Recycled Little Boys Dress Shirt

Well I did it again, I stole a shirt from my son Samuel's closet for Hannah. This is only the second time I have done this (my first one can be seen here) and it technically didn't fit him any more so I don't feel too bad. I think I will just need to make him more clothes to make up for it. I really should have done a tutorial for this however did not have the pictures for it. So I will just give you a play-by-play.

This was a boy's 2t dress shirt. 

1. The first thing I did was take my seam ripper to it. I carefully removed the pocket. Then removed the sleeves and the collar with the seam ripper (normally I would just cut them off but I just wasn't sure what I was doing yet so I wanted to save as much of the fabric as possible since this is for a 19month old).
2. I wanted this fuller than the last one I made so with the seam ripper I opened up the sides from the bottom to about a 1/2 in. from the arm hole.
3. I cut two triangle pieces that measured the length of the opening plus 1/2 in. for a 1/4 in seam allowance. For the width I used an existing 2t shirt of Hannah's that I liked the width of to gauge how wide to cut the triangle. 
4. Using the serger, I stitched the triangle piece in place. With the sewing machine, I matched the hem for the pre-existing hemline on the shirt. 
5. Using the sleeves that were removed, I cut the two flutter sleeves.  This was done by making a pattern from the same shirt I used in step 3. Then I serged all the way around the edge of both flutter sleeves.
6. I cut a good 3 inches off the top of the shirt. I didn't measure I used the original back placket (you know, the kind you see on men's button down shirts) as my guide and just cut through both the front and back of the shirt. Then serged all of the raw edges.
7. Using the serger I attached the flutter sleeves. Then sewed a 1/2 in casement all the way around the collar of course leaving a couple inches so I could thread the 1/4 in. elastic. Hannah tried on the shirt for me to determine how long I wanted the elastic to be, trimmed it and closed the casement opening.

All Done!

I made the leggings too. I used an old t-shirt of mine and the same pattern I always use. Their a little big but this way she can grow into them.

As you see I did not hem the edge of the sleeves. I left them with the serged edge which works. I did debate about hemming and adding an elastic band but changed my mind when I put it on her. Whats your thoughts add them or leave it as is?

Thanks for stopping by the nest!
Darla