DIY - Husbands Large T-shirt to fitted

I have been married for four years, all of which my husband has been a coach for the Eagles. I will embarrassingly admit that I do not own one single Eagles T-shirt. Why? Honestly I'm not really sure other than the fact I have no idea where to find a cute one, and the ones my hubby brings home are all larges.

For the game against Camden Fairview I borrowed my future sister in law's beautiful cute shirt, which obviously wasn't an option to wear the next consecutive day (for clear reasons that it's just tacky and I'll admit I was going to try and pull it off but I'm pretty sure Baby Dotson did a drooling number on it).

So what am I supposed to do? I am the coach's wife, I can't just show up in any old outfit (that may have worked through the season but it just won't cut it in the semi-playoffs)!!!

I began researching "no-sew" fitted t-shirts and didn't like all the fringe exposed on the sides or how tacky they made the necklines. I just wanted a simple way (no sewing involved) to hem up the sides to narrow them in.......

Hence the DIY project came into action.

This project took maybe about an hour total (but once you do it once I have a feeling it wouldn't take that long in the future) and cost me an old t-shirt = FREE.


I went through Daddy Dotson's closet and selected this one (out of seriously like 100)!!!


See "L" -----> that's just not going to work


Flipped my shirt inside out


Cut off the bottom so the edges would roll up


When I cut the sides I wanted to make sure it would have a "girly" fit so I kinda cheated in on the waist


Did this to both sides


Then I cut fringe on each side and the bottom part of the arm


I double knotted each piece (it probably would have taken less time to sew it)


This was my end result


First side


Front.....see much more "fitted"


Second side


Obviously it's not hemmed so there will be some gaps (hence the white spot) but I think it looks cute with an undershirt on anyways.

Linked up with
Nesting Place


Comments

What an awesome idea!!! Turned out way cute :)
Grammy Goodwill said…
What a good idea. Now that is something I could do - if only I didn't NEED the large size.
Nina said…
Impressive! I'm a t-shirt junkie and have way too many that need a girly touch.

-stopped by from the nester party!
Renee said…
Looks great! I will have to try that!
Denise said…
this is a fantastic idea!

i now see a lot of ugly oversized t-shirts becoming my favs this summer!
Holly Kennedy said…
This is a fabulous idea! I have loads of T-shirts that I was going to give away since they are a bit too large, but now I think I will try to make them a bit more fitted! And while it may have been faster to sew the sides, the end result is super cute! Thanks for sharing!!!!
mike said…
SO cute! I'm just wondering if I would be able to do that many double knots!!
Over from The Nesters.
I love your idea - saw this on Pinterest! I clicked over and found your cute, little blog! Very sweet! It WOULD take less time to sew it on a machine, but if you didn't have a machine it's certainly do-able and darling, too! I'm with you - no ugly shirts!

Becky B.
www.organizingmadefun.com
Organizing Made Fun
Jules said…
LOVE this idea!!! Anything, even double knots is better than me finding my sewing machine, setting it up, trying to change the thread color ... the list goes on and on! GREAT JOB!!!
Anonymous said…
Oh my goodness. We totally used to do this in high school, but with much bigger cuts and without turning it inside out to do the knots. This looks SO much better! Thank you!

BTW, found you on pinterest as well! Cute blog!
Anonymous said…
This is awesome! I love the look of the ties. Found you through Pinterest :)
HalfAsstic.com said…
Too cute! My daughter has just recently lost a lot of weight and has a gigantic stack of ladies large and extra large tee shirts. I bet we could do this with them, as well. Just wouldn't need to cut as much out.
You're brilliant! :-)
michy88 said…
Saw this on Pinterest as well! Love this idea!
Wow! I love this idea!!! I am seriously going to find an old tshirt of my bfs right now to try :) thank you for sharing this!!!
Six of Us said…
This makes me so happy. I was a major tomboy growing up, so I have tons of shirts that are just HUGE, but I really don't want to get rid of them. I'm saved!
stickyheels said…
great idea, but your font is KILLING me. insanely hard to read.
Wow, I love this idea!! I'm gonna do this project tonight. I have tons of t-shirts that are too big and this will make them look so cute and I can wear them in public!!! :)
Midwest Trixie said…
Saw this idea on pinterest! Great way to downsize a T. Was wondering what you do when you wash it? Do all the knots come out?
Midwest Trixie said…
Saw this idea on Pinterest. Great idea for an oversized T. One question - how do you wash it? Do the knows come untied?
Anonymous said…
What an awesome idea!!! I'm definately going to try it.
Anonymous said…
Awesome! Wish I knew about this when I was in college!
Unknown said…
I've lost almost 40 lbs so this is going to be a great way to re-utilize some of my favorite shirts! Thanks a million!!!
Crystal said…
I saw this on Pinterest also. Super cute! I have a few shirts that I may try this one.
Liz G said…
I'm Pinterest guest. This is a great idea and I only wish I had been clever enough in high school to realize this... our camp shirts would have been so much cuter! :)
Anonymous said…
This was a great idea and I love how it looks. I think I'd rather do this than sew it even if it does take more time. Good job!
Em said…
Thanks for sharing, I love no-sew ideas! I saw you on Pinterest too- thanks again.
Oh my goodness. I LOVE this shirt. I want one just like it.

