For the warm season, they revise summer clothes, buy things without trying them on - not everything fits perfectly. It is useful to review the clothes of loved ones; something from parents and older brothers has a chance of becoming a “new thing” in a young girl’s wardrobe. After winter, the body changes shape, and some of the clothes have to be altered. Don't be disappointed if you liked an oversized item from the catalog that doesn't fit as well as it does on the model - we'll alter it!
Sewing a T-shirt with your own hands
The main condition for a stylish look is a perfect fit. Agree, if a tank top or T-shirt fits beautifully around the chest and the shoulders fall off, it looks careless. Or the top fits perfectly, the bottom of the knitted sweater dangles on the waist, hips or stomach. It’s better to spend a couple of hours of time, then it’s time to show off in a spectacular way.
It’s much easier to sew a tank top – just cut a narrow strip in the center of the back, as Andre Tan shows in the video. Then you can decorate the seam, for example, with bows, so that an ordinary T-shirt looks like a designer item.
Alternatively, the fold on the back or along the front can be folded with a bow fold in the form of a fastener, sewing on beautiful buttons. Lightning is also suitable if it is decorative, for example, with shiny stones. Only a beginner will find it difficult to sew a zipper onto a thin knitted base; this is a task for experienced craftswomen.
Advice! If you doubt that a knitted seam or sewing in accessories will turn out successfully, entrust a complex piece of work to specialists from an atelier with industrial equipment.
The item to be altered must be clean, ironed, with a mark along the seam that is to be finished, regardless of whether you alter it yourself or take it to seamstresses. If you need to shrink the T-shirt a little on the sides, do not rush to cut off the excess jersey before using the machine. An overlocker in the hands of a master will finish the edge of the knitted seam and cut off the excess during the work. This can be easily done in any sewing workshop.
How to sew a T-shirt one size smaller
Most often you have to sew in things that are a little too big. Many T-shirts have a unisex cut (sports, for boys and girls) and require a perfect fit on a woman’s figure. To ensure that the item fits perfectly after modernization, you need to check proportionality in the main places:
- on shoulders;
- along the neck;
- in the chest;
- at the waist;
- in the hips;
- on the stomach;
- along the edge of the product.
It is easiest to suture when the shoulders are in place. Then there is no need to adjust the hem and armhole, or alter the sleeves. Even beginners can sew such T-shirts. However, if the item is sutured more than 5 cm along the edges, it is necessary to move the seam smoothly to the sleeve.
If the shoulders hang down, you cannot do without adjusting the entire product; you will have to rip off the sleeves and adjust the pattern.As a pattern, use a T-shirt that fits your figure perfectly. It is laid out with the front side on the wrong side of the T-shirt being altered. For symmetry on products where the front and back are separate during work, the pattern and altered parts are folded in half - symmetrically vertically.
Important! Don't forget to leave 0.5 - 0.7 cm seam allowances at the edges!
Sew on the sides
To do this, you need to turn the prepared item inside out and mark it on yourself with tailor's needles (with colored balls) or pins along the width. You can simply pinch and make chalk marks. You ask, why turn it inside out? Any sewing work is done on the wrong side of the product so that marks do not have to be transferred. After removing the product, lay it out on the work table, carefully leveling it with your hands to make it symmetrical. With chalk, mark a smooth line along which the seam will be laid using a machine or overlocker, pin it together, and stitch it.
Advice! In order not to make a mistake with the marks on the waist, which is made narrower when altered, during fitting, tie some kind of ribbon or tourniquet with a “belt”. This will help to accurately mark the place of the thinnest volume.
It is advisable to try on the bra you will wear with (or without). Adjust the product on yourself so that it fits most comfortably, mark the waist points on the side seams just above the control tape. You can sew knitwear in different ways:
- on a sewing machine, setting the mode or option for knitwear;
- process with an overlocker, simultaneously cutting off the excess along the edges;
- manually, if you have the skill to work with knitwear and stitching the crumbling edge;
- in a workshop where everything will be done by specialists.
It happens that a T-shirt needs to be expanded.This is more difficult to do, but try to limit yourself to contrasting inserts, make a lace insert with lacing or “stripes” on the sides. A good trick is to make parallel cuts along the back and loop the braid directly on yourself, turning the front. It’s so easy to adjust the size, and at the same time you’ll get a new creative thing.
Features of reducing the length of a T-shirt
When a product needs to be shortened, be creative - this is an opportunity to make the item more interesting. The bottom seam of knitted products is usually processed using a cover stitching machine or an overlocker. Not everyone has such equipment. In order not to “fool” with processing the bottom seam, which is done on special equipment, use atypical methods of working with knitwear:
- make an oblique or curly cut, make small holes just above the cutting line in equal increments of 1.5 - 2 cm and thread a knitted ribbon of a contrasting color, but you can thread silk ribbons through the holes and tie them in pairs;
- make a figured cutout and finish it with a sharp hook, knitting a row of “shells” or a scalloped “crawfish step” stitch;
- fringe - cut off the bottom seam with sharp scissors, mark strips of 1 cm by 5–7 cm along the inside with a pencil and cut these strips, which do not require processing (if the ribbons are long, you can make knots at the ends).
These are the easiest ways to shorten a t-shirt and make it look designer. Again, you can give it to a craftswoman with sewing equipment and make a classic seam. As an option, stretching it a little, twist the oblique cut into a tube along the edge. It will also turn out interesting, but make sure that the knitwear does not unravel in texture.
