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How to Shrink a Shirt?

by XiaoBo 06 Aug 2024

More and more fashionistas are switching to online shopping. The specified volume parameters do not always correspond to those given in size charts and diagrams. Therefore, it tends to get into trouble by ordering something without trying a shirt on.

If you are at least a little friendly with a needle and thread, it will not be difficult to sew clothes with your hands. In addition, it is a significant savings, and the process will take very little time. Let's take the example of a shirt .
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"\n \n \n Off White\n \n \n Off White\n \n "
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"\n \n \n White\n \n \n White\n \n "
"\n \n \n White\n \n \n White\n \n "
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"\n \n \n White\n \n \n White\n \n "
"\n \n \n White\n \n \n White\n \n "

What Types of Fabrics Shrink Easily?

When you have a new piece that you really like and you haven't washed it yet, it's important to read the label carefully - because fabrics can shrink with washing. After one careless washing, you can get a few sizes smaller, or even just a ruined piece, which will remain only to throw away. This does not happen with all materials, but it is often the case that the more natural and expensive the fabric, the greater the chance that the wrong washing mode will ruin everything.

Some types of fabrics have a greater tendency to shrink after washing. Here are some of them:

1. Cotton fabrics, especially those that have not been pre-shrunk, can shrink after washing. Cotton has a natural fiber structure that can shrink when exposed to water and heat, so cotton fabric shrinks when washed.

2. Linen fabric also shrinks after washing. It can shrink and change its shape when exposed to water and mechanical friction.

3. Some wool fabrics may shrink after washing because of their fiber structure. They can shrink and stretch freely when exposed to water and heat. To prevent shrinkage of woolen garments, it is recommended to use special wool laundry products or dry clean them.
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"\n \n \n White\n \n \n White\n \n "

3 Ways to Shrink a Shirt

A shirt that fits well but is the wrong size can be a problem. By reducing the size of the shirt, you can easily give your favorite style another chance to fit you. Making a shirt fit properly can be done with or without sewing.

SHRINKAGE OF THE SHIRT

1. Soak the shirt in hot water.

Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. The boiling water will cause the fabric of the shirt to shrink, making it look smaller. If you aim to shrink the shirt as much as possible, it is better to use boiling water.

· Remove the pot from the stove.
· Dip the shirt into the boiling water. Using a spoon, submerge it completely under the water so that nothing is sticking out above the surface of the water.
· Allow the shirt to soak for 30 minutes.


2. Wash the shirt in hot water.

Set the washing machine to the highest possible wash temperature. Then wash the shirt on a normal wash cycle. If you bought a new shirt that you want to shrink before wearing, washing it in hot water will flatten the fabric fibers and slightly reduce the size of the garment.

· Hot water may cause some fabrics to shed or fade, so wash your shirt separately to avoid ruining the rest of your clothes.
· The shaking characteristics of the laundry when washing in a vertical-load washing machine allow for greater shrinkage than in a front-load washing machine.

3. Dry the shirt in the dryer at maximum temperature.

Place the shirt in the dryer and dry it in the highest temperature setting. The high temperature will cause the shirt to shrink slightly. Except for woolen fabrics, the dryer will not shrink the garment as much as hot water can. If you need to shrink a shirt just a little, wash it in cool water and dry it on high heat.

· High temperatures will shrink synthetic blended fabrics more than garments sewn from pre-shrunk natural fabrics.
· Wool fabrics pile up in the dryer because the individual wool fibers rub against each other and are pressed tighter together, causing the thing to compact and shrink badly.

T-SHIRT TAILORING

1. Get an old T-shirt that fits you well.

Find an old T-shirt that fits your size and that you no longer wear. You will need to cut it up to use as a pattern.

· Get the kind of t-shirt that fits you exactly how you wish to remake a new t-shirt.
· Don't take a t-shirt that you still want to continue wearing for work, as you won't be able to do that by turning it into a pattern.