You should come over to my blog (www.oopsicraftmypants.net) on Tuesday for my "tute"-in Tuesday blog party. I pick one tutorial from those who linked up and post about it/try it out myself. I SO want to try this tutorial out...So, please? :)
Kristen said…
cute!! I also saw it on pinterest, but funny thing is my family is from Huntsville...if you live in Huntsville, AL! :) small world. I think I may try this on an old shirt, too bad I don't sew though, I have a feeling tying the fringe is quite time consuming
I am totally late on commenting on this, but I came across this on Pinterest. My husband is also a football coach and we (the other wives) we're just complaining about the t-shirts! I am going to try this out and show it off this weekend! Thanks!!!
Anonymous said…
love the idea, looks fab. found you on pinterest, but your font is horribly hard on eyes. it's like reading through superbly bad glasses.
Valerie said…
I love this! Where I work, they ordered my shirts two sizes too big and I feel like I'm wearing a bag. And I hate sewing, so this is awesome!
Anonymous said…
i think that is way cooler tied in knots!
Anonymous said…
Awesomeness,my grandma sends me shirts way too big, which are comfy, but white so I can't wear them to sleep in.Yay.
Chelsea said…
Can you say brilliant?! Thank you for sharing this. I can't wait to start stealing some of my boyfriends too-big-for-me t-shirts :)
Quick Fix Criss said…
Awesome idea - inside out so the fringe is not showing!
Quick Fix Criss said…
Question: How did you determine how much to cut from the side and the shape? Did you have a template or did you just eyeball it?

