Laura Lucy: diy | upgrade a sweatshirt

I've been meaning to share some DIY projects with you for quite a while, I just haven't had any time for it. However, this weekend was different: I ignored all of my responsibilities so that I could put together this post. Anyway, it all started when I found the most amazing sweatshirt at H&M. The best part is that it only cost me $9.99! Yes, this sweatshirt was only ten dollars. So, here is a post on how to update an old sweatshirt or improve a brand new one.

what you'll need:

-sweatshirt (old or new)

-fabric shears (mine are the brand Gingher, get them here)

-possibly a ruler and a pencil

1. locate the seam on the side of the sweatshirt

2. cut on the seam, stopping just before the intersection where the band meets the rest of the fabric | tip: the type of scissors you use is important (make sure you invest in some fabric shears; this will prevent uneven and raggedy edges)

3. gently pull at the two ends until they are split just at the intersection mentioned above | repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 on the other side

4. starting at the split ends, cut along the line at which the sweatshirt fabric meets the band; do this for both the front and back | tip: use the center portion of the scissors' blades; this part most effectively cuts the fabric

5. the hem will be left over and if you wish to keep it, skip to step 14; if you want it to curl (like mine) continue on to step 6

6. find the seam again and cut very slowly and carefully just to the tip of the hemline

7. cut along the thread at the top of the hemline

8. this is how it will look after you cut it; the fabric will curl after about fifteen minutes of wear (it will not fray if the fabric is composed of a large percentage of cotton) | tip: the thicker the fabric, the longer it will take to curl; if it still doesn't after a day, throw it in the washer and dryer

8. try it on | if you want it more cropped, move on to step 9 (a good reference is the bottom of the button on a pair of high-waisted jeans; measure how much you'd have to cut off to get it there--mine needed about an inch off)

9. turn it inside-out

10. line up the ends evenly (the back of your sweatshirt may be longer than the front, so do not be alarmed)

11. measure out however much you need to cut off using a pencil (coloured pencils work better than crayons on darker fabrics) and a ruler | tip: mark in several places, then connect the dots to get a straight line