Technological features of the T-shirt sewing process
In structurally simple things, the main thing is a good cut and neatly executed seams. When comparing T-shirts and T-shirts, it is obvious that some fit perfectly and hide disproportion. This is a thing made using technology.
The need to create a pattern
Those who know how to sew do not throw away clothes with a good cut, using them as patterns. It is better to draw them out of dense polyethylene - it is convenient to lay them out on the things to be sutured. This way you can see the design and all the design features of the modernized T-shirts. You can also use ready-made patterns or contact a specialist, for example, a cutter or tailor; the patterns will be useful for the future.
Advice! Cutting and sewing courses will be a useful science for young girls. The skill of creating an accurate pattern for any product will remain for life.
So, stock up on a pattern if you want to sew quickly, correctly and beautifully. In the meantime, use your knits with a perfect fit.
The nuances of manually reducing a T-shirt
Sewing knitwear by hand is not very convenient, but this is the only way out when the machine “doesn’t work.” On the other hand, you are your own boss when your equipment malfunctions.
The fastest way to hand sew – simultaneously sew the parts of the T-shirt and overcast the edges. Be sure to baste the product with a thick stitch so that the combined parts do not slip.
Advice! To achieve a high-quality seam that imitates stitching, it is better to practice in advance on scraps of knitwear. The experience justifies the time spent - individual chaotic stitches will not be visible on the seams.
The most difficult thing is to achieve the elasticity of a knitted product when working with your hands, but an overcast seam provides sufficient plasticity.It is advisable to stock up on elastic threads for knitwear in craft stores.
What seams to use to sew on a T-shirt using a sewing machine
The newer and more advanced the sewing machine, the more options it has that allow you to select the desired modes. A good machine has the ability to sew knitwear. If this option is not available, try sewing with a regular stitch, releasing the thread holder to make a loose stitch. If it doesn't work out neatly, pull up the excess stitches by hand.
Try sewing knitwear at different speeds. With simple old-style machines (Podolsk, Chaika), this significantly affects the quality of the seam.
Advice! If there is no special stitch for knitwear to achieve elasticity. Try a small zigzag on control samples; it can be used in cases where plasticity of the seams is required.
You can also sew knitted items with an overlocker, while sewing the edges. Try all the options on scraps of knitwear until you find a satisfactory option, then move on to sewing.
How to process the edges of a product
Experienced craftswomen know that when cut vertically, knitwear does not unravel or fray. But the processing of the edges of the product counteracts excessive stretching of the seams and deformation of the product, which significantly extends the wearing life of the T-shirt.
Edge processing is possible in 3 ways:
- overlocker without trimming and with edge trimming;
- on a sewing machine with an overcast stitch;
- manually using a special overlock stitch.
Choose an accessible method, the main thing is that it turns out neatly and elastically.
How to reduce the size of a product that is decorated with a pattern or embroidery
Most often, the category of “favorite” summer items includes light knitwear with prints, embroidery, beads and stones.If your plans do not include hiding excess weight or a belly that has become rounder over the winter, we suggest tailoring your favorite T-shirts and tank tops to fit your figure.
Attention! You need to work with the drawing especially carefully, making sure that the indentations along the edges are absolutely symmetrical!
A thing that is too narrow can distort the pattern on the chest, so lovers of tight knitwear should not get too carried away with experiments with elasticity.
Advice! If, when reducing the size, the design is distorted or when re-cut it goes into the armhole, you can make the front part slightly wider than the back. But the seam line itself and the sleeve cap must match.
List of materials and tools needed when sewing a T-shirt
A good craftsman can be seen by his instrument. But if you have minimal experience in needlework, and you don’t have a sewing machine (especially an electric or industrial one) or an overlocker in your house, what should you do? Make do with simple craft tools:
- needle and sewing thread (No. 40, good quality);
- cotton threads of contrasting color for basting;
- thimble (optional) if sewing by hand;
- large scissors for cutting and small ones with sharp ends for adjustments;
- chalk for marking;
- tape measure;
- iron or steamer;
- pins or needles for basting.
Advice! Without experience working with knitwear, try training on things that you don’t mind throwing away. Do only the accessible part of the work yourself. It is better to master complex stages under the guidance of a master or contact specialists who will arrange the item for a small fee.
Secrets of perfect, neat sewing of a product
Whatever the size of the T-shirt, any jersey can be made into a smaller jersey.It is advisable to eliminate deformation as much as possible when combining the front and back. There are 2 ways:
- Having cut off the seams, separate the front and back, fold in half along the neckline and cut according to patterns or a finished product that fits perfectly;
- Lay out the T-shirt on the table, leveling the knitwear under the chalk markings of the smaller size pattern; you will have to cut the product on the sides at the bottom seam (on both sides) so that it does not pull when laying it out.
When markings are made with chalk and pins, the seams do not slip, making suturing easier and more accurate.
It is problematic to sew very thin knitwear with a household sewing machine so that the seam does not pull. Lining or strips of newspaper are placed along the bottom of the seam, which can be easily removed upon completion of the work.
Accuracy also depends on how the edges are finished. When working with an overlocker, you need to release a small tail of thread, which is tied in a knot and tucked into the seam.
The stitching is ironed, the edge of the seam is pressed onto the back side and hemmed by hand so that it does not stick out from the bottom. If you do everything according to technology, a new thing, even in the hands of a beginner, will look like a fairy tale!
Sewing a T-shirt is faster than describing everything in detail. Try to remake one product yourself, it will be an invaluable experience. Then you will review your wardrobe every warm season to look perfect. For clarity, it is better to watch the master class on video.
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