Thanks!
Chrissy Marie said…
I am so going to try this! The only thing that I'm wondering (since I'm still new to sewing/making clothes) is how to know where to make the initial cuts. You must have measured your waist?
samwilvan said…
This is fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing :)
Erin said…
Awesome! I just was given a L shirt that the teachers are wearing next week for homecoming...and, like you, that size just won't work for me! I'm going to try your method! :)
Lisa said…
This is an awesome/clever idea! We have seaSon ticket to the Utah football games, and there are NO Utah Pac 12 girls shirts, just the usual girl sport tees. Now I can buy I guys shirt and do this........I can't wait to make one. <3 it
Tara Burton said…
saw this on pinterest ... love it! I have a few old t-shirts of my own I may do this with! I used to wear t-shirts that were way too big ... back in the day ... and I'm glad I haven't gotten rid of them! I'll get to wear them again (and not just for cleaning the house)!
JenB said…
VERY cute!! I'm totally doing this to an old T-shirt!
Yelowrose said…
I found you on via Pintrest..love this idea! I'm working on one now, do you have any suggestions to make the sleeves a little more "girly"? Thanks!!
Erika Marie said…
Love the idea. Hate the font. I skipped most of what you wrote & just look at the pictures cuz it actually hurt my eyes.
Anonymous said…
A couple of pics are missing. Not sure how you made the fringe. I lost a ton of weight and would love to refashion some of my school Tshirts!
Anonymous said…
I like that it looks gathered doing that way. But I would sew a small seam in it after I tie them to keep from having in holes showing and to hopefully keep the gathered look. I don't like to wear layers. :) I will have to try that soon.
This is so awesome! I just have one question: what did you do with the extra pieces after you tied the knots? Did you tuck them into the shirt or cut them off? I can't tell...
Abbi said…
Very cute! It didn't turn out looking much more feminime. I like it.
Olivia A. Myers said…
Love it! I've got a couple of shirts that need this attention right now! Can't wait to try.
Randi S said…
found you through Pinterest, too. Just wondering how this holds up in the wash.
Anonymous said…
This is awesome! Being as tiny as i am most of the shirts i have are too big and my highschool shirt is a medium which is huge on me and i have been trying to figure out what to do with it. I was sick and tired of tying it backwith a ponytail
Tricia said…
Super cute, I'm hoping it will work if I cut more fabric away from the back on each side... I think that would give me some cute maternity tees from my hubby's XL shirts.
ProjectHope7 said…
Awesome! what a cool idea! whether you sew it or fringe it, great, easy remake... love it!!! thanks so much for sharing this!!!! and thanks for the great photos... it makes it so much easier!
CathyB pbprojecthope at yahoo dotcom
palmbreezeliving dot blogspot dotcom
Anonymous said…
Nice shirt idea. BTW, you are the Dotsons, not the Dotson's (plural = add an "s". Posessive = "'s"). Also, there is no "s" in Anyway.
Darcey said…
found you on pinterest. Just tried this with a way too large shirt today-super easy and now it's a very cute shirt-even my hubby thought so! Took me about 30-40 mins altogether. do you have to hand-wash? could you do a picture of how you did the sleeves though?
Anonymous said…
Love this! Such a great idea, after I cut the bottom off of the shirt, I used it as a headband to complete my outfit :) Great idea esp when you don't have a sewing maching like myself!
Unknown said…
This is an absolutely awesome idea! We recently went to a local hockey game and received promotional T-shirts. They were all XL, so I am drowning in mine. Thanks to your idea it now fits me flatteringly! I do have a sewing machine, but I thought the tied sides looked unique and added interest to the design. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome idea!
Anonymous said…
Awesome! my brothers keep sending me college shirts that are large sizes, so now I can support my brothers, but still have a nice fitted top! I'm going to go do this rightthisverysecond! :)
Thanks so much for sharing your secret - and with photos and step by step too! This is just what I was looking to do!
Anonymous said…
Very clever! You could have sewn the seam after knotting the fringe to hold it all together in the wash!
Suzy B said…
I'm planning to start this in... like a minute! They only had XLs left after our school musical and I'm more of a M. I'm wondering about the sleeves though.... Help?
Anonymous said…
My girls do this with their basketball camp shirts but they tie them on the out side. I think yours looks more finished. Good job.
Anonymous said…
Very cute! Now I have a way to wear my boyfriend's old t-shirts:)
Thanks!
Lacey said…
Thanks so much for sharing this! I have a bunch of sports shirts I hate wearing cuz they're so huge and I don't know anything about sewing, so this a great solution for me!
Adena said…
I am also a coachs wife and I totally understand the big t-shirts! I will have to do this. I am also losing weight and a lot of my t-shirts are way to big now. Thanks to herbalife!
Anonymous said…
Love this! What a great idea! Time to steal some of the Husband's shirts he doesn't wear anymore but I love! ;D
Anonymous said…
Can you wash it or do the knots come out??
MC said…
Love the idea, can't stand the font. Maybe it's my browser (Chrome). But please consider changing the font so we can all read and enjoy your blog. It is otherwise, quite nice :)
Anonymous said…
After you knot it do you cut them or tuck them in?
It looks beautiful! thank you so much :)
stratcast81 said…
What's the matter with you? You knew what she meant, didn't you? I can understand little things like that bugging you, but it makes you look like a snob. I'm a stickler about spelling but come on!
Lindalu said…
I love this idea but I think I like the idea of the fringe on the outside of the shirt!
Vicki said…
Great idea...I'm always looking for ideas on how to make the big shirts look girly and cute! Love this one.
Alexia Kile said…
my boyfriend is in the army and he has a lot of shirts that are to big for me and i was looking for a cute way to make his shirts fit me and i love this idea :)
Alexia Kile said…
my boyfriend is in the army and before he went to basic he got me a couple of shirts that say army and other army stuff but they where way to big and i was looking for a cute way make the shirts fit i love this idea.
My MANY t-shirts would like to thank you! I've recently lost weight and can't stand wearing my shirts really big so now they will have a purpose. Found you on Pinterest, thank you for sharing!
Aimee said…
This is awesome! Thanks for the tutorial! But I was wondering, how do you keep the fringe from sticking out of your t-shirt??
Anonymous said…
My husband races and i have the same problem with the shirts im suppose to wear. I have been looking for a way to make them cute! Thanks
Unknown said…
I did this with one of my favorite t-shirts that was a man's XL. I love the final look but a warning must be issued. Make sure you leave room for a generous seam allowance. I cut my knot things way to short and it took forever to tie. I also hurt my fingers quite a bit. Other than that, I love this! The look is so cute! Happy Upcycling!
From FAT to FIT said…
So cute!! How does it hold up through the wash?
I JUST tried this on a cute shirt a family member had given me that was quite a bit too big and I haven't been able to wear...worked great! Next step will be to see how it washes and then do the half dozen other shirts that need a better shape.

