Turtleneck refashion

This is an “easy project” that was about 3 months in the works.  Frankly the biggest obstacle to finishing it was that my sewing area was a total disaster; really, it was grim.  I avoided that mess entirely, which means I haven’t gotten much sewing done.  But look out world, I cleaned up that mess and I have a dozen UFOs (UnFinished Objects, for the uninitiated) that are gonna get done!

Anyway, I had looked around for ideas for a turtleneck refashion but not found anything I really liked, so I just did whatever.  I wish I had a before picture, but really, it was just like this but with a turtleneck on it, so it’s not hard to imagine.  The finished shirt:

I goofed the neckline the first time around so I had to pick out the whole durn thing.  Once I restarted, it was finished very quickly.  Essentially, I just cut off the whole neck, seam included, then cut open the ribbing.  I had to join 2 pieces to fit the new, larger, less choke-y opening, so there are 2 seams on the back instead of just one, but if anyone notices that they are way too far into my personal space anyway.  Then for fun I added the flowers (or barnacles, as my dear husband called them) using this tutorial on presserfoot.  I didn’t go as big as she did because I didn’t have the same color and I thought it would be a bit much.  I love it, despite some continued mistakes in the neck (which I am NOT picking out again, if anyone sees the inside of the neckline they are WAY too in my space, thankyouverymuch).  It will never be as cool as the J Crew shirt it was styled after, but I think it’s a little better than the St. John’s Bay it started out as.  If anyone is interested I could make a tutorial; I have some more turtlenecks that I might need to transform now that I know it can be done.  Thanks for visiting!