My Motivation to Sweat

I have WAY too many t-shirts.  Seriously.  But it’s ok because I like to make new things out of them.  I love making game day dresses out of my oversized Baylor shirts, and someday I’d like to try my hand at a t-shirt quilt.  But right now, my latest craze is the t-shirt tank top.  I LOVE this project because you don’t have to sew!  I brought my sewing machine up here when we moved, but until a couple of days ago, I didn’t have a table and chair the right height with which to use it. 

This is the second tank I’ve made and just wearing it makes me want to go sweat it out at the gym!  I must admit, I originally saw this idea on Pinterest, but this is my take on it, because I’ve seen several versions out there.  This is so easy that you should be able to finish it within one episode of How I Met Your Mother.  Yes, that’s my favorite unit of time.  So let’s get started!  You should be able to feel the calories burning away already…

1. Pick a t-shirt with a good logo/design on the front, but not much on the back because it will get lost.  I like this one so I can rep Theta.

2. Measure how thick you want the straps.  I like about two inches from the seam of the sleeve.

3. Make a mark at the length you choose using a pencil.

4. Make a dotted line all the way down the sleeve, making sure that the length (two inches in this case) is even.

5. Make the same measurement and dotted line on the opposite sleeve.

6. Now cut along the dotted lines, leaving your shirt looking like this.

7. Fold the shirt in half long ways, matching the shoulder seams.  This helps with the symmetry while cutting the front and back.

8. Trace a long diagonal line from the collar to the middle of the back using a straight edge.

9. Cut along the line so that the shirt now looks like this.

10. Draw around the front collar as high or low as you would like for the neckline to be (I free-handed this, but you can use the same measuring technique as before or use a straight edge if you want a v-neck).

11. Now your tank top should look like this!

12. Take one of the cut off sleeves and cut it along one edge.

13. Lay it open and draw four vertical lines down it using a straight edge (optional).

14. Cut along the lines so that you have four strips of fabric.

15. Turn the tank over and gather the straps together.

16. Tie one of the strips of fabric around the straps wrapping it tightly and tying a very tight double knot.

17. Tie two or three more strips around the remaining portion of the straps, working your way up (I only    used three total; it’s up to you!).

18. Cut the excess fabric from the tied strips, but not too short.

19. Try on your new tank top!

20. Spin around and feel pretty!

This is such a perfect tank for this time of year, especially for my pals in Texas dealing with the 100+ degree heat. It’s comfy, flattering and totes presh. :-P Now go out there, enjoy your new creation and turn some heads as you work your way to an even sexier you!