clothing tutorials

DIY: Lace Sleeved Chambray Shirt

Apparently, I like to take sleeves and sew them to a contrasting garment. If you’ve been following s&p for a while, you might remember the Leather Sleeved Denim Jacket in 2011 (I wear this one ALL the time) and the Sweater Sleeved Denim Jacket in 2012. I tend to layer the first one during the fall and winter, and the second one has been great for spring so far.(Excuse the quality of the photos in the Leather Sleeved jacket. The blog’s photos have improved significantly since 2011!)

This version, however, is even more lightweight and perfect for the spring-into-summer months. I love chambray and lace, so I thought – why not combine them?For the tutorial, keep reading! :

 

Supplies:
– Chambray button down
– Lace shirt, around the same size
– Straight pins
– Fabric scissors, sewing machine, needle & thread (not shown)

 

 

1) If you haven’t already, cut the sleeves off of the chambray shirt. I used to wear this one as a sleeveless shirt, which is why the sleeves are already cut off. When cutting off the sleeves, I’d recommend doing so right along the shoulder seam. This will serve as a cutting guide!

 

2) Cut the sleeves off of the lace shirt. I’d recommend cutting it about 1 inch (2.54 cm) past the shoulder seam, as you can see above.
 I actually found this lace shirt at Mandee’s in the sale rack for about $10. I had been keeping an eye out for a lace shirt for this specific project, so it worked out that I accidentally spotted it while looking for a basic tank top for a different DIY.
When looking for a lace shirt, try to choose one that is as close in size as possible to the chambray shirt. This will make matching up the sleeves to the shirt a lot easier.
3) Turn the chambray top inside out and insert the lace sleeve (keeping it right side out) as shown. Pin in place, right along the seam.
I matched up the edge of the chambray top arm hole to the seam of the lace sleeve (look closely!)

 

4) As always, I’d recommend turning everything right side out before sewing. This way, you can double check that everything is facing the right way before hand.
6) Sew along the pins.
7) Cut away any excess thread and fabric.
8) Repeat on the other sleeve!
 I love how this shirt turned out – it’ll definitely be in heavy rotation this spring and summer! The chambray top was actually thrifted ($3) so it was such a budget friendly project.
For cooler weather versions, don’t forget to check out the Leather Sleeved Denim Jacket and the Sweater Sleeved Denim Jacket.
Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!