P.S. This is GREAT for big busted girls that want a flattering fit without a lot of harsh stretch over the bust, don't tie off so much up top and take in more once you move down lower. I will be sure to buy my shirts purposely large to accommodate my bust area if washing turns out well, then I can doctor them all up just for me without having to wear stretched out logos or too big tees...happy dance!
Cyndi F said…
Great idea! I'm wondering if, instead of knotting, one could just use witch stitchery to hem up the sides.
Found you on Pinterest, btw.
Anonymous said…
Omg i love it.i am doing it rght now!!!
CoffeeandCream said…
Super Cute! I'm your newest follower from
http://coffeecaramelandcream.blogspot.com

Nice to meet you <3
Unknown said…
How did it do in the wash??? Love it!!!

Kalan said…
Aren't all the knots on the inside annoying as they rub against your body though?

Great idea, btw!
t-shirts said…
Wow superb concept. this post can give me lot of chances to design my t-shirts in a better way...
I love this idea!! I have a ton of t-shirts that I love, but hate how unflattering they are. It's funny, too, since my hubby is always teasing me about me cutting up my clothes trying to make them fit better - but I just end up throwing it away afterwards. Now I know what to do!! Happy, happy :) Thanks for sharing!
Sonia in MN said…
I chose this link on Pintrest because I bought a WONDERFUL tshirt online (for a steal) but ordered at least a size too big. I'd love to be able to wear it apart from as a nightshirt. Thanks for sharing this!! Can't wait to try it!
Anonymous said…
Love this!! I have LOTS of large fire department tees from DH! (he gets upset bc I don't wear 'em, problem solved!)
Ursa said…
Really beautiful idea! Love this shirt and the colour!
Unknown said…
Omg you are awesome! Thank you so much for this blog! I have a couple of t-shirts that I love but they didn't have my size so I ended up buying them anyway but because they're huge I never wear them then I found this and it works and now they fit and look super cute. Thank you sooooooo much!:-)
~Caitlynn~
Lisa said…
Just found this via Pinterest. I'm a coach's wife, too, so I had to laugh when you said you chose this shirt from one of about 100 of your husband's T-shirts! Same here! Every new season means a whole new wardrobe of t-shirts! I gotta try this project!
ZZ said…
Looks great. I reckon I'll stitch then fringe!
Unknown said…
You can! When you turn the shirt inside out, just cut the fringes and knot them with out cutting the sides out. It will still make it a little more fitted but won't change the size too much. My cheering team did that and I used the same size I always would wear and it still fit perfectly :)
Anonymous said…
Did you also cut some off of the sleeves and tie them? If so I was wondering exactly how you did it.
Unknown said…
I failed hardcore at trying this. I think I made too many cuts and they were too shallow. It would have been nice if there had been measurements to take the guesswork out of it. I ruined a favorite shirt trying this. Super bummed out now.
Unknown said…
yeah,I think so ,and I also like the football t shirt.
I am just smiling. Love the idea. How creative you are. great work.
Kimmie said…
What a great idea! Can't wait to get home & try it!
Sporty T-shirts said…
i saw this post on somewhere else post i do not know is that your or someone copied. But really this is amazing creativity with t-shirt. Great work.
Jessica said…
Omigosh! I LOVE this! It's SO cute and easy. I have a few cute maternity tops that are too big but I'd love to be able to wear still and I think I'm going to be doing this to them! Thank you for this!
Çağlar Önal said…
Wow you must be a genius. It's a great idea. When you said "no-sew", I couldn't think anything about it.
Bumblebee said…
Came over from Pinterest and think I'm going to give this a go. I have a coupe of bigger tshirts I get from road races which are unisex and I will have a go at adapting!
Unknown said…
Hey! This is a great idea - I'm definitely going to try this out this weekend! Would you mind if I reblog this on an article I'm currently writing about up-cycling t-shirts? Please contact me at blogjia12@gmail.com if there any problems with that. Or if you just want to give me the green light, that would be awesome! Of course, I'll link back to you.
Found your tutorial on Pinterest and tried this on my work shirt for my new job tomorrow at the gym daycare, LOOKS AWESOME!! Thank you SO much for sharing!!
Laura said…
Thank you!!! I have to wear a huge shirt for a fragrance launch where I work and they only sent us XL mens sized tees. We are all doing this to our shirts. Thanks again.
Erika Dotson said…
WOW! This has by far been one of the most viewed posts on this blog! Thank you so much! I read through many if not all of the comments! I'm so glad people are actually trying it out! I'm still amazed after all these years people are still check it out!

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