Ex-Seam Make-Over, Part 2

For probably the sixth time I used my reliable pattern for knit tops, Vogue 8451. But this time it is to "re-style" another of those "freebie" t-shirts.

Ex-Seam Makeover, Part One

Oh no, it's that time AGAIN to promote our school's goal to improve its API (academic performance index).  For the past two years, we wore those beefy looking Hanes-type t-shirts.  As you can see I am pretending to be very thrilled about wearing these "glamourous and chic" tops. 

Last week, one of my assistant principals mentioned to start wearing the new shirts (second version) to get the students to start thinking about surpassing last year's overall performance on the California Standardized Tests (CST's).  So, I took the shirt that I had stuffed into a box and decided to make it more "fashionable" to wear the next day.

I cut the shirt into "pieces".  I snipped the shirt along the seams and cut along the "seamless" sides to separate the front and back.  It's time to detach that unflattering wide ribbed knit collar.  I wish that the logo had been placed lower on the front due to the depth of the new neckline. 

 It would have been nice if school's mascot and letters were placed on the front to connect the school with its goal of  "stellar performance".  My hair prvents the school's insignia from being visible on the back. 

I adjusted and pinned the front pattern piece taking into account some fabric shortage. 

After stitching the shoulder seams, topstitching the neckline, hemline, attaching the sleeves flat, sewing the sleeve and side seams, sewing casings at the sleeve hems, and inserting 1/4" wide elastic (2" longer than the circumference of my upper arms),  I am ready to wear this shirt. However, due to fabric limitations, theis the only issue I have with this top. 

Side by side comparision.  From a distance, the "800" looks like "BOO", which is not the intended message that I want to send to my students!  I now like the style of my "new" top, but not the logo.  If  I had an opportunity, I would have voted for a different design that included the school mascot and initials.

When I was at the school office, one of my colleagues after saying "hi" immediately looked at me in amazement.  I was clueless as to the reason. Before she could say anything else, she complimented me on my top and pointed out that she liked the shaping below the neckline and the arms.  I was surprised that she noticed my "modified shirt" when I was wearing a red sweater over it.   I told her that I cut the shirt apart at the seams, re-shaped the edges according to a pattern, and re-stitched the seams.  She even excitedly told our registrar what I did to make the top more "girly" or more flattering.  This goes to prove that it does not take space-age technology to make something SEAM and SEW interesting to others!