Pleated Shirt from Daddy’s Shirt

So I’ve decided to jump the DIY sewing bandwagon.  After pinning so many fun and cute projects on Pinterest, I finally summoned up the courage to try out one of the cute shirts by Jess on http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/2011/08/pleat-weeks-guest-post.html, but I cheated and used my hubby’s old shirt that somehow had blood stains on it (not sure how, probably one of the kids busted their lip and needed some comfort) and skipped the whole adding buttons and buttonholes.  
So I got one of Avie’s shirts and made a pattern for the top

Here’s daddy’s beautiful soft pink shirt with the bloodstain on it.  I used my seam ripper to take out the pocket and so the front of daddy’s shirt became the back portion of Avie’s shirt.

I cut out the back portion of the shirt, folded it in half, and traced the pattern on it while leaving enough room to make the pleats.  (Note to self: next time, leave more room for the pleats cuz these pleats were really small and I like the bigger pleats on Jess’s project)

I used the same pattern piece to cut out the back portion (which is the front part of daddy’s shirt) I know I keep saying daddy’s shirt when really it’s my hubby’s shirt… but w/ kids I just end up calling him daddy for the kids’ sake.  
Then I put it together and added the bias tape.  (you can see the in depth tutorial on the link I posted above on Jess’s site, which is what I used)

So initially, I just did the pleats without adding the lace, but then I found a whole LOT of this pretty lace from my mom’s sewing stash that she left when she moved and thought it’d look pretty.  So I cheated and used liquid stitch to “sew” on some of that lace in between the pleats.  I think it makes it look nicer, especially since my fabric is very plain and boring.  

And here’s my cute daughter posing for me… or scratching… I promise there the shirt isn’t scratchy.  This is just the best picture I could get of her in the shirt.

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