In a recent post I showed you how to make a statement necklace from an old T-shirt. If you enjoyed that DIY project, you’ll enjoy making your own ruffled T-shirt.

I’m a fan of ruffled T-shirts because they’re comfortable, yet flirty by adding femininity and flare. You can pair them with jeans for a casual look or wear them with trousers and a cardigan for a polished look.

The ruffles can run horizontally or vertically on the shirt depending on what you like. You can also buy flower appliques from a craft store and sew them on the side. Here’s what you’ll need: two T-shirts, scissors, thread and needle, ruler, and pins.

How to make a T-shirt with horizontal ruffles.

1. Cut one of the T-shirts open following the seam on one side.
2. Using this shirt, cut a 2 1/2″ x 12″ strip. (You’ll need to cut more strips if you plan on adding more than one ruffled strip. A really long ruffle can zig zag across a shirt, like the one pictured above.)
3. Using big stitches about a half-inch apart, sew the length of your strip about a quarter inch from the edge and pull the thread until the material begins to make ruffles. Note, you are not sewing the strip to your uncut shirt, just creating ruffles in your strip. Make sure to secure the ruffle by tying a knot at the end of the row.
4. Grab the uncut T-shirt and lay it flat on your work surface. You have several options. You can cut the sleeves and give it a scooped neck (like the photo above) or you can just sew on the ruffles. If you cut off the sleeves and adjust the neck line, you may want to sew a new hem.
5. Pin the ruffle(s) down until you’re happy with the layout, then sew on.
6. To add more ruffles, center and pin down the next ruffled strip about 1 1/2″ below the sewn edge of the previous strip. This creates a layered look, as above. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you’re satisfied with the number of ruffled strips.

I’ve seen these shirts at clothing stores for up to $15. To make this super budget-friendly fashion project, purchase the shirts at a dollar store or use shirts you already own.