Short Sleeve Tunic

 

from this

 

to this


Since the spring, I have been looking for a cute tunic-shape blouse made of cool, light cotton fabric and most importantly... with short sleeves.  I can't believe how impossible it has been to find one!  Maybe there is some set in stone fashion rule that all tunics must have long sleeves, or no sleeve at all?  Being completely unfashionable myself I just wouldn't know.

The closest options I have found have been cinched around the bottom and billowy around the middle... or have a tie in the back, instantly transforming it into maternity wear.  Some gals might look great in one of these two styles, but not me!  Yikes!  The only other option is sleeveless tunic styles layered on top of a tee which is what I had finally resorted to.

I certainly can't wear a long sleeve anything in Arizona unless it is easily removable.  Even in the winter time, I only wear short sleeves with a jacket.  I had essentially given up the search, although I kept my eyes peeled of course.  One day, as I was preparing a pile for Goodwill, and noticed two shirts... they were tunic style, with 3/4 length sleeves, and had originally been purchased at Goodwill for the Pioneer Trek.  I had an idea.  If the only thing preventing me from wearing these shirts is the sleeve length... maybe I could shorten the sleeves using my limited sewing skills.  And maybe, I thought, if the process goes well... I could find other cute tunic tops and shorten their sleeves as well!  Considering the materials were essentially free and available, I was eager to try the tunic transformation and test my theory!

Tan shirt

Gray shirt

I knew I wanted a cap sleeve, so I went to my closet and found a shirt with a great sleeve length.  Next, I lined up the seams around the shoulders of the two shirts and cut the longer sleeves off leaving some extra fabric for a hem.

After chopping off both sleeves, I folded the shirt in half and compared sleeve lengths.  Wouldn't you know it, one was a little longer than the other.  No big deal, I just trimmed it to be equal in size.

Next came the ironing and then pinning of the hem.  Had I been thinking ahead, I would have folded the hem over twice before stitching... but because of the stiff fabric it doesn't seem to matter so far.  When I sewed the gray shirt afterward, I folded the hem over twice to hide the raw edge.  See, I told you my sewing skills and knowledge are limited!  The Coke Zero really helps with the creative process btw.

And now for the final reveal of both shirts!  I happen to like them both much better now.  I am hoping to find more long sleeve shirts to alter!