how to resize a t-shirt
January 30, 2010 by Lex
Filed under 2 pin (Moderately Easy) Tutorials, Clothing, Sewing, Tutorials + How Tos, WhatTheCraft.com Tutorials
This is a pretty straight-forward reconstruction. If you’re looking for something to get your diy feet wet with, try this one.
Here’s a simple way to make that too-big Misfits tee you stole from your boyfriend into one that fits.
Difficulty:
Step 1
First, take your big shirt and turn it inside out.
Step 1
Step 2
Next, find a t-shirt that fits well. Lay that sucker on top of the bigger shirt.
It’s easiest if you line the shirts up by the collars.
Mark or pin (or both) around the smaller shirt.
Step 2
Step 3
Cut around the marked/pinned lines, leaving space for your seam allowance.
Sew where you’ve pinned, making sure you leave the collar, armholes, and bottom unsewn (it’d be hard to put the shirt on, otherwise). Harhar!
Hem the armholes and bottom of the shirt (optional, of course, since t-shirt won’t fray!).
Step 3
Step 4
Turn the shirt right side out and put it on. look in the mirror and dance around, because you’ve got a new shirt!
Step 4
Alternate methods:
1. After flipping the too-big shirt inside out, put it on. Have someone pin it to you so that it fits. Sew where you’ve pin. hem, etc.
2. Grab and old shirt that fits, but that you are willing to “destroy”. Cut it apart along the seams. Use this as a pattern on your too-big shirt, and resize each piece (back, front, and sleeves) separately.
Junior Gillon on Sun, 14th Mar 2010 7:17 am
You would not believe how long ive been searching for something like this. Browsed through 9 pages of Yahoo results couldnt find diddly squat. Quick search on bing. There this is…. Gotta start using that more often
Kinu on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 10:58 am
does this work for button up shirts too?
Lex on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 8:48 pm
You could use this to alter a button up shirt, but I’d suggest using another button up shirt as your guide shirt. The stretchiness of a t-shirt would probably result in a button up shirt that was too tight.
Kat on Wed, 5th Oct 2011 2:34 am
Cool. I’ve been thinking about doing this to a couple of shirts I have kicking around. But, how do you deal with the shoulder seams? For what I have, the original shoulder seam would end up hanging off my shoulder an inch or two after adjustment.
Lex on Wed, 5th Oct 2011 3:13 pm
I actually just put together a video tutorial that answers that exact question! It’s not up yet, but soon!