Did you know that people are already counting down to Christmas?!?!? (I think it is around 90 days away) We have quite a few of my favorite holidays that lay between now and Christmas, and the FIRST is Halloween. As an ex-theatre girl, I have a penchant for any holiday that encourages people to dress up, use stage makeup, and jump with two feet into the land of 'make believe'.
SO I am super happy to share a very easy modification for the boys in your life! Today we are making a Pirate shirt out of a basic Peasant Top or Dress. I am using the adorable Amelia Peasant Dress from 5 Berries - it is a great basic peasant dress with long sleeves that have elastic at the bottom, which is exactly what I wanted to work with as a base. You can use just about any Peasant top out there - just remember that this is for a boy, so you don't want it to be too form fitting!

Start out by printing your pattern. You are going to assemble the pieces and cut out your sleeves exactly as printed. Since we want a Shirt length rather than a dress, we are going to alter the length of the front and back pieces. There are two easy ways to do this. 1) Take a shirt that you know is a good length on your boy and line up the armscy of the shirt with the armscy of the pattern. Add two extra inches to the bottom since we want this to hit at about hip (Pirates don't show their midriff... unless they are just going shirtless, but then you wouldn't need this tutorial ;op). Or 2) Take a pattern piece from a shirt pattern you love - once again match up the armscys and add two inches to the bottom. *I added a bit of a curve to my pieces, but you could just as easily cut it straight.

Now you have 2 sleeves, a back and a front. You now need to create one more piece. This is the front facing - and the element that is going to make this feel like a 'boy' shirt. Cut a rectangle 3 inches wide by 6 inches long (if you will be using a rolled hem on your edges rather than serging them, cut your rectangle 4x6 and turn the long edges in 1/4 press and in 1/4 again and stitch for a finished edge).

Finish the Two long side edges and the bottom edge of your rectangle.

The last piece is optional. You can use string, ribbon, OR create a fabric drawstring for your neck. Cut a strip approximately 30inches long by 1.75 wide. Press it as you would double fold bias tape and stitch along the open edge.

Creating your Facing: Mark the center of your facing rectangle from top to bottom

Mark the Center of your Front Bodice piece

Line up the centers with each other Right Sides Together and pin along the marked line

Sew 1/4 away from the line (stopping 1 inch from the bottom), plant your needle, turn stitch 1/4 past the line, plant the needle, turn and stitch 1/4 away from the line back to the top (creating 3 sides of a narrow rectangle)

Mark a triangle coming from the center line to the two bottom corners of your rectangle

Cut down the center line and your diagonal lines *cut to the corner, but do not clip your stitching!

Flip your facing to the inside of the bodice and press

Top Stitch around the opening with a 1/4 seam allowance (this could be a cool place to add decorative stitching or use a colored thread - I kept it simple, straight stitch in white ;op)

Sew up the rest of the shirt according to your directions up to the neck casing.

If you have a serger, finish the edge of your neckline - if you don't, press this edge in 1/4.

Fold the top in to the wrong side 1/2 inch and pin in place. Stitch along the finished edge to create the casing.

Pin a safety pin through one end of your drawstring(or ribbon or string - I used Ribbon for A's shirt, and the drawstring for B's.... I like how the drawstring holds without being tied and feels more rustic), and feed it through the casing.

Voila - Pirate Shirt!!!! *I left the hem unfinished in the 'Pirate Spirit', but you could finish it with a rolled hem.
(This could also be a perfect Prince shirt, just add a cape and sword)