Custom Workout Tank From Boxy Tee

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  Step 1

  At right is what I started with -- large, boxy shirt. I think this was an XL and I wear a S. At left is another shirt like this that I had previously modified. I wanted to customize the big one like the small one, but make it even cooler this time around. (Sorry, I didn't take any tutorial pics the first time.)

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  Step 2

  First thing I did was to cut strips of fabric for the side inserts. I used a 99-cent bandana I'd bought. (You could use material from another tee you have laying around, maybe in a contrasting color? Or mesh material? Get funky!) From this, I cut two 2-inch strips.

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  Step 3

  I cut off the sleeves and set them aside. Note that they have cool USA and Thai flags. Though I didn't want sleeves, I hated to lose those flags so that actually became my inspiration to make appliques out of them (stay tuned...).

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  Step 4

  Next part was to cut down the excess fabric of the shirt. I used the previous tank I'd made as a guide but you can use any tank that fits you well. I rounded the straps a bit and cut with my trusty rotary cutter (which has to be one of the best sewing inventions ever).

  Note: Leave extra material for the side seams! If in doubt, leave extra -- you can always adjust later but you can't put it back once you've cut it off! (Believe, I've learned this hard lesson on other projects!)

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  Step 5

  Cutting the shoulders, sides & bottom...

  (And I should mention that before you cut, TRY ON the shirt to make sure you are not cutting off too much. You can always take it in if it's too large, but you're done if you take off too much...)

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  Step 6

  What you're left with looks kind of like a sandwich board -- joined at the top, open at the sides.

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  Step 7

  I wanted more of a racerback shape to the back shoulder area. I marked with chalk...

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  Step 8

  ...and marked around the neckline too, as I wanted this larger. (I hate too-small necklines!)

  I carefully cut the neckline off...

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  Step 9

  ...and the extra shoulder material.

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  Step 10

  This is what I had left -- basically two panels of shirt front and back, just barely joined by two strips at the top. Note that you have to handle it carefully at this stage so you don't stretch the straps all out of whack, since they have nothing to reinforce them. That would be bad.

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  Step 11

  Carefully turn the shirt inside out and prepare to add the side inserts by pinning those cool inserts to the raw shirt sides. Remember: wrong sides of the fabrics facing each other!

  Pin each of the strips to ONE side of the shirt only -- you'll see why later.

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  Step 12

  Stitch those joined pieces. I think I used a 1/2-inch seam.

  Then TRY IT ON! I don't have a pic of this but the shirt will be open on the sides. Pin it carefully (joining the raw edges of the strips with the shirt sides) to get an idea of the fit. Here is where you can adjust the fit before around your torso before you proceed. Note how wide your next seams should be: wider seam = tighter shirt; narrower seam = looser shirt.

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  Step 13

  Again, wrong sides facing each other, pin the raw edges of the strips and shirt fabric. Once you stitch these closed, your shirt will once again look more like a shirt, with a tube of fabric that will fit around your torso.

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  Step 14

  Here is one of the strips fully attached to the front and back of the shirt. You can leave the seams at top and bottom raw for now.

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  Step 15

  Here's where things get a little fun. I cut out the flags from the sleeves...

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  Step 16

  ...and cut out a "Z" from some more of the striped fabric. My nickname in class is "Z"... long story. :) I used a paper template I'd measured and cut out. (To make your own templates, you could print out letters really huge and cut them out.)

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  Step 17

  "Z," cut out!

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  Step 18

  After some playing around with the 2 flags and the letter, I found a formation I liked. I measured, marked, and fabric-glued & pinned each of them down to prepare to sew them on as appliques. (You could also do reverse appliques...Google that if you're interested in a little different effect.)

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  Step 19

  Sewing on the flags and "Z!"

  (Not pictured: when I laid out the Z, I realized it needed a black outline to really stand out. So I also cut out another Z (from some black scrap t-shirt material) a quarter-inch bigger all around than the Z. I layered the striped Z on top of it before stitching them both down.

  Yes, peeps, that's the joy of sewing...change your mind as you go along...to a point!

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  Step 20

  All that was left was to finish the edges along the shirt bottom and around the neck & shoulders. I hate my shirts too long so this was great to customize the length. I think I used a 1/2-inch seam along the bottom and 1/4-inch seams along the neck and shoulders to cut down on the bulk there. (Your shoulder seams will go all the way around the armholes from the tops of the straps to under your arms, finishing off the insert seams cleanly.)

  At this point, I also tried on the shirt one last time to make sure it fit well, and finished the side seams with a zig-zag stitch to prevent fraying in the wash.

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  Step 21

  The finished shirt back!

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  Step 22

  The finished shirt front/side with me in it, ready to kick butt! Shout out to Burke's Fight Team!

  I abuse the heck out of my workout shirts but this one has withstood crazy amounts of sweat and multiple washings pretty well. If any seams get loose, I just touch them up in the sewing machine!

  Hope this inspires YOU! Happy sewing!

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