T-Shirt Dress

If, like me, the eco labels are somewhat out of your price range, I recommend re-vamping what you've got or adjusting and tweaking good buys from charity shops.

I was recommended Instructables.com, an online compilation of people's 'how-to's. One of the video tutorials had no narrative or instructions, yet was easy to follow and pause to catch up with. The video by Giannyl converts an old t-shirt into a summer dress. (Ignore the flouncing at the end!)

I saw it as a good way to reuse old clothes, and learn a bit more sewing know-how.

• First, cut off the sleeves at the seam and across the neckline.
  
• Cut further along the seam, below where the arms joined, towards the bottom of the t-shirt.
  
• Fold over the edges and sew inside out to create a hem.
• Cut across the sleeves to create triangles.

• Turn the triangles inside out and sew along the two edges, leaving a small gap to turn them back out again.
• Stitch up the remaining gap.
• Iron to create full triangle shape.

• Sew the triangles in place on the body, keeping the seam on the reverse.

• Cut the neckband from the collar to create the correct length halter-neck.
• Sew into place on the tops of the triangles.
• Try on the dress and adjust accordingly (I rouched the triangles and cinched in the hips with a further seam to give better shape).