How to Upcycle an Old Flannel Into a Cute Cropped Shirt
Upcycling flannel shirts are great projects for beginner sewists. The fabric is easy to work with and the shirts are usually well made.
This flannel shirt upcycle was inspired by a fashion photo I saw online that I fell in love with and realized would be easy to replicate.
So check out how a man’s oversized shirt becomes a sexy woman’s crop top.
Tools and materials:
- Men’s XXL flannel shirt
- 0.75 inch (2 cm) wide elastic
- Fabric marker
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Pins
- Safety pin
- Hand sewing needle and thread
- Sewing machine
1. Cut the shirt to length
Try the shirt on and decide where you want the lower edge to be.
Add 1 inch (2.5 cm) to allow for the elastic casing and place a mark on the shirt at that point.
Lay the shirt out flat and line up the side seams and lower edges.
Using a ruler, draw a straight line across the shirt at your mark.
Aim for the line to fall between two buttons if possible.
Cut through both layers.
2. Make the elastic casing
Pin down the button placket at the lower edge.
Mark 2 inches (5 cm) up from the lower edge across the width of the shirt.
Join the marks with a straight line.
To stop the button placket from gaping open, sew straight across it at the line and down the inside edge.
Starting at the button placket, turn the raw edge to the inside with a narrow fold. Pin the bottom of the fold on the inside at the level of the line.
Continue all around the bottom of the shirt.
Mark a 1 inch (2.5 cm) opening at one of the side seams.
Sew the casing in place on the inside, as close to the folded edge as you can. Leave the marked opening unsewn.
3. Thread the elastic
Cut a piece of elastic to fit comfortably around your body at the bottom of the shirt, allowing for an overlap.
Pin a safety pin to one end of the elastic.
Use the safety pin to thread the elastic through the casing at the opening.
Make sure to keep the elastic flat all the way around.
Bring the elastic out through the opening.
Overlap the ends and sew them together.
Push the elastic inside the opening and hand stitch it closed.
I also shortened the sleeves by folding the excess to the inside above the cuff.
I turned the sleeve wrong side out and sewed the fold in place just above the cuff.
This is much easier to do with a free arm sewing machine. If you don’t have one, you could hand sew it.
Flannel shirt upcycle
When you compare my finished crop shirt to the designer version, there really isn’t much difference!
You could make the elastic casing deeper if you prefer that effect. Just remember to add the extra depth on to the length when you cut the shirt.
This is such an easy flannel shirt upcycle that anyone can do. Flannel shirts are easy to find in thrift shops too so you get a cute and trendy new top for very little money.
Drop me a comment below and let me know what you think!
Next, learn How to DIY a Sexy Open Back Knit Top.
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