If you're like most people, you really appreciate a cool T-shirt. But what you probably appreciate less is the fact that all the cool T-shirts seem to be cut for enormous men.
If you like your clothes baggy, you're golden — but if you like a slimmer fit, it can be tough to wear your favorite shirts without looking like you're ready for bed.
Luckily, we're here to save you. This nifty T-shirt tailoring trick is super-simple, and it doesn't even require sewing!
It's a quick, easy DIY project that will make any shirt fit you perfectly and, like the neat trick that turns shirts into cardigans, gives new life to shirts you're not otherwise wearing.
Take a look at the steps below, and then hunt through your closet for those old shirts you thought would have to remain pajamas forever!
Would you be up for doing this to your baggy T-shirts? Let us know which ones in the comments below!
First, gather up your materials. For this sample, the cream-colored shirt is our large one, and the blue shirt is our well-fitting one.
You will need:
- A big T-shirt
- A T-shirt that fits you well
- A marker or a piece of chalk that will be easy to see against the color of the big shirt
- Scissors
- A hot glue gun and glue
On a flat surface, lay out the big shirt inside out. Lay the well-fitting shirt on top, and line up the tops of the shoulders. Make sure they're completely flat and even.
Using your marker or chalk, trace the well-fitting T-shirt onto the big shirt. You'll want to give yourself about an extra centimeter around the edge. That will be your seam allowance.
Trace right around the sleeves of the well-fitting T-shirt, too. You can trim the length of the sleeves down on the big shirt, too, or you can leave them.
Once you've traced the shirt, remove it and set it aside.
Now it's time to cut off the excess fabric. Cut on the OUTSIDE of the line you've made. Remember, you can always cut off extra fabric, but you can't put it back on, so err on the side of caution. You'll be cutting up the sides and along the undersides of the sleeves. You can also trim the bottom, too, if your big shirt is too long.
Making the first cut can be daunting, but don't worry! Go slow and double-check, and you'll be fine.
You're removing the extra fabric, and creating a smaller armhole. To make sure things are even, fold the shirt in half and see if the new sleeves line up. If not, make any needed adjustments.
Now, you could sew this if you want and have the time. But if sewing is not your thing, you can totally cheat and use a hot glue gun. It works great and is super-fast!
Keeping the shirt inside-out, run a line of glue between the two layers and press together.
Don't use too much, or you'll get lumps. A single, smooth bead is what you're going for.
Press and hold the fabric together so it bonds strongly. You might want to reinforce the underarm area, too, as this gets a lot of strain.
When the glue has dried and cooled, turn your shirt right-side out.
You'll see that the new "seam" has a finished look.
And your shirt is now much smaller!
Now try it on! You now have a new shirt, tailored just for you!
We left the sleeves long on this one, but you can trim them down. Just fold the shirt in half lengthwise to make sure they match.
We also kept the original length for a "tunic" look, but you can make it shorter if you want. And if you do trim the sleeves and bottom, don't worry about hemming. Most T-shirt fabric will simply roll up and form its own hem. It's like T-shirts are made for DIY projects!
Now that you know how to tailor your tees, be sure to SHARE this tutorial with your friends who have those huge collections of awesome T-shirts that are all three sizes too big!
