Recycled tank and t-shirt dress inspired by one of the cute ones from the book Twinkle Sews by Wenlan Chia

I love every dress in this book! But at the moment I am of the philosophy if I sew it (like the cute little dress on the left) the warm weather will come and I have had Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe open to this project since I got the book. I am a big fan of Twinkle since I got her first knitting book.

I like to recycle cloths...as I'm sure if you have read this blog before you know so...off to the stash.
I found a cute light blue tank and a nice soft (from lots of washing) dark gray large t-shirt. One of the things this project in Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe talks about is mixing up the two fabrics that it's made from. I was using a light cotton and a jersey. The dress in the book if you click on the image to enlarge uses a "nude" fabric for the tank part and a fabric with nice drape for the dress part.
Now the book gives you full detailed and intricate wonderful patterns full of really nice details to sew this from new fabric (they are on a disk and you print them out from your computer) but I am just "winging it" 'cause that's how I roll.
I cut the sides of the t-shirt down to an "A" line shape.
Then I cut the t-shirt straight across the top.

This tank was way too wide for me so I put it on and pinned it on the sides to be a snug fit. I then stitched down the sides and trimmed off the excess fabric.
All that was left to do was a gather stitch across the top edge of the t-shirt (about a half inch from the top edge) and then to stitch the t-shirt to the tank top.

I will definitely be making more of the projects from this book! Probably the one on the right is next!

More about
Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe
By Wenlan Chia
from Potter Craft

"Product Description

Many Twinkle fans were first introduced to Wenlan Chia’s signature fresh, young, whimsical style through her knitting books. But before Wenlan knitted, she sewed. And the pieces in her fashion line, Twinkle by Wenlan, are seen not just on the fashion runways and in the pages of InStyle, Lucky, and Vogue, but in high-end stores with high-end prices such as Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Now, with the easy-to-follow instructions, keen advice, and 25 full-size patterns in Twinkle Sews, you can create your own couture! Choose from one of Wenlan’s coveted patterns, including favorites like her Annie Hall Skirt, Origami Blouse, White Magic Dress, and Flapper Camisole. The patterns come in five different sizes–from 0 to 16–and are included on a CD for you to print at home. Each garment has its own PDF pattern that can be printed on 8½" x 11" (21.5cm x 28cm) paper. Follow the simple instructions to assemble the sheets and voilà—full-size patterns are at your fingertips.

Along with providing inventive patterns, Wenlan teaches core home sewing techniques–how to sew a seam, insert a zipper, and interface fabric–and gives you the building blocks of garment construction. You’ll have all the tools you need to turn what you see on glossy magazine pages into what’s hanging in your closet.

From helping you pick the best fabric for each project to providing valuable sewing tips, Wenlan gives you everything you need to sew, unleash your creativity in fabric, and bring your fashion dreams to life. To wear a Twinkle piece is to feel both flirtatious and smart. To make one yourself is all that and more.

About the Author
In fewer than eight years, WENLAN CHIA went from taking night classes at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology to commanding the runway at New York’s Fashion Week. Her Twinkle line now includes ready-to-wear fashion, home accessories, fine jewelry, and hand knitting yarn, available in 300 stores nationwide. She is also the author of Twinkle’s Big City Knits, Twinkle’s Weekend Knits, and Twinkle’s Town & Country Knits."

Sweater Surgery attacks t-shirts and cuts them up into some cute gathered tops with the help of Generation-T Beyond Fashion

Me and my scissors have been busy!
I won a copy of Generation T: Beyond Fashion over at Cut out and Keep and probably next to cutting Sweaters up I like cutting t-shirts up, aw who am I kidding, I cut all types of clothing up. Well, this book is uber -inspirational with cute and easy to follow instructions for 120 more ideas (I have the first Generation-T book too).

This T-shirt project for adding a gather under the bust line they call a "materni-tee" but I love empire waist clothing so this NOT preger whipped up 2 tops.

The one above I also top stitched elastic on the sleeves making them pouffe (technical term)

I also took strips of scrap t-shirt from another project and used them to pull down the cut neckline into a square neck.

To do this just make a little snip in the t-shirt along the armhole, thread the strip of t-shirt through this hole and around the neck opening. Then just tie a bow.

Here is another big t-shirt that I did a gather too and I also cut the sleeves off to make it tank style and open up the neckline a bit.
More about the book from Workman Publishing:

Generation T: Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-shirt
By
Megan Nicolay

"Megan Nicolay revolutionized the T-shirt. She repurposed it, reinterpreted it, reinvented it—and created the #1 craft book in the nation, Generation T, which continues to dominate. Now she explores new ways to slash a tee, scrunch a tee, and sew a tee with Generation T: Beyond Fashion. A collection of 120 projects for every occasion, it takes the humble yet ever-malleable tee in dozens of new directions—from baby gifts to pet accessories, stuff for the home, the car, the road, the boyfriend.

The rallying cry is: Don't buy; DIY. The result is hip, imaginative, crafty, and very green. There's a basic primer on techniques—knotting, sewing, braiding, lacing—plus a full tutorial on embellishing. And then an amazing range of projects. There’s fashion, of course: all-new halters and tank tops, sexy gaucho pants, a baby-doll dress, twisted shrug, and hooded scarf. But also baby gifts: Jumper for Joy, Baby Back Bib, Wild Thing Blankie. Home décor: plant hanger, wine cozy, toilet seat cover, ruffled apron, and Spastic Plastic (grocery tote). Grill mitts and bolo ties for the guys, doggie tee and stuffed cat toys, a steering wheel cover for the car, the Ants Go Marching (picnic blanket), and Beach Bum (beach caddy). Projects range from the simplest no-sew to intermediate, and all have easy-to-follow illustrated directions—plus, how to throw your own Tee Party.

Time to get your craft on.

Megan Nicolay has been traveling around the country like a pied piper of DIY, giving workshops and consulting at craft events since the publication of her bestseller, Generation T. She is a founding member of the Department of Craft, a New York City–based craft collective, and lives in Brooklyn, New York."