The first thing is to find a way too large top. A good thing to know it that the larger the original top, the easier it will be to get exactly what you want. Because, obviously, there will be more fabric to play with.
The next thing I do is I try the top on, look in the mirror or have my girls snap a few pictures of it and then decide what course of action to take. If the top is just a bit too large, then maybe just altering the side seams would work (if they only need to be taken in and shaped a bit). But more likely any larger alteration will also affect the sleeves, so my suggestion is to take the sleeves of, but leave the neckline and shoulder seams intact. I also do this when a shirt has a nice neckline finish and I don't want to ruin it.
But if the shirt is larger all over, I take the whole thing apart. The longer the original shirt, again, the easier to fit the new pattern. When I started "recycling" some of my first shirts, I ripped the serged seams. But it took hours of work, so now I just cut carefully the whole seam allowance off. I figured the 1/4" I loose wil not be missed so much and I save lots of time.
What I usually discover is how badly the shirt was cut in the first place by the machine in the factory! That sometimes poses difficulty in getting a good shirt later on. Here is an example:
Then I press the pieces if really wrinkled and fold both front and back piece at the center line. Then I pin my pattern to them. Now, some of the biggest problems I usually encounter (that wouldn't be an issue if I would cutting the shirt from whole fabric rather then already cut) are:
~ since my pattern is fitted, the shoulder parts are angled differently than the classical tshirt. Often I can't fit my pattern exactly on the fabric.
You can see where the red circle is that there is not enough black fabric to cut out my pattern. On the righ you can see it with the fabric on top. But I figured that since this fabric is a bit stretchier and this only being a 1cm difference, it wouldn't terribly affect the fit. So, I just altered the armscye slightly at the top, tapering down to the pattern in the lower part. I made sure though that the back shoulder part would match and be the same length. And yes, the sleeve still fit and it is hardly noticable. Now, if this shirt would be longer, the easiest thing would be to move the pattern down on the fabric and then there would be enough fabric for the whole pattern. That's what I usualy do. But in this case is wasn't possible.
~ on some shirts there is not enough length to do my whole rounded hemline. (the arrow on the picture) So, I just do what I can. In this case, I folded the pattern up and cut a straight hem as low as I could (so that only the original hemline was cut away).
~ as I mentioned above, sometime the original shirt is not cut straight. If there is enough fabric, I try to fix it and make the fold properly on the vertical. But if it was really crooked then I stick with the original direction and just have to live with it, LOL.
Here is an example of the red shirt pinned to the pattern:
Here the armscye almost fit, I just had to alter it a tiny bit. But I also had to fold the bottom of the pattern, since the shirt was too short.
The back is usually much easier to fit than the front, so I start with the front and match the back in shoulder seam, armscye and shirt length (not forgetting that the front will always we longer because of the FBA).
~ there might not be enough fabric for the neckline. So, I usually alter the neckline according to how much fabric is available. One thing I have learned for me is not to make a neckline wide and low. So, eighter higher and wider, or V-neck that is lower. I do not cut my pattern for different necklines. I draw it on the pattern and then transfer with tracing paper to the fabric.
Then I cut out the sleeves. I usually pin both sleeves right sides together and decide how much fabric is available. Sometimes I align the hem and just recut the top (saving the original RTW hem). Other times I cut the whole sleeves out and hem or bind it myself. If there is enough fabric, I might lengthen it a bit too. Here are two examples:
The last thing I do is decide how to finsh the neckline. Now, if I have some matching FOE or decorative elastic, that is my first choice, because it gives a good hold to my neckline (less stretching out and gapping). If I don't, then I use the cut-off hem. I cut away the stitching (if it is too narrow, then taking out the stitching might be a good idea to get more fabric out of it) and use it as a binding.
~ first one shoulder seam (reinforced with clear elastic or some stable fabric strip - I find that elastic on the bottom works best for me when sewing) with very narrow zig-zag
~ I do finish all my seam allowances together with a zig-zag
~ then neckline finish (I just tried this method recently and really like to bind the neckline before sewing the second shoulder) If working with decorative elastic I usuallyr sew the elastic to the neckline rigth sides together, then flip over and top-stitch with double needle. If using self-fabric binding, I also sew binding to neckline rigth sides together (with 7/8 ratio), then flip over and top-stich with double needle.
~ while double needle is in machine, I hem the sleeves if needed, so that I don't switch needles and rethread machine so many times.
~ second shoulder with reinforcement
~ sleeves sewed in flat (if any ease is needed I stretch the shorter fabric a bit when pinning the sleeve)
~ side seams, making sure I pin it correctly so that the front is eased in at the proper spot for the FBA.
~ I usually try on the shirt at this point before hemming
~ change the needle one more time and make the hem witha double needle. I do pin everything, because otherwise it shifts too much. I have found that for the double-needle hem, what works best is I overlap the last stitches with the first one for a stitch or two. Then I pull all the threads to the wrong side and knot them there.
~ cut off all the threads (unless done while sewing)
and voila - a new shirt!
Now with different fabrics results vary a bit, but if the pattern is good to start with, the changes are only subtle.
Here are my four last ones. I am planning to make a few more.
serged seams. But it took hours of work, so now I just cut carefully the whole seam allowance off. I figured the 1/4" I loose wil not be missed so much and I save lots of time.
You can see where the red circle is that there is not enough black fabric to cut out my pattern. On the righ you can see it with the fabric on top. But I figured that since this fabric is a bit stretchier and this only being a 1cm difference, it wouldn't terribly affect the fit. So, I just altered the armscye slightly at the top, tapering down to the pattern in the lower part. I made sure though that the back shoulder part would match and be the same length. And yes, the sleeve still fit and it is hardly noticable. Now, if this shirt would be longer, the easiest thing would be to move the pattern down on the fabric and then there would be enough fabric for the whole pattern. That's what I usualy do. But in this case is wasn't possible.
~ there might not be enough fabric for the neckline. So, I usually alter the neckline according to how much fabric is available. One thing I have learned for me is not to make a neckline wide and low. So, eighter higher and wider, or V-neck that is lower. I do not cut my pattern for different necklines. I draw it on the pattern and then transfer with tracing paper to the fabric.
matching FOE or decorative elastic, that is my first choice, because it gives a good hold to my neckline (less stretching out and gapping). If I don't, then I use the cut-off hem. I cut away the stitching (if it is too narrow, then taking out the stitching might be a good idea to get more fabric out of it) and use it as a binding.
