[UPDATE: This tutorial has been totally revised, expanded, improved, and simplified with LOTS of step-by-step photos, so please jump over here to see it!]

I think something crazy like 800+ kids usually attend our church’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) coming up next week.  This year, I’m “guiding” a group of four-year-olds (gird your loins!). And you KNOW how I love a theme (this year’s VBS theme is “Sail On”).

But the smallest t-shirt is still too WAY big for Sissy (here’s one of her dresses for comparison)…

But never fear! CampClem is here!!

A little snip here… And a snip there…

A fold and stitch there… Another foldover and sew… (repeat steps from photo for other side, too). Then turn the dress inside out and add just a couple of stitches at the very top of the shoulders to finish the neckline “loop” (this does not show in the next picture when i thread the ribbon because–wups!–I forgot to do it until after the ribbon was in… but it’s easier to do it before the ribbon so you don’t have to worry about accidentally catching it in your stitch).

Then thread a little ribbon (if you don’t have a bodkin–a little device that grabs a piece of fabric or ribbon to thread it through a hole easily–I highly recommend picking up one!)…

And add a ruffle, of course… [Click photo or here to go to the ruffle pants tutorial and see how to attach the ruffle if you need a hand with that.]

And tie it all up… Then DEBATE waking up Sissy in order to try it on… But think better of it and decide to wait until morning…

How fantastic would this be for a vintage rocker tee? Or a fun character tee? Love that.

…And I’m debating making a headband with shabby fabric flower from a sleeve and scrap… Hmm…

So, are you willing to take the scissors to a t-shirt?! Do tell!

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