2. Cut the sleeves off the T-shirt pattern.

First, cut the sleeves along the seam line that joins them to the main fabric of the T-shirt. Then cut a lengthwise seam on each sleeve to make the sleeves into flat pieces.

3. Cut the side seams of the old T-shirt.

Carefully cut the T-shirt at the seams on both sides. You will only have the shoulder seams and the neckline intact in the template pattern from an old T-shirt.

4. Cut those seams of the new T-shirt that will need to be sewn.

Cut at the sleeve seams. Cut the side seams of the T-shirt. Cut a lengthwise seam on the sleeves to unfold them into flat pieces.

5. Stack the T-shirts on top of each other.

First, lay your new T-shirt on the table and straighten it out.

· Then place the pattern T-shirt on top of the new T-shirt to be sewn.
· Align the two shirts at the neck.
· Pin the shirts together so that they do not shift.

6. Cut the excess fabric off the new T-shirt.

Cut the new T-shirt to the outline of the pattern T-shirt, about one centimeter from the outline. This centimeter will be the allowance for the new seams on the T-shirt.

· Trim the sleeve details of the new T-shirt to the sleeve contours of the pattern T-shirt. Again, be sure to leave an allowance of about one-centimeter width on the sleeves.
· If desired, trim the bottom of the new T-shirt if you want it to be the same length as the patterned T-shirt.

7. Pin the sleeve pieces to the main T-shirt piece.

Take the flat sleeve pieces and staple them to the T-shirt using straight sartorial pins.

· The sleeves should be stitched so that they face each other, with the sleeve pieces laying on top of the shirt itself.
· When the sleeves are stitched into the armhole, they are still flat pieces.

8. Roll up the sleeves.

Use a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine to sew the sleeves in. The normal straight stitch is not suitable for knitted fabric.

· Use a thread that matches the color of the T-shirt fabric.
· Place the stitched T-shirt and sleeve pieces under the sewing machine foot, and then stitch the seam.

9. Sew the side seams of the T-shirt.

Turn the shirt inside out and sew the side seams. On both sides, start stitching straight from the sleeves to the bottom edge of the shirt.

· When sewing the side seams, also use thread that matches the fabric of the T-shirt.
· The seams should be sewn on the wrong side so that they are not visible when you put the T-shirt on.

10. Sew up the bottom of the T-shirt.

While the T-shirt is still inside out, fold the bottom edge of the T-shirt over by one centimeter. The tuck should be turned inward on the wrong side so that it is not visible from the face.

· Using a sewing machine, stitch the liner on the wrong side to secure it.

11. Smooth the seams with an iron.

Take an iron and smooth out the seam allowances of the seams you just made.

12. Try on a new T-shirt.

The new T-shirt now follows the fit of the patterned T-shirt. Keep the patterned T-shirt for future sewing.

CUT CORRECTION

1. Tie the shirt in the back in a knot.

Make the shirt tighter with a knot in the back.

· Tighten the fabric of the shirt on the back.
· Twist the fabric around the bottom edge.
· Tie the fabric in a low knot.

2. Secure the fabric with safety pins.

Tighten the fabric of the shirt back. Use safety pins to secure the back of the shirt in this position.

· Pin the pins on the wrong side of the shirt so they are not visible.
· Wear a blazer or sweater over the shirt to disguise a hastily corrected shirt cut.

3. Trim the bottom of the shirt.

Create a shortened sports shirt by cutting off the bottom half of the shirt. After this step, the bottom of the shirt can be left untrimmed or hemmed.

· Wear a tank top or t-shirt under a cropped shirt to create a layered outfit or look more modest.

Tips

· Double-stitch the seams in the armpit area, as they are under a lot of stress when you put things on and take them off.
· Buy cheap large shirts from the second-hand and sew them to your own shape.
· To reduce shrinkage, soak the garment in cold water and spread it out to dry, securing the position of the fabric with a weight.
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