Creating a Fashionable Beach Cover Up from a Man's T-shirt

Beach cover ups have become a hot fashion essential to the wardrobe's of sun lovers. This clever cover up is created from a man's t-shirt, snagged from your husband's or boyfriend's closet or purchased at your local thrift store. Create this cover up to slip over your swimsuit when you are ready for casual dining or a quick trip to the store. This project requires minimal sewing skills and can easily be made in an afternoon.

Supplies Needed:

2 men's t-shirts, one size larger than what fits you
Scissors
Measuring tape
Straight pins
Sewing machine
Tailor's chalk
1/4-inch diameter cording, 1 1/2 yards
Safety pin

Steps to Make a Beach Cover Up

Step 1

Lay the t-shirt on your work surface with the front side up. Cutting through the front and back layers, remove the sleeves. You will also be removing the sleeve seams, so cut on the side of the seams that will be removed with the sleeves. Cut away the shoulder seams and the neck ribbing from the shirt. You will be left with a sleeveless t-shirt that is open at the top.

Step 2

Cut two strips from the sleeves 1 inch wide by 10 inches long for the cover up's straps. Overlap one short end of one strip a 1/2 inch over the top of one front shoulder, next to the neckline edge. Pin the strip to the t-shirt. Repeat with the other strip on the other front shoulder. Turn the t-shirt over and pin the other end of the strips to the back shoulders in the same way. Sew a zig-zag stitch through the pinned overlaps to connect the straps. Trim away the excess seam allowance close to the stitching.

Step 3

Lay the t-shirt front side up on your work surface. Match the front evenly with the back. Starting at the inside edge of one strap seam, use tailor's chalk to sketch a neckline to the inside edge of the other strap seam. Pin the front and back together so they do not shift. Cut through both thicknesses along the chalkline.

Step 4

Starting at the outside edge of one strap seam, use tailor's chalk to sketch an arm opening to the side armpit area of the t-shirt. Repeat for the other side arm opening. Pin the front and back together so they do not shift. Cut through both thicknesses along the chalkline.

Step 5

Turn the beach cover up wrong side out and put it on. Determine where you would like the waist to be on the cover up and make a mark at this point with tailor's chalk. Note: To give your cover up a blousey top, you will want the waist mark lower than your waistline. Lay the inside-out cover up on your work surface. Measure up from the bottom hem of the t-shirt, to the mark. Use this measurement to measure up from the hem, all the way around the t-shirt, to mark the waist.

Step 6

Measure around the width of the cover up at the waistline. Cut a waistband strip 2 inches wide by the waistline measurement long, from an extra t-shirt. Overlap and piece together strips, if needed. Center the length of the waistband strip on the drawn waistline. Pin along each long edge, around the t-shirt. Topstitch a 1/4 inch from each long side of the pinned waistband, all the way around the cover up.

Step 7

Turn the beach cover up right side out. Using the waistband stitchline as a guide, cut a 1 inch slit in the top layer of the waistband, at the center front of the t-shirt. Cut a 1 1/2 yard length of 1/4-inch diameter cording. Attach a safety pin to one end of the cording. Insert the safety pin into the cut slit and thread the cording through the waistband casing, coming out at the same slit. Remove the safety pin from the drawstring. Tie each end of the drawstring into overhand knots.