I don’t know what it’s like for you, but I have a hard time discarding garments I made myself, even if I rarely wear them. I sewed this dress shirt 10 years ago. It was originally intended for my husband, Michael, and he got a lot of use out of it.

About five years ago, however, Michael decided the colors no longer suited him, so I made room for the shirt in my own closet. The colors didn’t do much for me, either, so it mostly remained unworn. This month I decided that, since I wasn’t willing to part with the old shirt, I would rework it.

The shirt fabric is a cotton lawn by Liberty of London, a design called Pelagia. The fabric was a gift from a blog reader who had purchased an entire bolt on sale and generously sent me 3 yards. I made…