sewing an "A-shirt" or camisole from an unwanted T-shirt

Ladies camisoles are usually expensive and full of artificial fiber bits. Cotton T-shirts are too much for me to wear under the button shirts that I normally wear all summer to keep the sun off me. One day a friend gave me the pink shirt in the first picture and it's really comfortable and does exactly what I wanted. Then I got the idea of cutting up some T-shirts in the back of my drawer to make my own. I use the pink one as a pattern, drawing a seam allowance, then cut it out.

There are a couple of books called "Generation T" which have a bunch of patterns and ideas around re-using T-shirts.  All manner of other clothes, bags, accessories, etc.  The beauty of T-shirt fabric is that it does not easily fray along a cut edge, so a lot of things can be done with no sewing at all, but only cutting and perhaps tying together long strips or ends.  At various farms I have been on, it was common for women to make halter tops and tank tops out of T-shirts this way.

@ Alder - thanks for the reference. My local library has a copy and I'll request it once I'm through the book I'm already reading!

Jay Angler wrote:Ladies camisoles are usually expensive and full of artificial fiber bits... I use the pink one as a pattern, drawing a seam allowance, then cut it out.

I can’t wait to try this! My favorite fitting tank has been one I picked up at the thrift store by Duluth Trading Company. I looked the style up but felt bad ordering a new one from the company (I need a better under tank in white.) Now, I’ll try making one first!

Alana Rose wrote:

I can’t wait to try this! My favorite fitting tank has been one I picked up at the thrift store by Duluth Trading Company. I looked the style up but felt bad ordering a new one from the company (I need a better under tank in white.) Now, I’ll try making one first!

Go for it, and please post a picture of the finished product!

I have made several, but T-shirts come in different weights and widths around the body, so I've had to adapt each one a little bit. My favorite ones are out of heavier weight cotton T's which were in my drawer. One I made out of a freebee shirt I was given, has stretched out of shape it's such poor quality cotton. I still use it as it's underneath a shirt, but I'd avoid anything that flimsy in the future.