diy collar

Hey there!   Today I want to show you how you can jazz up a regular t-shirt with a custom collar!

I purchased this plain black crew neck t-shirt sometime last year from Old Navy because it was on sale for about $5, and it was super soft!  Since then, I have only worn it while lounging around at home, since it’s a little too boring on its own.

Then last weekend, I was looking for a quick sewing project to do and remembered that I had purchased a Simplicity pattern (1727) for a DIY collar.  I rummaged through my fabric scraps and found a sweet floral print which I knew would be perfect!  It was a quick sew (see notes near the end of this post), and before no time I had a little collar!

floral collar + plain t-shirt = adorable!

It was a match made in heaven.  My once drab t-shirt got new life with this collar, and I can’t wait to sew up more!  It’s a great way to use up your fat quarters or scraps.

I wasn’t sure if it would look too childish, but I really love it so I don’t care.

What are your thoughts?

Sewing the collar (version B):

• Do I have a big neck?  This pattern seems to think so, haha.  I first sewed it in a size small, which practically choked me.  The one you see me wearing is a size large.  It’s pretty easy to adjust the pattern, so if you need it a little bigger you can just extend it on the ends.
• The pattern calls for fusible interfacing.  I was lazy (and wanted to finish quickly), so I skipped that part.
• The most time consuming steps were cutting the pattern/fabric and hand sewing the hook and eye.  Total time: about 25 minutes.  Future collars will likely come together much more quickly!

T-Shirt:  Old Navy Perfect Fitted Tee
Collar:  made by me 🙂  (using Simplicity 1727)
Hat:  Volcom (via Zumiez)
Jeans:  Old Navy Diva
Rain Boots: Sperry Top-Sider via Marshall’s
Bag: MMS Design Studio (gift from my friend Tasnim!)