Methods for sewing t-shirts down a size

When buying a new wardrobe item, it is not always possible to try it on. Especially if we are talking about purchasing things through an online store. In addition, clothes can stretch during the first wash. Do not immediately look for ways to return the purchase or put the item on the far shelf in the closet. For example, the same T-shirt can be easily sewn on your own.

How to work with different fabrics

Before looking for specific recommendations on how to take in a T-shirt or other item, you should take a close look at the fabric it is made of. Working with each material has its own specifics. Depending on the type of fabric, a suitable needle, thread, and even the size of the scissors are selected.

Thus, for sewing thin fabrics, thin threads and small needles are used. The color of the threads must necessarily match the main tone of the material.

When choosing scissors, such a property of the material as the degree of resistance to cutting is taken into account. For materials such as linen, cotton, synthetics it is high, for woolen fabrics it is low.

If the selected fabric is prone to shrinkage, before you start cutting it, the piece (or the finished product to be re-sewn) should first be subjected to wet-heat treatment (WHT).

For loose fabrics (such as silk), it is necessary to provide more substantial seam allowances and prepare the overlock in advance - experts recommend in this case to process the edges before starting to baste the product.

Slippery fabrics or those prone to deformation should be cut and recut with extreme caution and very sharp scissors. It is most convenient to attach them to a cardboard template before starting work.

Self-hemming

Any item of clothing is worn with pleasure only if it fits well. T-shirts are no exception to the rule. Therefore, if the purchased item of summer wardrobe has too wide shoulders, the wrong length or a narrow collar, it is worth trying to alter the item yourself. If you have minimal sewing experience, there should be no particular difficulties in solving the issue of how to hem a T-shirt on a sewing machine.

Neck

The sewn-in neckline on jersey T-shirts tends to stretch as you wear them. The neckline becomes too big and doesn't fit well. There are many ways to sew in the neckline on a T-shirt. The simplest of them involves the following steps:

1. Prepare pins, a hand needle for knitwear (with a blunt tip) or a sewing machine.
2. Turn the product inside out.
3. Turn the edge of the collar to the wrong side and pin it carefully.
4. Sew the trim by hand or sew it on with a sewing machine. It is important that the stitching is elastic.

There is another scheme, it involves ripping off the neck and re-sewing it. But it is worth giving a step-by-step master class of this process:

1. Rip off the collar trim from the T-shirt.
2. Rip open any shoulder seam by about 2 cm.
3. Iron all parts of the product.
4. Cut the seam from the finishing strip.
5. Unfold and iron the strip again, stretching it at the same time.
6. Overlock one of the long edges of the strip.
7. Place the placket and the T-shirt right sides together.
8. Sweep so that the neckline and the raw edge of the strip match.
9. Cut off the excess part of the strip.
10. Sew the bar.
11. Turn the sewn-on strip to the wrong side and baste.
12. Sew the strip and topstitch next to it at a distance of 0.5 cm.
13. Sew up and finish the torn area of ​​the shoulder seam.

Home conditions do not always allow the use of this method, since not everyone has an overlock machine in their household.

On the sides

It often happens that you buy or receive as a gift a T-shirt that is larger than you need. Don't rush to make a roomy home outfit out of it. After all, it won't be difficult to make a T-shirt smaller by yourself.

Ideally, if you have a coverstitch machine and an overlock, but if you don't have them, any modern machine with an overlock stitch will do. Then the algorithm of actions to reduce the product on the sides will be as follows:

1. During the fitting process, mark the locations of future seams - each side, from the bottom to the armhole line.
2. Without unpicking the seams, cut the overlock seam both on the sides and in the armhole.
3. Mark the line of the future seam with chalk (it is better to use a template).
4. Fold the T-shirt in half lengthwise, align the edges and pin everything together (the left and right sides should be identical).
5. Mark a new armhole line with chalk.
6. Do not remove the pins, but use them to pin the back, front and armhole.
7. Fold the garment along the shoulder seams and pin.
8. Cut off all excess, leaving a seam allowance of 0.7 cm.
9. Fold the sleeves together, making sure to pin the bottom.
10. Mark the highest point on the cap line with chalk.
11. Mark the front part of the piece and transfer similar marks to the second sleeve.
12. Remove all pins.
13. Match the sleeve caps with the armholes, and the highest point of the cap with the shoulder seams.
14. Sew all seams. It is recommended to sew the sides and sleeves at one time.

