T-Shirt Shrug

{Pinterest Challenge}
Have you ever made a project that just didn't come out as great as you thought it would?  That is how I feel about this project.  When I saw this t-shirt shrug by Cut Out + Keep on Pinterest, I was really excited and was waiting for the right time to make one.


My brother is getting married this weekend.  I found a great maxi sundress at Marshall's {for a great price - $29.99!} to wear to the wedding.  But I'm always cold and it will be an outdoor evening ceremony so I needed some type of cover-up.  This was the perfect time to make the t-shirt shrug!  I crossed my fingers as I searched my old t-shirts and luckily found a blue one that would match the dress.  I even documented the quick and easy steps for you to follow along.  {The directions by Cut Out + Keep are awesome so this is just a little supplement for you.}


1. Grab a shirt.  {This is an old shirt from Northern Reflections.  Does anyone remember that store?  I loved that store.}

2.  Cut down the front of the shirt.  {I measured the center from side seam to side seam and drew a straight line to cut.}

3.  Cut off the neck band.

4.  Turn shirt inside out and fold 1 inch along the cut edge to form the casing.   Pin.  I cut a v into the front to help with this step.  {I just wasn't feeling it before I did this.}  I would also recommend doing this step with an iron handy to press the fold.  {I did not do this but wish I had.}  I think it would be especially helpful on the neck curve.

5.  Sew.  I had two puckers around the neck that I had to rip out.  That is why I made the suggestion to iron as you do step 4.  I ironed when I was fixing my problems and it seemed to help a lot.  {Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this step.}


6.  Using a safety pin, pull the ribbon throughout the casing.  {I had to do this step three times because sometimes I'm an idiot.  The ribbon frayed the first time and the pin came off as I was pulling it through at about the 3/4 point.  Then when I was putting it on, I wasn't paying attention and I pulled the ribbon too much on one side.}  I used a 5/8 satin ribbon.  I don't know how much I used because I just pulled it straight off the spool and cut it off when I had it pulled through to a nice length.

7.  Pull tight and tie.  And you have made a t-shirt shrug.

So, you are probably wondering what I don't like about the shrug.  Overall I like it and it looks really cute with jeans and a tank.  But I had high hopes to wear it with my sundress to the wedding and it just doesn't work with the dress.  I think the biggest problem with it is that the t-shirt is too heavy and structured and too long.  {The shoulders are funny and it is too long in the back which also makes the sides have kind of a funny bunch to them.}  I was thinking of something more light and short.  I didn't buy anything to make this shrug so I'm not feeling too bad about it not being as great as I thought it would be.

P.S.  I tried and tried {and tried} to get a picture of the shrug being worn but I just couldn't get one to turn out.


I am sharing at these great parties.