Men's Shirt to Women's Cardigan Refashion

As promised, I jumped on my next refashion project shortly after my successful sweater to cardigan refashion. My sister-in-law said this men's-shirt-to-women's-cardigan refashion, had Anthroplogie appeal...very nice compliment indeed!

{Refashion: men's shirt to women's cardigan © ShannonSorensen}

When my husband came home and saw my newly refashioned cardigan, he jokingly asked if he needed to lock up his clothes when he left the house, for fear they'd end up women's clothing by the time he came back. I laughed, but secretly my mind started scanning his side of the closet to see if there was anything with potential.

Turn a Men's Shirt into a Women's Cardigan
(husbands beware)

• Lay out your shirt.
• Fold shirt in half to find the center.
• Mark the center with a washable pen.
• Cut up the center line of your shirt.
• Unpick any necessary seams.
• Remove any unwanted tags.

{Refashion tutorial: shirt to cardigan © ShannonSorensen}

• Decide on coordinating binding. I cut up a soft xl clearance men's gray turtle neck.
• Measure how long your binding needs to be.
• Cut two strips for each side of your cardigan opening. Mine were 2" wide.
• Trim off any excess or unwanted fabric from the cardigan before you add your binding.
• Lay the binding right sides together, edge to edge and pin.
• Using a ball point needle, pressure (1) and slightly wider stitch for stretchy jersey, stitch binding to cardigan. 

{DIY cardigan from a man's shirt © ShannonSorensen}

• Your binding should now be sewn to your cardigan.
• Roll it over to the inside opening of the cardigan, measuring evenly. Mine was rolled over 1".
• Pin into place. *For the top and bottom edges, see the pictures in the next segment.
• Check front to make sure the binding looks even.

{Add binding to create your cardigan: shirt refashion © ShannonSorensen}

• *To finish binding at the bottom and top, fold under the stitched edge so it's lined up.
• Next fold the excess binding up over the edge of the cardigan.
• Now roll the whole binding over and pin.
• Again, check that binding is even.
• Stitch on the front side of the binding, avoiding pins, as close to the inner edge as possible. Your stitches will catch the binding inside and secure it.

{Refashioned shirt to cardigan: adding binding © ShannonSorensen}

• To add faux pockets, cut a strips of coordinating bias tape. I wanted to use more of the gray jersey, but it ended up too bulky.
• Put the cardigan on and determine where you want your pockets, then pin the bias strips evenly on either side of the cardigan, folding under the raw edges on either side. 
• Stitch as close the the side and bottom edges as you can, leaving the top open.
• Add lace embellishment if you choose.

{How to add faux pockets to a cardigan: refashion © ShannonSorensen}

• After finishing this much of the cardigan, the front dark gray binding by itself, still felt a little too masculine, so I added a strip of lace to either side of the cardigan opening.
• To give the back a little detail, I cut a 2" wide strip of the dark grey jersey, folded it over and sewed it closed. After turning it right side out, I pinned the piece down to the middle lower back and embellished it with matching lace.
• To finish the sleeves, I cut off the binding and simply folded the edges under and sewed.

And voila! One man's shirt is another women's treasure.
From shirt to cardigan just like that.

{Men's Shirt to Women's Cardigan: before & after © ShannonSorensen}

I love the details, especially the back. It gives it just that little something.

Not sure what's next on the horizon, but with my to-be-refashioned-pile a mile high, I'm sure there will be something! :)

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