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How to Use Piping (Part 2)

How to Restyle a T-Shirt into a Gathered-Yoke Top

October 14th, 2008 in sewing, fashion, restyle

cal patch, contributor

25 users recommend

Transform an old T-shirt into a pretty style by sewing a gathered yoke.

Mark your desired neck and yoke lines with a disappearing-ink pen.

Cut on the lines to separate the yoke piece from the shirt.

Transform an old T-shirt into a pretty style by sewing a gathered yoke.

Photo: Shannon Dennis

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I have so many old T-shirts that I don't wear, and I love coming up with new ways to revamp them. This one requires a tee that is somewhat oversized so that you'll have enough fabric to gather into the yoke.

1. Mark your neckline. Close to the original neckline of the shirt, mark where you'd like the new neckline. I left my neck edge raw, but if you plan to finish yours, allow for seam allowance. Then, to determine the yoke seamline, decide how wide the yoke should be (I did 3 inches) and measure out evenly from the neckline. Mark this line, and cut out the yoke. Notch CF and CB on the yoke seamline.

Mark your desired neck and yoke lines with a disappearing-ink pen.

Cut on the lines to separate the yoke piece from the shirt.

2. Enlarge the yoke line on the shirt. In order for there to be enough fabric to gather into the yoke, cut away another 1 to 3 inches from the yoke seamline on the shirt. Just be sure you still have at least an inch of shoulder seam left. Notch CF and CB.

Cut away part of the yoke line on the shirt piece to enlarge it.

3. Gather the shirt. Run two rows of gathering stitches (longer stitch length), 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch from the raw edge on the shirt.

Run two rows of gathering stitches along the yoke seamline and gather it to fit the yoke piece.

Close-up view of the gathering stitches.

Gather the shirt to fit the yoke, pin together with right sides facing, and sew using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Edgestitch the yoke seam from the right side. Cut off the sleeve hems to your desired sleeve length, and you've got yourself a cute new shirt!

The finished neckline.

posted in: sewing, fashion, restyle, tshirt, yoke

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Comments (7)

lilthreadangel writes: WOW! I finally found this I wanted to make a dress with this affect. Thank you so much for this now
I can go and make the dress...
Posted: 12:54 am on September 7th

Villemo writes: great idea! just made one tonight, but instead of gathering, i used a box pleat in the center front and back.
Posted: 5:50 pm on April 23rd

cirone writes: fun tutorial! i just found myself with 30 minutes and an old t-shirt from my husband's goodwill bin and tried it out. it was definitely sloppy-guerilla style, though, because the shirt was an extra-large and needed some serious help after the yoke-gathering. fun, i'm going to post up some pictures now =)
Posted: 11:21 pm on November 10th

Nancylaurel writes:
I really like this idea. I am going to try it very soon. It is so cute and different. Great!
Posted: 12:00 pm on October 18th

SewQueen1 writes: I love this, this is a fantastic idea. You can make a totally new shirt from and old shirt and it is totally different. I think this is wonderful.
Posted: 11:34 am on October 16th

Joannie_N writes: I love this project! It's a fantastic idea and so simple. I'll definitely make one (at least) soon. Thanks for the easy directions.
Posted: 9:17 am on October 15th

peggyv writes: Very clever and much more flattering than the original neckline!
Posted: 1:05 pm on October 14th

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