sweatshirt makeover

so when i see things on pinterest i'm all like "i could make that" and sometimes i actually do. this is one of those times. it all started with this pin:

via

but that link took me to an etsy shop that charges $130 for that shirt. umm... not happening. well then i found this pin:



via

girlfriend broke it down step by step, her directions were super easy to follow. she got the sweatshirt from her brother in law, unfortunately i don't have a brother in law that wears a sweatshirt 2 sizes larger than me. my brother in law probably wears a medium, he's pretty fit and he likes he shirts tight. so i ventured out to the local wal*mart (cuz we don't have a traget) and bought myself a men's 3X zip up sweatshirt for $12.50, and some matching thread for $1.50. $14, that's my whole investment in this shirt aside from my time.

 

first i took the ackward before picture:

i look a little like i want to fight someone...

then i set up shop on our living room floor sunday afternoon while watching football and went to work. following the directions i started by taking in the arms to make them more feminine. i seriously followed all of kate's directions. i might have been able to figure this one out by myself but it would not have turned out so good.





no turning back now!

then i sewed the arms back up. i really need to set up my sewing machine and learn how to use it- i think it really would've helped on this project. instead i sewed it all by hand.

a long task. good thing football was on all day, you can just listen to that you don't have to keep looking at the tv.

one arm done! you can really see the difference here. at this point the mr was like "you know you can buy girl sweatshirts and skip all of that."

i thought it was so funny, my right arm looks like it go a shot of novicane and was all droopy :)



i also did darts on the shoulders to bring them up closer to where they should be. i've never done darts before so this was a learning experience. my first one needs to be redone but the 2nd was ok.

then i did the other arm so that they matched. and i cut out the zipper.

next was picking out buttons and deciding where to put said buttons:

then i sewed on the buttons and added button holes (yes, all by hand still...) and here's the finished product:

next time i do this these are things that i will do differently:

use a white or cream colored sweatshirt- no need to have 2 gray ones right?
use a pull over sweatshirt instead of a zip up one. that way i can get the buttons where i want them, i'm not committed to using the center of the sweatshirt.

make sure that when i take the arms in, i just take the arms in. i ended up taking to much of the sides in with the arm so it's a little snug.

start my buttons up higher. since it got a little snug i put a button right on the bottom so that it doesn't pull apart.

take better pictures- i promise i don't always wear yoga pants!!

 

thanks for the inspiration kate!

love, mrs. k