Bibbee Dress Tutorial

T-Shirt Refashion anyone ? I hope you don't even get bored on another T-shirt refashion ^_^
I made this dress from my old T-shirt that I bought after I had my first baby. The T-shirt didn't fit me anymore, so I wanted to give it to charity. But after digging my daughter's closet and could not find any long-sleeved shirt/dress that would fit her, I decided to transformed few of my old T-shirt into her new dress/shirt.

Today I want to show you my T-shirt transformation from an old gray striped T-shirt. I didn't find any good & short name for the dress, but I guessed "Laced-Bib Collar Dress" was not a cute name. Afterall, I named it "Bibee Dress" just because this dress has a "bib" ^_^

What you need :

- An adult T-shirt or any boring toddler T-shirt you want to remake
- Plain cotton/linen fabrics
- Lace/Ribbons
- Fusible Interfacing
- Matching buttons
- Matching yarns

How To Make :

Preparations :

1. Prepare the shirt you want to remake. Make sure it doens't have any holes or scratched fabric
2. Find your daughter clothes or T-shirt that fit her as your guide to cut the T-shirt. Place the hem of your daughter's dress at the top of your T-shirt. You'd better cut your T-shirt in fold so you'll get a better precision.

3. Cut the sleeves of the T-shirt. You can cut it short or low, as you wish
4. After cutting, you will get : one front piece, one back piece, 2 sleeves

The Bib & Collar
Below are the patterns I made for the bib and collar sleeve (attention : This pattern is just a measurement guide. You must draw your own pattern to suit your own dress. My patterns are for size 2T and have no sewing allowance. You must also add 1/4 or 1/2 inch sewing allowance yourself)

Bib Pattern :

Collar Pattern :


You should cut :

Pic 5. From plain cotton/linen :
- 2 bib pieces
- 2 collar pieces

Pic 6. From fusible interfacing (without sewing allowance) :
- 1 collar piece
- 2 pieces 0f 5 x 11 cm for bib

7.a,b. Iron the fusible interfacing into the wrong side of cotton fabric
c. Serge or sew zig-zag the inner side of the bib marked with "side x" in the picture
d. With the wrong side up, fold the bib 2,5 from "side X". On the top of the fold, sew the upper sewing allowance 1 cm inward. Turn the right side up, and press the stitches using iron
e. Cut/Trim the bib's sewing allowance along the bib
f. Fold the sewing allowance and press it using iron

8a. On the right side, straight stitch 2,5 cm from edge. Now you find a place to sew your buttons and the button holes :)

b. Now we're working on the shirt's front piece !!
- Mark the center of the front piece
- Meet the right & the left bib at the center of the front piece. Place the edge of left bib 1,25 cm from the center, do so for the right bib. You can zoom the picture above if you don't understand my explanation.
- Prepare your lace/ribbons, place it between the bib and the front side of the shirt. Pin it along the edge.

c. Top-stitch the bib
d. Cut the part of the shirt which is beneath your bib, close to your tops-titches. Neat the raw edge using serger or zig-zag stitch

Wow, your bib is finished

9.a. Now we're working with the collar. Meet the right side of your collar pieces, with the fusible interfacing upside. Sew along outer line of the fusible interfacing. The side that will meet your neckline shall be left unstitched (I'm sorry that picture 9a is a fuss, I should be place the arrow at the outer line

b. Fold out your collar band right side up and press it using iron. Then topstitch your stitched edge

c. Join the front and back piece of the shirt and pin them along the shoulder seamline at the wrong side. At this point, You can also sew them before you sew the collar band. It is up to you. Then turn it right side out.
- Prepare your bias tape. I made a 2,5 cm or 1 inch wide bias tape. The bias tape's length is according to the length of your neckline added with an inch each side for allowance.
- With the shirt at right side, pin your inner side of the collar band along the neckline, followed by the bias tape.
- Sew along the neckline

d. Fold the bias tape to cover the raw edge, pin it and top-stitch
e. Sew the shoulder seamlines. You can also sew them before you sew the collar band. It is up to you :)
f. I add this picture to show you how I join the bib.

Working with sleeve and bodice :

10. a. Sew the sleeves into the bodice
b. Serge or zig-zag the raw edge
c. Gather the sleeve line and bodice line. (just see picture 9c, I don't have any more words :D )
d. Make your button-holes and sew the buttons. You can use two or three buttons. Mine is using two buttons

Congratulation, now you have a new shirt for your daughter :D

Disclaimer : This tutorial is written by me, using my novice sewing skill and confusing English grammar. So please contact me if you have difficulties in reading this post.

I hope you find this tutorial helpful. Please link back to this post or my blog address if you anything about this tutorial.

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