(pardon the sh*tty photo… no one was home to lend me a hand… but you get the idea)
I have officially decided to refer to my self the queen of reconstructed tees. When I first got into making things, it was always in the form of a cut & sewed version of an old tee. I recently scored this vintage goodie (always loved the California Raisins since I was a kid), and since it was a little tight- I decided to test out a new DIY tee. This braided tank has a few more steps than most of my projects- but if you follow the photos 1 by 1… it’s pretty straight forward and simple.
What you need: a t-shirt of your liking, sewing shears, matching thread, and a sewing needle.
Step 1: First cut your tee into a tank by removing the sleeves. Next, cut an upside down letter T on the back side of your shirt (left photo), than cut that strip you created into three little strips.
Step 2: Braid the center piece & pin it (to hold the braid).
Step 3: Cut three different strips horizontal to your center braid.
Step 4: Cut those three strips into their own individual 3 smaller strips. Thicker strips will give you a thicker braid, thinner strips… thinner braid (duh!).
Step 5: Braid your 3 strips together, on each side. Pin to the center braid where you want them to be sewn & sew them in place.
Step 6: Cut the sleeves above the first horizontal braid to the shoulder hem (left photo). Cut those strips into three smaller strips & braid ‘em on each side. Sew those to braids together.
Step 7: Attach the first braid you made (the spine), to the braid at the neck that you just created in step 6. You can sew it directly or you can do what I did and fold it over the neck braid to create a loop (so it can move freely).
Finished Result: This may seem complicated, but trust me- once you get started it will all become crystal clear… and the result is pretty damn cute (if I most say so myself).