Tranformation with a capital T

I've become quite enamored with Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt, which I checked out from the library but now must actually purchase. I ran my first test projects by raiding my stack of "too baggy but maybe still OK for gardening" T-shirts. I also plucked two nearly new Old Navy Perfect Fit Ts for good measure (I bought them last year while losing weight and they fit me properly for about two nanoseconds before failing to be my perfect fit).

My first guinea pig was a turquoise heather ONPF T, which I transformed into the stegosaurus T (number 33 in the book, "tying game"). All it required was cutting off the sleeves, hem and neck, making one vertical cut all the way up center back, then making a series of 3-inch horizontal cuts 1+ inches apart on both sides of the center cut, then tie a bunch of knots and you're in business.

My pink ONPF T got a different treatment (number 19 in the book, "fermez la ruche"). I started by (again) saying "bye-bye" to sleeves, neck and hem. Then, I stitched new side seams 1" from the existing seam. That extra seam allowance became casings for drawstrings made from the few inches of T I cut from the bottom. Cute! A detail photo of the ruching is on my Flickr page.

When I lived in Belltown and had a P-Patch (community garden) plot, I bought a P-Patch T-shirt because I liked the color and graphics. What I didn't like was that it was a man's-style T. Now that it was even baggier than ever, I never wore it. But now, minus mannish sleeves and too-long hem, plus two new side seams to nip it in, I think I will wear it quite a lot (it's number 14, "classic punk"). I gave a similar treatment to a really baggy white V-neck (keeping the original) neck, but felt it was to utilitarian to bother photographing.

Next up: Let's see how many items of clothing I can make from a super-soft thick brushed cotton long-sleeve T of Js in a great color of red that surprisingly has barely faded (J bought it back when he still tended to wear his shirts and sweaters on the big side; now that he wears sleeker clothing , he's purging his closet). I'm aiming for a little skirt, legwarmers, hat and arm warmers.