Refashioning a White Button Front Shirt with a Ruffled White Eyelet Collar

Here's a refashion that I just performed over the weekend. Since we had high heat warnings, I felt the need to create something. A white button front shirt is one of those "basics" that I've been told that every woman "needs" in her wardrobe. I have had this button front shirt in my wardrobe for a little while now (a gift from Mom a couple years ago), and I thought it needed a little "tweak".

So, when I saw this top for $1.50 at the local Goodwill, I knew what to do. I loved the eyelet collar, but I was not a fan of it being sleeveless or thin fabric. I felt no guilt about cutting this sucka apart.

First, I took my handy seam ripper and removed that frumpy "boob pocket". Seriously, guys.... WHY give women shirt pockets like this???? They are NOT flattering or useful!!!!

I used the seam ripper and removed the entire collar and button front eyelet ruffles going down the front of the top. It is a nice, romantic, softening detail to a crisp, white shirt.  I kept the existing finished seams as they were, but opened them with the seam ripper to remove this detail from the old shirt. The new shirt fabric will get sewn back into these finished seams, for a professional look.

I laid the collar and ruffles on the front of the "recipient" shirt to see how it looked before cutting it up further.

Front test view                                                                                  Back test view

  

Time to remove the collar! This ergonomically friendly seam ripper is a great tool.

Now that the collar's gone, it's time to see what parts of the neckline need to go away. I centered the collar at the back of the new neckline, and starting pinning.

After pinning and trimming, I carefully fit the remaining raw edges of the shirt into the opened finished seams I kept from the collar and ruffle removal. Then, I sewed those all those finished seams back up. Here's how it looks as the finished look.

  Front view                                                                                              Back view

Here I am, modeling it in front of my mirror. I think it's ready to go to work one day. It's professional enough, but still a little feminine with the new neckline and ruffled eyelet. Flirty, but not trashy.

Saint Salvage strikes again.... Total estimated work time: about two hours.