My sister Em gifted me this awesome black knit for my birthday last year (I believe she found it at Wal-mart’s $1 fabrics).  Thanks Em!  I also had some gauzy black fabric from an old AE skirt that I was cutting up to make a dress for Jo. This is what the marriage of the two became.

And PS I know you can’t see the detail in front here, but look at the shape here in the first, and the detail in the second.

ugh. this close-up makes nervous. Note the detail. Not….anything else.

FYI, this is not the text-book definition of ruching, but I think ruching generally refers to a gathered embellishment, or element of clothing.

Ruched-Front T-shirt Tutorial:

1. CUT YOUR STRIPS. Find  a really stretchy or gauzy fabric that matches/coordinates with your t-shirt (made or bought, but finished). You want to cut 2 strips of fabric with a width that (when put together) equal the width you want your detail to end up.  Mine were like 4 inches wide each, and the length should be at least double that. Let’s say 4 X 10 inches.

2. BASTE AND GATHER.  Baste the edges of both you strips, and then gather each side, leaving the outside edges a little longer on top (to accommodate for the neckline).

3. Position the gathered strips on the “yoke” or front of your shirt, and pin. Make sure the top edge is shaped and rounded with the neckline.  Zig-zag, or, if you like the raw-edge look and don’t plan on adding any additional trim, then just straight-stitch it on.  Sew ALL four sides of both strips.

4. Baste a long piece of ribbon or thin strip of fabric that matches/coordinates (I don’t know how long, just make it real long), and gather it up.

5. Sew that sucker on around and barely on top of the outside edges of your wide gathered strips, around the neck, and then down the middle (you cut a separate piece for the middle).  Don’t worry if the ribbon twists and is not lying flat. Doesn’t matter. Just sew over it all. It’s part of the look.

Have fun and don’t sew your finger!