How to Enlarge a Shirt Neck Size

Turn a too-tight neckline into an attractive V-neck shirt.

Transform a shirt with a too-tight neckline into a shirt with a dramatic boat neck, V-neck or even a wide rounded neckline. There is a variety of ways to alter the shirt and each allows you to make use of clothing that would otherwise be headed for the trash bin. Those plain, old shirts with regular, high necklines tend to pile up at the back of the closet, but you can give those old shirts new life with these few quick changes for an instantly replenished wardrobe.

Things You'll Need

• Oval plate
• Tailor’s chalk
• Double-fold bias binding tape
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine or needle
• Thread
• Round dinner plate

Instructions

Boat Neck Neckline

1. Turn the shirt inside out and lay it on your work surface. Lay an oval plate over the top 1/2 inch of the neck of the shirt. The plate should only cover this small amount of the neckline and fit within the shoulder seams of the shirt. A boat neck shirt has a wide, not deep, neckline.

2. Trace the outline of the plate onto the shirt with a piece of chalk. Draw from one shoulder seam to the other. This creates the wide neckline. Cut out the new neckline along the traced line. Cut through both layers of the shirt.

3. Measure the circumference of the new neckline and add 1/2 inch. Cut a piece of double-fold bias binding tape to this length. Slide the neckline within the fold of the binding tape, beginning at one shoulder seam to minimize the appearance of the binding tape’s seam.

4. Sew a straight stitch all the way around the neckline to join the binding tape to the shirt. This creates a smooth, finished neckline for the shirt.

V-Neck Neckline

1. Turn the shirt inside out and try it on. Measure the distance from the front, center of the neckline to the depth you would like the “V". Make a mark on the shirt with a piece of chalk. From the center of the neckline, measure the width you would like the “V” and use the chalk to mark the width on the left and right of the center.

2. Take off the shirt and lay it inside out on your work surface. Use a ruler to connect the chalk marks on the shirt. Cut out the “V” shape along the lines. Cut through only the front layer of the shirt.

3. Measure the length of each side of the “V”. Cut a piece of binding tape to each length. Slide the cut edges of the shirt in between the folds of the tape and pin the tape to the shirt.

4. Sew a straight stitch along the tape to create a finished neckline.

Rounded Neckline

1. Lay the shirt inside out on your work surface. Cover the neck of the shirt with 1/2 to 2/3 of a round dinner plate. For a moderately deep neckline, cover the neck with half of the plate. For a daring neckline, cover the neck with 2/3 of the plate. The plate should fit within the shoulder seams of the shirt.

2. Trace around the plate with chalk and then cut out the new neckline along the traced line. Cut through both layers of the shirt.

3. Measure the circumference of the new neckline and cut a piece of the binding tape to this length, plus an additional 1/2 inch. Slide the neckline of the shirt into the fold of the tape and pin it in place.

4. Sew a straight stitch around the neckline to attach the tape and complete the transformation.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use regular chalk in place of tailor’s chalk. Draw a light line and follow the clothing’s washing instructions to remove the chalk.

• If you do not have the binding tape, you can use a strip of the same fabric as the shirt to finish the neckline. Fold the strip in half to find the center. Open the strip and fold the outer edges of the strip in to the center. Iron the strip to keep the fabric folded. Pin and sew the fabric strip to the shirt’s neckline in the same way as the binding tape.

References

• Generation T: Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-shirt; Megan Nicolay
• The Perfect Fit: The Classic Guide to Altering Patterns; Editors of Creative Publishing