying at the seams. You are done with the dress.

Left over fabric for the belt!

Belt

I believe this is the standard method.

Cut 4 long rectangles (or 2 if you have a long piece of fabric). The rectangles get sewn together lengthwise, to make a piece of fabric long enough to wrap around the waist and tie a knot.

In my case, I utilized the bottom edge of the T-shirt and made those the finished ends of the belt. I sewed together the raw edges when joining the pairs of rectangles. At this step, it is really important to have the right sides facing. I had the "wrong" sides facing, as I wanted to continue the inside out look with the belt.

Unfold the joined pieces. Now you have two long rectangles. Pin them together right sides facing and sew up the long edges.

Turn the tube right side out and finish the two ends with invisible stitching. Done!