I’ve never been one to leave well enough alone, but my sister, Elaine, takes it one step further when it comes to clothes. She rarely (read never) wears a shirt straight from the store. She’s constantly changing the sleeves, hem or neckline. And, she’s always adding some sort of embellishment and bling.
This is the perfect solution for Goodwill shoppers. Maybe you find a top in the perfect color, but the sleeves are wrong, or perhaps it’s just too plain. Just rework it and add some sparkle with beads!
Elaine bought this floral wrap shirt in silk for $4.99 at Goodwill. She liked the print and prefers V-neck tops, but the sleeves certainly weren’t her style.
First she cut off the bell sleeves at the elbow and turned the raw edges toward the inside and sewed it in place by hand. Be sure to make the casing wide enough for a narrow piece of elastic. Thread the elastic through the casing with a safety pin. Sew the ends together so the elastic forms a loop. If you prefer, use a sewing machine.
Then she placed the top on a table and cut off a couple of inches at the hem since she personally doesn’t like long shirts. Fold the raw edge under and stich for a new, neat hem.
After finishing the hem, she laid the right front on the left front (remember it’s a wrap-style top) and carefully pinned it in place and sewed the two pieces together from the hem to the V at the neck. Voila, a pull-over top!
Finally, the fun part—the embellishing. Elaine had lots of beads and trims in her stash and chose the ones that matched what the colors in the fabric. Carefully sew each bead along the V-neck edge and along the front seam down to the hem. You don’t have to stop there, you can decorate the collar, sleeves and hem even the back. The bling sky has no limits!
