Bandana shirts

I found a NEW favorite thing. I know I constantly have NEW favorites, but this is FOR SURE it for right now. Hankerchief shirts.  It all started a while back at Connell Craft Day.  I was making a dress for Emersyn out of two hankerchiefs and someone asked if I was making myselft a shirt.  I thought...hmmm???  and held up a hankie to myself.  It went half way around me and right there the idea hatched---hankie shirts.  Then when I was at Wal Mart and saw the new hankerchiefs they had (I think it must have been fate) I bought some and started right in. 

I don't do sleeveless, but I think it would work great as a tank top.  Just loose and easy---light and breezy!!  I love alliteration--it is the English teacher in me:)  Any ways.....this is all I did. 

It took 3 hankerchiefs per shirt.  First, I sewed 2 of them right sides together to make a big tube.  Then I rolled the top of the tube over 1 1/4 inch and sewed an elastic casing.  Then I strung the elastic in using a safety pin and sewed the hole closed.  Next, I cut 2 strips of fabric 2 and 1/2 inches wide.  I then sewed the long sides together--right sides together.  Then I used a safety pin to flip the tube right side out and strung the elastic through it---think of when we used to make scrunchies.  Hmmmm???? What happened to scrunchies????  Then I sewed the straps onto the shirt and VOILA!!! (edited: I have added a full tutorial for this HERE).

And the very best part....I can wear it with my pink shoes.  I love pink shoes and these have been waiting for a new look. 

There is really only one problem with this idea....hankies only come in ONE size.  I am a size small or medium.  Probably more like a medium who wishes she was still a small....but that is another story.  A few more brownies and I am not sure this would work out for me. I bet you could add a little bit of fabric on each end and make it wider, but that might defeat the cheap and easy factor---not sure how it would look either. These hankerchiefs were only a buck a piece, so the whole shirt was 3 bucks plus elastic.  I planned on using some of the 3rd bandana to make ties in the back, but then I didn't because I was not sure how much they would shrink after washing. PLUS I did not want the ties poking out in the back of my sweater---I hate that.  I STILL have not gotten them out of the dryer yet, so I hope they still fit when I grab them:)  I will NOW have to use the leftover fabric for some cute matching bracelets or for some more fabric flowers to pin onto my sweaters.  I TOLD YOU I was in love:)

Anyway....

Here was my second attempt.  I am just gonna go on a limb and say that if you see me this summer I will be wearing one of these shirts.  I have all ready raided the rest of the bandanas at Wal Mart---I figure I only get dressed about twice a week, so it wont even be like I am wearing the same thing every day--right??? ♥