Introduction: Cutest Ever Pillowcase Shirt

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About: I love to stay home as much as as I love to travel, I've been to 49 states (missing Alaska) and 31 countries. I have two wiener dogs now and a cat. We all live together in a house in the woods. With no roaches.

I'm a huge fan of Japanese craft books in that though I can't read a word of what is written, the illustrations and photos are so easy to follow that I can make anything in them. This 'ible is written in that same vein, I hope the photo's are enough for you to follow without even reading the text, though it's there is you need it.

Don't forget to vote for me in the sewing contest!

Step 1: Supplies

  • Pillowcase
  • Tape measure
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • 2 Safety Pins
  • 1/4 inch wide elastic, about 25 inches
  • An iron would be nice

Step 2: Measuring the Shirt

I am medium sized, I measured from where I wanted the shirt to begin, to how long I wanted it to hang - that was about 18.5 inches. So I cut the pillow case 20 inches long. Next I measured around my upper body under my arms with the elastic and made sure it was snug but not tight. That came to 24.5 inches. Add a half inch to that for the sewing of the elastic together. 

Step 3: Measuring the Straps

Step 4: Turn Your Pillowcase Inside Out

If you want to simply sew a channel for the elastic to run through that is fine but if you run two rows of stitching you will have a nice "gather" on the  top. 

Step 5: Sew the Channel for the Elastic

Give or take an inch and a half for your folded over fabric, there are no rules here, do what looks good to you. Note that this seam is on the inside of the soon-to-be-shirt.

Step 6: Preparing to Insert the Elastic

In this step I simply used my seam ripper to open up the side seam from the pillow case to insert the elastic with a safety pin attached to help to thread it all around the channel. The safety pin helps you know where the elastic is as you are pushing it along.

Step 7: Inserting the Elastic

All this is a lot more complicated to write about than to do.

Step 8: Straps

I determined that the straps should be centered 5 inches from either side of the mid point of the front. I tried sewing them on to the front so they showed but ended up hiding them behind as I think they look better. You are welcome to try sewing from the front and maybe putting on a button for decoration. Actually you are welcome to do anything you want, as long as you don't bother anyone while doing it.

Step 9: Topstitching

Topstitcthing is just sewing a small border along the edge of something, it helps to flatten the fabric and it looks nice. 

Step 10: You're Done

This took about 30 minutes to make, I made one the day before to get everything just right so the second one was pretty fast and easy. I wore it all day, to the the grocery store, walked the wiener dog, made dinner, wrote this 'ible. I have a few more pillow cases, so I am going to make more, the next one might have slightly longer straps to be a bit less modest... Hey, play around, that is what the seam ripper is for.

Don't forget to rate this 'ible, subscribe to me, leave comments or pics of what you make, I'd love to see.

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