How to Alter a Crewneck Shirt

This is a typical crew neck t-shirt.

The crewneck t-shirt is practically a ubiquitous garment in fashion. It officially debuted in fashion in the 1920s when the American military copied the cool cotton undershirts of the European soldiers. While technically there is no right or wrong way to alter a crewneck t-shirt, certain methods of altering such a shirt are more or less fashionable. For example, creating a V-neck from your crewneck t-shirt allows you to create a more breathable, more casual neckline that looks edgier and more alternative.

Things You'll Need

• Shears

Instructions

1. Hold the t-shirt facing you by the seams at the tops of the shoulders. Shake it out and lay it on a flat surface. Smooth out any wrinkles.

2. Fold the t-shirt in half, creating a vertical crease right down the middle. The front of the t-shirt should still be visible with the back of the t-shirt folded inwards.

3. Check the sleeves to ensure they're lined up perfectly. Create a 3 inch cut down the middle crease with your shears.

4. Put on your t-shirt. Pull either sides of the cut with your hands. This will aggravate the V-shape, making it rounder and deeper.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want, when you've folded your shirt vertically, you can create slices right through the middle of the sleeves to create an even edgier look. You can also cut the sleeves right off to make the t-shirt in a sleeveless V-neck.

• You can also remove the ribbed crew neck with your scissors before you begin to even fold or cut the v-neck for an even more extreme look.

References

• T-shirt Buyer's Guide: History of the T-shirt
• "I Wanna Make My Own Clothes"; Clea Hantman, et al; 2006