Just Calling this a "Polo Shirt" - Refashioning a Polo Shirt

You're going to love this project because it's an easy, easy sewing refashion and the pattern is free. Here's how this project began, when I read about February's challenge for Project Run and Play to create an article of clothing for a child using Living with Punks  pattern called Mademoiselle Muscle Tee, I wasn't sure which direction to take. Then I read that Frances Suzanne, is having a "Free For All" this month too.  The title made me curious, what on earth is a free for all? I learned that this is where those who sew are encouraged to make clothing for a child using a free pattern and then share what they've created.  I'm so happy to link this easy refashion up to both parties. 

I also made this boy a fabric shark. It is a free pattern too and can be found HERE at Patchwork Posse.
 The comedian that he is, you'll notice his new shark in a few of these photos.

I decided to make a new shirt for one of my grandsons. Now, please note that no one is allowed to tell my grandson that "mademoiselle" means "little lady" in French because he would not like this new shirt I made for him if he knew I used a "girl" pattern to make him something.  I'm just going to tell him it's a polo shirt. 

For the fabric, I decided to use one of my husband's shirts.  I'm not sure why my husband decided to put this shirt in our pile for charity because the shirt looked great on him. But he did so I decided to just go with the flow and refashion it.  When I knew I'd be flying cross country this weekend to visit my grandchildren and welcome grandchild number 9 into our family, I started to make a few grandma gifts to take with me... like this shirt. I decided to see if I could turn my husband's classic polo shirt into a boy's size polo shirt.

Here's what I did, from the original shirt, I cut off the sleeves.  Next, I carefully folded the shirt in half, laid the pattern so that the "cut on the fold" was along the folded shirt then I cut out the front of the shirt keeping part of the shoulder seams and all of the original neckline intact.  Keeping the original neckline intact is super important! Then, I pinned the back shoulder seam of the pattern to the front shoulder seam (folding over the seam allowance) and cut out the back of the pattern. This is how this step looked - you know, just in case you want to try this project at home too.

Next, I scaled down the sleeves by cutting off the knit cuff, cutting the length of the sleeves and then the width of the wrists down to a size 5.  Then, I reattached the knit cuff.  I took those "new" sleeves and pinned them onto the new armholes and sewed them back in place. 

Once the sleeves were sewn, I pinned the side seams, matching the stripes.  Which matched perfectly I might add.  

Then I sewed the side seams together.  The final step to this shirt was to hem it.  I first turned up the edge one inch and pinned it in place. Then I used my lovely hemming stitch to finish off the bottom of this shirt. This finishing step was so so easy!

Turn the shirt right side out and in about 1 1/2 hours, I had a new shirt to give to my fun-loving grandson and it didn't cost me anything except the thread.  I like that kind of low cost project, don't you?

I wish the Nautica sailboat was a little higher on this shirt, but I'm going to leave it alone and call it good! I hope my grandson enjoys these gifts and never learns that this shirt is called anything more than a polo shirt!   xoxo Grandma

Thank you to Nu Image Studios for permission to use a couple of these photos on my blog.