Transforming T-Shirts Into Summery Halters

Halter tops are fun and flirty, and you can easily make one yourself from a T-shirt and a pair of scissors. There are several ways to do this, with or without sewing, and with or without rope or ribbon straps.

Drawing and cutting the fabric

To make a halter top from a T-shirt, you will need a T-shirt and a pair of scissors. It is recommended to use a chalk pencil to draw the cut lines on your T-shirt. You should also choose a cotton blend that does not fray when cut.

First, unfold your T-shirt and spread it out on a flat work surface with the front of the shirt facing up. Smooth out any wrinkles with your hands.

Next, draw two diagonal chalk lines, one on each side of the shirt, starting just below the armpit and ending at the collar. The lines should be about 5 to 6 inches apart at the neck. Cut along these lines through both layers of the T-shirt, and then cut off the remaining portion of the collar.

Now, fold the front layer of the shirt down onto itself. With your chalk pencil, draw a straight line on the inside back layer of the shirt, just above the fold, from side seam to side seam. Cut along this line to remove the top portion of the back layer.

At this point, you can unfold the front layer of the shirt and flip over the T-shirt so that the front is facing down on your work surface. You can now add a rope or fabric strap to create the halter neckline. Place the rope or strap along the neckline and roll the fabric around it twice, securing it with pins.

Finally, you can enclose the rope or strap by hand-stitching along the base of the loop on the inside of the shirt. Knot the ends of the rope or strap for a polished look, or fray the ends slightly and then knot for a more natural look.

Your halter top is now ready to wear!

Removing the collar

To remove the collar of a T-shirt when making a halter top, you must first prepare the T-shirt. Unfold the T-shirt and lay it on a flat surface, ensuring the front of the shirt is facing up. Smooth out any creases with your hands. If the T-shirt is very creased, you can iron it.

Next, you need to prepare the T-shirt for cutting. Using a chalk pencil, draw a line at a 45-degree angle from the right side seam, just below the armpit, up to the collar. Repeat this on the left side, so you have two diagonal chalk lines. The lines should not meet at the neck; they should be about 5-6 inches apart.

Now, carefully cut along the chalk lines, through both layers of the T-shirt. Cut along each side, and then carefully cut along the collar line to remove the remaining part of the collar.

Preparing the back layer

Firstly, unfold your t-shirt and lay it on a flat surface with the front of the shirt facing up. Smooth out any creases with your hands, and iron the shirt if needed. Next, fold the front of the shirt down onto itself. Take your chalk pencil and draw a straight line on the inside back layer of the shirt, directly above the fold. Extend this line from side seam to side seam. This line will help guide your cuts, so ensure it is straight and even. Now, carefully cut along the chalk line to remove the top portion of the back layer. This will create an opening for the halter neck and straps.

At this point, you can unfold the front layer of the shirt and flip over the entire t-shirt so that the front side is facing down on your work surface. You can now prepare the rope or string that will form the halter neck. Place your chosen rope or string along the neckline, ensuring it is centred. Gently roll the fabric of the neckline down over the rope, wrapping it around twice to secure it in place. You can use pins to hold the rope in position if needed.

Now you will need to enclose the rope within the fabric loop. Take a needle and thread it with a colour that matches your t-shirt fabric. Carefully top-stitch along the base of the loop, ensuring your stitches are neat and secure. When you reach the end of the neck, sew a few knots to prevent the stitches from coming loose.

Finally, decide how you would like to finish off the ends of the rope. For a neat and polished look, you can simply knot the ends of the rope. Alternatively, for a more casual appearance, you can fray the ends slightly before tying a knot. This will give your halter top a unique, handmade touch.

Inserting the rope

Now it's time to insert the rope. Unfold the front layer of the shirt and flip it over so that the front side is facing down on the table. Take your length of rope and place it along the neckline. Position the rope and the neckline of the shirt between your thumbs and forefingers. Slowly roll the rope and neckline down together, so that the fabric wraps around the rope twice. Secure the rope in place with pins.

The rope will act as the halter's straps and also provide structure to the top, so it's important to get this step right. Make sure the rope is centred along the neckline and that the fabric is wrapped tightly and evenly. You can adjust the positioning of the rope before sewing if needed.

Once you are happy with the placement of the rope, you can start sewing. Thread your needle and top-stitch along the base of the loop on the inside of the shirt. When you reach the end of the neckline, sew a few knots to prevent the stitches from coming loose.

You can finish off the ends of the rope by fraying them slightly and then knotting the rope, or simply knotting the ends as they are for a more polished look.

Securing the rope

To secure the rope in place, you will need to close the loop by hand. Thread your needle and proceed to top-stitch along the base of the loop, which is located on the inside of the shirt. When you reach the end of the neck, sew in a few knots to prevent the stitches from slipping.

Before slipping on the halter top, decide how you want to finish off the ends of the rope. For a polished look, you can knot the ends of the rope. Alternatively, for a more natural look, fray the ends slightly and then knot the lines.

You can also finish the rope ends by tacking them down. Fold over the end of the rope and secure it with a pin. Then, thread a needle and tack down the end of the rope. This will leave your halter top looking neat and polished.

Another option is to tie knots at the ends of the rope to prevent fraying. Simply tie one or two knots at the end of the rope and secure the knot in place with a few stitches. This method is a simpler alternative to tacking down the ends.

Frequently asked questions