How to Alter a Tight Top and Make it Into a Shrug Jacket

I bought this over-sized, slouchy sweater from a seller I found on eBay because I thought it was super cute and looked comfortable and warm. I even ordered it a size larger than my normal size to make sure it would be loose.

What I got, was a very tight, tissue thin top, that no one could ever truly call a sweater.

So, I wrote in to tell the seller that their sizing is WAY off - I didn't bring up the tissue thin fabric, even though I should have.

The seller responded with a partial refund and an apology.

So, I decided to make the most of the otherwise useless garment by making it into a shrug jacket.

How to Make a Tight Top Into a Shrug Jacket

1. Fold the top in half with the shoulder/neck seams lining up and the side seams lining up. (It will bunch up a bit at the shoulders.)

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2. Cut along the folded line on the center front of the top. (Sorry about the odd camera angle.)




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3. Fold the cut edge under 1/2-inch, then fold it under a second time and stitch close to the folded edge to create a simple hem.  (I used a zipper foot for this step so I could have abetter view of the fold and keep my stitching as straight as possible.)

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4. Stitch the length of the center line, and back tack to secure stitching, then trim off the loose thread ends. 

This is a super easy way to get some extra use out of tops that are too tight. I'll wear this over a white t-shirt and jeans or dress shirt with dress slacks or even a dark colored skirt.

(I'll try to remember to pop back in with a picture of how it looks when worn. Feel free to leave a reminder note if I don't.)

Thanks for checking out my tutorial on making a shrug jacket from a tight top. I would love to hear about your upcycling projects if you have time to leave a comment or share a photo.