How to Alter a Men's T-Shirt

Sometimes a T-shirt can have a great logo but just be too big. T-shirts are easy to alter, though, and can be adjusted to your size while still preserving the logo or print on your T-shirt.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sewing machine
• Sewing machine needle for knit fabrics
• Thread
• Pins
• Invisible-ink pen

1. Put on your T-shirt and pin the parts you wish to adapt. If you wish to make the T-shirt narrower, pin up the sides. If the shirt needs to be narrower all the way up, pin up the sleeves as well until it appears to be fitted.

2. With the invisible-ink pen, mark on the shirt where you've pinned.

3. Unpin the shirt and take it off.

4. Lay the shirt down and pin along the marks, trying to maintain a straight and natural seam. Keep the seams even. For example, when pinning, keep your shirt flat even after the pins are inserted. Also, when pinning any part of the sleeve, make sure the armpit seam stays in place.

5. Sew along your marks, and try the shirt on.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also shorten the sleeves on a shirt by folding them up, pinning and sewing through all of the layers. This may be easier than just cutting up the sleeve or ripping up its seams. You can do the same technique with the length of the shirt as well. Make sure to use a longer stitch length when sewing through the jersey. This will maintain the fabric's looseness. Most sewing machine needles will work on knit fabrics, but a ball-point needle specifically meant for knit fabrics will lessen needle breakage.