I’m going to tell you something that may make you feel uneasy, but it’s the truth. When your t-shirt is overly long, it will give the impression that you are wearing a dress.
Don’t get stressed over it. I’m going to explain how to quickly crop a long t-shirt so it fits perfectly.
This is something that a sewing machine can do rapidly. However, I’ll also describe how to accomplish it easily by hand.
These are the supplies you will need to get going:
- a sewing machine or needle
- a thread that closely resembles the color of your fabric
- sewing pins
- a fabric pen or chalk
- a ruler
- scissors
What should the length of the t-shirt be?
The ideal length will fall 2 to 3 inches below your beltline, hitting mid-fly. Much longer and it begins to resemble a dress, but if raising your arms displays your stomach, your shirt is too short.
Measure and pin
There are two methods you can use to determine how much fabric needs to be removed.
The first and simplest technique is to utilize a perfectly fitting t-shirt as a template if you already own one.
- Lay the t-shirt that needs altering on a flat surface after turning it inside out. To ensure a completely even hem, align the front and back of the hem and pin them together.
- Lay your perfectly tailored t-shirt on top. Make sure the shoulders are aligned at the top.
- Create a mark with your fabric pencil along the hem.
- Draw a second line with your ruler one-half inch below the first one so you have enough fabric to create a hem.
- Cut across the line you just made with your scissors to remove the surplus material.
- Pin the fabric in place after folding it up so that it has a half-inch hem.
- Place the pins so that they are outside of the shirt. Later on, this will be useful.
- Check that the side seams of your t-shirt are aligned correctly.
If you don’t already have a perfectly fitting T-shirt to utilize as a template, what should you do?
- Put on a t-shirt and grab your ruler.
- You’re going to measure how much fabric you want to cut away.
- Keep in mind that your shirt should end two or three inches below your belt.
- Lay the t-shirt on the flat surface with the inside facing out.
- The shirt’s front and back hems should be aligned so that they are equal before being pinned together.
- Mark the area you’ll be removing using your fabric pencil and ruler.
- Draw a second straight line a half-inch below that one so that you have enough fabric left over to create a hem.
- Cutting off the excess fabric and folding and pinning the hem are the same as before.
Sew
I’m going to begin by explaining how to achieve this with a sewing machine.
Because t-shirts are knit, they have more stretch than woven garments like dress shirts, therefore you want your hem to be able to move smoothly with the rest of the fabric.
We are going to use a double needle here, as opposed to the standard single needle that we would normally work with. The use of a double needle to sew the fabric results in the creation of a zigzag stitch on the back of the fabric, which enables the fabric to stretch more freely.
It’s alright if you don’t have a double needle. In a pinch, one needle will do. Put bluntly, the end result won’t be as strong.
- We are going to use a straight stitch on the machine, and the stitch length will be set to 2.5 millimeters.
- Ensure that the double straight lines are on the outside and the zigzag is inside your t-shirt by turning it right side out.
- Place the shirt so that the right needle is 3/8 of an inch from the edge of the fabric.
- First you will create a couple of front stitches, and then you will make a few back stitches. As a result, the thread is locked in and your stitch won’t unravel.
- Remove pins as you go and stitch across the hem straight.
- When you’ve finished, add a few extra back stitches to the end to complete the stitch.
What happens if you lack a sewing machine?
You can easily hand sew the hem, so don’t worry.
Cut a length of thread that is at least twice as long as the hem.
In order to achieve the highest possible level of durability, we are going to double-thread the needle. It’s a good idea to cut an extra foot of thread. It’s preferable to have a little too much than to run out mid-sewing.
- Hold the thread to the needle and make both ends equal in length before tying a knot.
- Make an X with the thread by wrapping it around your index finger. With your thumb and index finger, finish the X. Slide your index finger back.
- Now, take your middle finger down in front to keep it in place before pulling the thread with your other hand. As a result, you have a solid knot that won’t unravel.
- Sew into the hem one at a time, working your way around.
- Similar to a sewing machine, you should sew about 3/8 of an inch from the shirt’s edge.
- Alternate between inserting the needle through one side and then returning it to the other side.
- For optimal strength, try to keep your stitches close together; a good starting point is 2 to 3 mm.
- It can be tempting to use longer stitches to speed up the process, but if the hem bursts open later, you’ll regret taking short cuts.
- Once you’ve reached the end, tie a knot by inserting the needle through the loop created by pulling the needle to the last stitch.
- To ensure that it is safe and secure, repeat this process a few times.
You are now left with a stylish t-shirt that is the ideal length.
