T-Time: Tied-up Muscles

Well. This took long enough.

Like always.

Updated right on time; weeks after I said I would update.

Here's how to make a t-shirt awesome part 1, the Tied-up muscle shirt.

Sorry for poor quality pictures, I made this in a rush before an a'cappella gig. 

It's the thought that counts anyways.

Plus, it adds to the grunginess that hip DIYers enjoy. So yeah! Punk rock, mayn.

Also, props to Generation T for the idea.

Order your copy here because this book is totes magoats wonderful DIY punkness.
I also recommend reading all the steps and then attempt.

Tied-Up Muscle Shirt:

Step 1) Obtain t-shirt from thrift shop that fits you relatively well. It should be a little long, unless you want to show your belly then by all means, don't listen to me.

Step 2) 

Cut off the hem from the bottom of the shirt. Then cut about one more inch of fabric off the bottom. You need about 20 inches of "t-shirt string". If you don't want t-shirt string, then use your head and get creative and find some other sting thing to use.

Step 3) 

Cut off the sleeves like your about to make a muscle shirt. Then cut off the neck hem about 1/2 inch around from the collar.

Step 4)

I don't really have a picture for this, so bear with me. 

Your going to take your "sleeves" and using scissors or a sharp object such as a piece of broken glass or your roommates nail clippers, and poke three sets of holes (6 total, 3 each side) in them along the seam that connects the fabric together. The holes should be about an inch apart from each other horizontally and evenly spaced in thirds vertically. You can kinda see from the picture. Then, you're going to take your "string" and thread it through the two back holes (the holes on the shirt that would be closer to your shoulders and farthest from your collar bones) from the inside of the shirt to the top, it's as if you were lacing up tennis shoes. Then you "sew", but instead of criss-crossing like with tennies, your going to basically do a running stitch and will end up with both ends of the string at the front holes of the sleeves and you'll tie a bow there. This picture is demonstrating the "sewing" after having already poked holes in the sleeve. 

Step 5) 

Poke 5 sets of holes (10 total, 5 each side) about 1.5-2inches apart horizontally and about 1 inch apart vertically from the sides (use the t-shirt seam to mark the left and ride side of your shirt and to evenly space the holes, I mean, duh) of the bottom of the t-shirt. You can see the little rips I made using scissors here, but you have to look closely.

Step 6)

Back to "sewing". Start at the top of the holes, each end of the string through the top set of holes first, inside of shirt to outside of shirt, and then running stitch it down to the bottom, pull tight and tie in a bow.

Step 7)  Look at your shirt, make sure it looks like this kinda sorta.

Step 8)

Wear it. Ah yeah.

Before our show. In my messy room. Also, I have no idea how to take a good selfie.

Me, my awesome shirt, and my pasty legs about to go work out. Props to Courtney for wanting to capture the moment I go to the gym in green converse, bat socks and a fanny pack. Winning.

That's all.

Have fun. 

Stay Classy.

Love, 

          Neffie