Thus, reducing the size of a T-shirt will not be difficult. Sewing a top or vest is even easier - you will not have to fiddle with the sleeves.

In the shoulders

You can take in a T-shirt at the shoulders without unpicking it. The amount of work involved will be quite small:

1. Mark the desired length from the collar to the far shoulder line.
2. Draw a line with chalk, keeping in mind that the seam should end at the edge of the armpit line.
3. Fold the T-shirt in half.
4. Cut the fabric along the line. If done correctly, the main part of the T-shirt and the sleeve will become separate pieces.
5. Pin together the cut sleeve, back and front.
6. Sew the joined parts and steam with an iron.

Under the armpits

The armpit of a T-shirt may be too wide, even if the garment itself is just right. The problem may be in the non-standard figure, not the most accurate pattern, etc.

Most often, to correct the armhole, the garment is sewn along the shoulder seam line - this is simpler and more convenient. But there is another option: take a garment with an optimal armhole as a sample, apply it on a flat surface to the T-shirt that is to be altered and, matching the shoulder seams, carefully transfer the armhole line, then cut off the excess and sew the garment. The most important thing is to make sure that both T-shirts are well straightened.

Hemming along the length

In some cases, the product fits perfectly, but you are not satisfied with its length. There is nothing easier than taking a dress or a T-shirt to a tailor, but it is not much more difficult to do the job yourself. You can reduce the length on a sewing machine or using the old time-tested method - by hand.

On a sewing machine

Hemming a T-shirt, top or any other item made of knitwear or synthetic material is done using a similar principle. How to hem a T-shirt on a sewing machine:

1. The product is cut to a certain length.
2. The bottom of the T-shirt is folded along a pre-marked line and the distance from the edge where the seam will be made is determined and basted.
3. Place the garment to be shortened under the sewing machine foot with the wrong side facing up.
4. Align it so that the left needle is located at the very edge of the fold.
5. Place a stopper and stitch around the circle with a blind stitch, trying to avoid pulling.
6. They tie knots and hide the threads.

Manually

In the absence of a sewing machine and the desire to seek help from a specialist in a studio, the least that can be done to reduce the length of the product is to figure out how to hem a T-shirt by hand.

If the knitwear is dense enough and not prone to unraveling, you can leave it alone, but if there is a risk that the knitted weave may “go”, it is better to finish the edge with an overlock.

After shortening, the bottom of the T-shirt is sewn by hand using a hidden cross stitch, which is popularly called a “goat stitch”.

This is done as follows: the needle grabs one or two threads of the fabric from the top and bottom of the allowance cut. It is important to carefully ensure that the stitches are not visible from the outside. The distance between the thread grabs of the fabric should be about 1 cm.

How to Sew Straps on a T-Shirt

It's very easy to shorten the straps on a T-shirt:

1. the strap is torn off on one side (preferably from the back);
2. excess tissue is removed;
3. the piece is returned to its place and carefully sewn on

How to shrink a t-shirt by washing

The easiest way to shrink a T-shirt is to machine wash it in hot water. If you need only a small amount of shrinkage, it is enough to set the temperature to slightly above 40 degrees. If you need to make the item significantly smaller, it is strongly recommended to wash the T-shirt at +90 degrees.

Thus, if the thing you bought or received as a gift does not fit, do not rush to make home clothes out of it. Just a little effort, and it will be quite decent to leave the house in. And if sewing is not your thing, you can always ask for help from a professional seamstress who will be able to do everything necessary quickly and efficiently.