Make Do & Mend...



Never worn because of the

tie waist which made the
bottom flare out too much.

Item #2: Blue check tie shirt

 Next up is a shirt that needs even more doing to it to make it a valuable part of my wardrobe. You see, I'm working my way from the easiest to the most difficult. I'm sticking to my plan, without getting distracted....oooh, Escape to the Country's on TV...



This is a shirt bought for me, and I loved the fabric, but the tie waist and pin tucks just flared out the bottom hem, and as a pear shape I need volume on the bust, not the hips! It is a great addition, or could be, to my work wardrobe, but it needs some minor adjustments.



 



Pin tucks which helped to
flare out the bottom hem.




The buttons had metal bits on which
I think looked too harsh and cheap.



So, I intend to remove the ties, replace the buttons, and make the pin tucks into full on darts for more structure and shape, which is essential for wee ones like me. Here goes...

Step one: Remove ties. Here I used my quick unpick to remove 3 lines of stitching on the bodice where the ties where positioned. It was really easy and obviously the existing stitching lines and creases remained, allowing me to secure the hole with just one line of very small stitches.

Step 2: Replace the buttons. An easy job, and I've chosen very simple pale blue buttons which have a much softer and more feminine appeal to them.



Step 3: Pin Tucks into Darts. This took a little more time as I had to ensure they were all the same length, but once I got into the rhythm of it, I tacked all 4 quite quickly.

And finally: here's the shirt on....much better:

 Yippeeee!