Ruched Bottom T-shirt: Another How-To

I'm liking quick-sew projects -they come in handy whenever I get the urge to call the agency.

Today's project to keep my hands away from the phone was a ruched -bottom t-shirt.  I just made up that name; I'm not exactly sure how you would describe it.  A side-note: My mother taught be how to ruche back in the day, probably when I was an early teen.  I think she also taught me how to do French Seams around that time.  How do the French know so much about sewing?  I want to learn how to do African seams.  or Dutch seams.

But I digress.  Today's distraction all started when I found 2 mega-clearanced t-shirts at Old Navy.

I cut the bottom half off of the second tee, or the first. whatever.  Using a large basting stitch, I made two rows on both sides of the side seams.  Ruching is created when the inside or bottom thread of each row is gently pulled.   See how the fabric is puckering as I pull the bottom thread?

This is what it looks like when I ruched both rows and stitched over them again to keep the puckering in place.

Once both sides are ruched, I pinned and stitched the ruched half shirt to the bottom of the first shirt.  

Now,  I had to use the top half of the cut shirt.  I willy-nilly cut ruffles out the top.  See?

Then folded the ruffles in half and attached to the right shoulder facing inward. My only regret is that I didn't ruche this, too.  It would have made it more frilly.  I guess can always take it off and put it back on ruched.  no?

What do you think?  

Do you ruche?  

PS I'm linking this post to Kimba'sDIY Day and Kim's Get Your Craft On-check them out!