How to Make a T-shirt into Dress

How to Make a T-shirt into Dress

A lot of us have an extensive collection of old clothes jammed in the back of the closet. And so, it is a good idea to develop fun ways to recycle old t-shirts into new garments that are exciting to wear again and again. In this article, we will learn how to make a t-shirt into dress with this ultimate guide. So, if you are searching for easy ways to make cute dresses from old tees and t-shirts, you are in the right place. Check out how to turn an oversized shirt into a dress without sewing.

The idea will let everyone find old clothing, which they can redesign into new outfits that can be worn as completely new clothing. You can follow the ideas and steps that we will discuss further in this article to make a dress from a t-shirt. As a result, you can turn a boxy oversized t-shirt into and brand-new stylish garment for you to wear.

How do I start the process of making a dress from a t-shirt?

Turning an oversized t-shirt into a dress is not very challenging with a few simple steps and techniques. Each guide will show you how to make a simple dress without using a sewing pattern, including crucial details about how to make a t-shirt into dress.

Start with accurate measurements by learning how to take body measurements for clothing. 

Also, assembling a basic sewing kit that will have all of your essential supplies and tools is necessary, and once you have these pieces together, you are good to go.

Materials Required and Some Dress Ideas

To start, you will need the following basic materials listed below:

  • An oversized T-Shirt
  • Pair of Scissors
  • A Sewing Machine
  • A Measuring Tape
  • Ruler
  • Fabric Chalk or a Pencil or Pen
  • Threads
  • Ruler
  • Pins

For a beginner, you can go for these simple yet trendy dress ideas for a start:

1. Blouson T-Shirt Dress: 

blouse on tshirt dress

A blouson t-shirt dress has a relaxed gathering around the waist area with slim knit skirt bottom for a casual look. You can adjust the amount of shirring to make you look great from all angles.

2. Side Shirring T-Shirt Dress:

side shirring tshirt dress

With an asymmetrical tulip silhouette skirt and a slight side shirring, you get super flattering natural curves around your body that hug your waistline correctly.

3. Cold Shoulder T-Shirt Dress:

cold shoulder tshirt dress

An A-line dress with a cold shoulder detail is a perfect match that complements each other. The cutting technique used for this oversized t-shirt transformation is quite beginner-friendly.

4. Twist-Front T-Shirt Dress: 

twist front tshirt dress

You can make a t-shirt dress that combines a crop top and high waisted skirt. The twist detailing in the front is adorable and also makes a dainty top if you have an additional t-shirt to play with.

5. Racerback T-Shirt Dress: 

racer back tshirt dress

For a sporty look, you can opt for a racerback dress, but adding little ruffles along the shoulders creates a cute dress to wear on a casual day. You can learn how to make ruffles with a knit fabric to enhance the look of this ruffled racerback t-shirt dress. 

Steps to Make a Simple Dress from a T-shirt

We have listed down few simple steps which you can follow to make a simple yet elegant dress from a t-shirt, and the steps are:

    1. Get an oversized T-shirt: The dress will have an elastic sewn into the waistband, giving it a cinch on the waist. The t-shirt needs to be oversized and baggy and also needs to be long enough to wear as a dress (mid-thigh length). 
    2. Wear the t-shirt and make a mark on the t-shirt where it falls on your waist: Turn the t-shirt inside out to keep the outside clean. Put the t-shirt on, and make a mark where your waist is. You can use fabric chalk, a pin or a pen. Take the shirt off after you are done.
    3. Draw a line over the front and back of the shirt: Lay down and spread the t-shirt on a flat surface and use a straight edge to draw a line across it from side to side. Use the mark made earlier as a guide. Flip the t-shirt over, and draw another line on the back, similarly. This line is the guideline for the elastic.
    4. Cut the elastic: Measure around your waist. Cut a piece of ⅜-inch (9.5-millimetre) elastic according to that measurement. Use black elastic for dark-coloured shirts and white elastic for light-coloured shirts, or try to find a matching elastic. 
    5. Pin the end tip of the elastic to the t-shirt: Fold the t-shirt’s right-side seam towards the back to lay it flat. Pin one end tip of the elastic over the seam while aligning the raw edges. Confirm the elastic is levelled with the line you have drawn. Don’t pin the rest of the elastic.
    6. Begin sewing the elastic to the shirt. Ensure that the elastic matches the line and the thread colour matches the t-shirt’s colour while sewing. Start by clamping the foot and needle down over the shirt and elastic. Tug at the elastic, stretching it out. Backstitch once, then sew forward with a narrow zigzag patterned stitch. Keep the elastic pulled taut while sewing. You will see the fabric getting gathered as you sew.
    7. Continue sewing the elastic to the shirt, flattening the left seam as you proceed: After you reach the left side of the t-shirt, press the seam down against the fabric. Sew right across the seam. Keep the elastic pulled tautly.
    8. Overlap the elastic as you reach the endpoint: Continue sewing across the back of the shirt. When reaching the right-side seam again, overlap the ends of the elastic by ½ inch (1.27 centimetres). Keep sewing back and forth across the two ends a few times.
    9. Cut off the excess elastic: Knot the loose threads, then trim them down. Discard any leftover elastic.
    10. Modify the collar: This step will give your dress a nicer look. Cut the ribbed collar off first and then cut the front part of the collar into a V-neck or scoop-neck. 
    11. Turn your dress right side out: Your new t-shirt dress is now ready to wear, and to enhance your look, wear a wide belt over the dress if you want to hide the waist seam.

how to make a tshirt into dress

We believe this article has given you some ideas and inspiration. Hence, if you own a loose, baggy T-shirt, don’t throw it away. Instead, turn it into a chic T-shirt dress. The options are endless, from a simple dress with a cinched waist to a fitted dress, and we are glad to make you learn how to make a t-shirt into dress.

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