Reconstructing Clothing

In college, I thought I needed to wear XL clothes.  Why, I don't know.  I ran forty miles a week with the cross country team and my size four jeans were baggy.

I still have many of my team t-shirts and sweatshirts, but don't wear them because I don't like wearing clothes that loose anymore. (Granted I am no longer a size four, so the clothes aren't as loose as they used to be.   I must have looked like I was drowning.) 

In an attempt to use  this pile of clothes, I have discovered reconstructing clothing and the ideas at Craftster.org. Seamstresses there have posted pictures and tutorials of clothing they have altered or reconstructed. Men's dress shirts converted to aprons, dresses and women's blouses.  Baggy concert T's to halter tops and mini-dresses. Ugly dresses from bygone eras to cute shirts and fancy skirts.  I've looked over my stash and the ideas are flowing, but which one to choose?

I started with a couple shirts that only needed minor adjustments. One I opened the neckline up and the other I made it smaller. Then I tried a more advanced project.  I converted a regular XL t-shirt to a fitted T with capped sleeves.  It was mostly successful.  The neckline came out a little weird, so I put some tucks in it and it looks better.  The second shirt has issues. It wasn't big enough to do the design I wanted - a flowy tank, so I tried a fitted T with ruffled sleeves. Hmm.  Not so much.  Will have to keep thinking.

And get after my husband to fix my good sewing machine (See The Haunted Sewing Machine).  My back up one has issues of its own.