raising a neckline

so, i ordered my sewing machine. <applause> thanks to Costco for being the easiest and nicest with returns... ever! no questions, just a full return. epic. well, my new one is on its way but in the meantime i've been able to post a few of the really easy, simple projects that have just been sitting in my "refashions not yet blogged" folder. like this one:

making a neckline higher
(this technique makes a bit of a gathered sleeve or "poofy" sleeve from the dart your sewing so i would not use this technique unless the shirt has a bit of shoulder detail)

first you try your shirt on (i would do it inside out... do as i say, not as i do), pinch at the top of your shoulder where you would prefer your neckline to be. with a marking pencil (i used a highlighter) mark on both sides of the shoulder where your fingers were. (this was very tricky to do with a camera. haha)

then take the shirt off and draw a line from your marked spots to where the shoulder seam and sleeve meet. (this will make a > shape.)

pin and sew along the marked lines.

try it on, if everything looks right, cut off excess material.

done!

here are a few pictures where i did it again with another shirt a little more "professionally" with pins instead of a marker in case you are worried about the marker not washing off in the washer.
before.

gathered and pinned.

sew, cut off excess.

all done.

yay! now i have two more shirts that i don't have to wear with a cami or shirt on underneath!