How to Make a Tie Back Halter Top

This is a super quick project for turning a t-shirt from crummy to kick-ass! Works best with a t-shirt that’s a little big (or really big) on you.

halter3This tutorial is great for beginners because it requires no sewing!Ā  All you really need is a sharp pair of scissors, an old tee, and about 15 minutes!

Difficulty:
01easy

You’ll need:

  • A t-shirt that’s too big for you or approximately 1 yard of stretch/knit fabric
  • Sharp scissors

Click below to start the video!

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This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

If you’d prefer a text tutorial with diagrams, continue reading below!

Step 1
Step 1

Step 1
Get yourself a t-shirt and some scissors!
A t-shirt that’s at least a hair too big on you works best. Larger will also work, of course.
Get out all the wrinkles and make sure it’s laying nice and flat on your work surface.

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Step 2

Step 2
Starting at the armpit, draw a curved line up to the shoulder seam.

Step 2.2
Step 2.2

Aim for the line to hit about 2″ away from the collar seam.

Step 3
Step 3

Step 3
Draw in the neckline. You can go as high or low as you’d like.

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Step 4

Turn the shirt around to the back and mark 2″ down from the collar. Then mark 2″ down from that mark.

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Step 5

Step 5
Making note of the marks you’ve made on the front of the shirt, continue the lines onto the back, like so. This is our first halter tie.

Step6
Step 6

Step 6
Draw the second strap like so, again, making sure to match up to the lines you drew on the front of the shirt.

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Step 7

Step 7
Draw a line from one armpit straight across the back to the other armpit.

Step 8
Step 8

Step 8
Determine how long you’d like your top. I think 12″ is just about right. You can go a little longer, but I wouldn’t go longer than 14 or 15″. Draw a line parallel to the armpit line.

Step 9
Step 9

Step 9
One of the reasons I like to work with the 12″ length is that it makes it really easy to divide up the back ties. I’ve divided the back into six 2″ straps. You could do four 3″ straps as well. Experiment with different strap widths and see what works best for you

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Step 10

Step 10
Find the center of the back and mark it.

Step 10.2
Step 10.2

Like so.

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Step 11

Step 11
Create a zig-zag pattern that goes back and forth over the center line. This will give our back ties a tapered end.

Step 12
Step 12

Step 12
Cut off the bottom of the shirt (both layers). Then begin cutting along the marked lines for the back ties but only cut through the back layer of the shirt.
Don’t cut the halter ties yet.

Step 13
Step 13

Step 13
Turn the shirt to the front and cut along your marked lines, again only cutting through the front of the shirt.
Cut the halter ties, starting at the lines you traced on the front of the shirt and following on to the back.
When you’re finished, you should have something that looks like the above drawing, when laid flat.

Step 14
Step 14

Step 14
The shoulder seams can unravel, so you’ll either need to backstitch over them with a sewing machine or add a dot of fabric glue or Fray Check.

Step 15
Finished!

Now go tie it on!

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10 thoughts on “How to Make a Tie Back Halter Top

  1. Have tried a similar reconstruction project with much success. Was one step away from throwing away a really cool Bob Marley tee that was just way to big and had a hole in the back. Problem solved! Thanks for the sharing.

  2. i have tried so many times to do something like this and have failed badly. thanks for the simple instructions to help me try one more time.

  3. This is great i have a concert this weekend and a band t i really wanted to wear but it had a few holes now its like a brand new top!!!Thanks

  4. What an incredibly easy and straightforward reconstruction! Got into T-shirt recons a few months ago but only knew how to do very basic simple things and any other halter neck designs were terrible. This is FAB!!!! So glad i found this site. Tee shirt drawer…. here i come!!!

  5. i tried doing this without marking the lines and i messed up my shirt, but then i made it look like something else. I gogo dance and so the way i did it kind of worked out anyways :p

  6. Okay so that’s how it’s a no sew project. I was really wondering how to make a halter top with no sewing required. Pretty clever. šŸ™‚

  7. I forgot to cut out the ties at the hips so now it ends just after my bust. I love it, but I have no idea when I can wear it

  8. Gonna attempt to make a short halter and body con mini skirt from one top using your wonderful info here. Wish me luck!

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