there's a hole in the elbow of my shirt...

To be sung to the tune of, "There's a hole in the bottom of the sea." There's a flake on the skin on the elbow on my arm poking out of the hole in the elbow of my shirt! There's a hole! There's a hole! There's a hole in the elbow of my shirt.

Yup, there's a hole in that there shirt. My pointy elbow tore right through it when I was in the middle of teaching a research lesson last week. Since I'm on spring break this week, I finally have time to share how I saved the shirt and outwitted the hole.

First step - (please pardon the icky lighting, I was so eager to start sewing, that I snapped away without thinking about the dim lighting) cut off that hole!

I turned my long sleeve shirt into a short sleeve shirt with a little sleeve trim-a-roo.

Step two - make the neckline more feminine.

This was as simple as cutting a 'V' into the front of the shirt.

Step three - make some ruffles

I cut inch wide strips out of my sleeve fabric and used my machine to create some random ruffles by pleating and shoving bits of the fabric under the presser foot as I sewed a straight line down the middle of the strips. Note: do not shove your finger under the presser foot as that will result in the needle piercing your skin, causing you to run to the bathroom with blood dripping down your hand - not that I know this from personal experience.

Step four -arrange and pin your ruffles.

I went for an asymmetric look with one ruffle on one side, three on the other, and three ruffle roses in the middle. Once I was happy with everything, I stitched it all down.

Step five - love your shirt

I've worn this three times so far and washed it once. Everything came out great, and the ruffles actually become a bit  more ruffly after a wash.

I love it when I can save something from the trash bin and give it a little more life!

<3
Hattie