Shortening t-shirts

skrizzlex

I've got a bunch of t-shirts that fit me perfectly but are a couple of inches too long (they reach nearly to the crotch of my pants when I'd like them around zipper-level). I'd like to hem them or something, but I can't sew at all and shirts seem kind of different from pants. Is this something a tailor could do for me? How much would it cost?

I'm also wondering if I can just cut off the last few inches and sort of glue them so they don't fray, since I've got this one shirt which has the end seemingly cut off and curled up somehow and it looks really nice. Is this something I can do at home or will I just end up ruining my shirt?

Dioltas

It has a good chance of ruining your shirt. And don't glue it either, that won't help matters. Do you know anyone who has a sewing machine? Because that would be a really easy job for them, just ask them to do it in exchange for a few buck or dinner or something.

Otherwise you might try calling some local tailors and asking them if they would do that, and if they could quote you a price if they do.

crake

Could probably get that done at the drycleaner's. Most of them offer minor things like button sewing and hemming pants. Even if they don't offer this particular service, I'm sure you could convince them to do it and charge you something fair (and I bet they'll just charge you the pant hemming fee for it).

For future refference, glue wont work as intended on clothes (meaning you'll get weird mixed results). Duct tape works great as an emergency measure, and even lasts a couple washes. Stapling will ruin clothes and rust in the wash if you forget about them.

Carnivore

If it is possible try to get it done at a tailors. A drycleaners probably does small patch jobs but you are looking for basically major remodelling of the shape of the shirt.

You basically want the bottom 2 inches cut off and fixed up right? Thats tought to do, especially if you want a flat and smooth edge.

You could try doing it yourself, the basic idea is to cut the end off, and fold about a centimeter or 2 of the edge over on itself and sew these two parts together. You would need a sewing machine, pretty simple to do but depends how valuable these t-shirts are.

If it was me, I'd either just cut the end off and have it rough, thats an acceptable style round here, frayed edges, or shrink em in the wash if that is possible. Might get tight around the chest but the length will be fine and tight tees are also stylish too.

Midshipman

If you are interested in trying it yourself, but aren't big on sewing, you can buy iron-on adhesive strips that are made for hemming your pants. You can usually find them in the sewing section of your local Target, Walmart, what-have-you.

Cycophant

crake wrote: »

For future refference, glue wont work as intended on clothes (meaning you'll get weird mixed results). Duct tape works great as an emergency measure, and even lasts a couple washes. Stapling will ruin clothes and rust in the wash if you forget about them.

He could, however, get a specialty fabric glue. I know I've seen several different types before, and it seemed to work all right the few times I've actually seen it used. I can't imagine it would hold up as well as actually hemming the shirt, but that might be hard to get done without getting a friend with a sewing machine, so it might be worth a try.

Blake T

Fabric glue would keep it together for the wash.

It does however stain the shit out of the fabric.

Go find a tailor it will most likely be less than five dollars per shirt.

Szechuanosaurus

Find a local tailor. Not one of the fancy places that make suits to order, one of the small family run places that will no doubt be called 'Stitch in Time' or 'Stitched Up' (is stitched up a phrase in america?) or "Threadrigo Mendez' House of the Rising Hem" or some other similarly bad attempt at a pun on the art of mending and altering clothes. These places pretty much thrive off making length alterations to clothes. No idea how much it'll cost, just take the tees in and ask but I use a place like that all the time for getting an inch or two taken off jeans.

Everywhereasign

Szechuanosaurus wrote: »

Find a local tailor. Not one of the fancy places that make suits to order, one of the small family run places that will no doubt be called 'Stitch in Time' or 'Stitched Up' (is stitched up a phrase in america?) or "Threadrigo Mendez' House of the Rising Hem" or some other similarly bad attempt at a pun on the art of mending and altering clothes. These places pretty much thrive off making length alterations to clothes.

Excellent advice, what you're asking is not hard to do for someone who's done it a few hundred times. I honestly can't see any type of do it yourself application being nearly as nice looking.

crake

[QUOTE=Cycophant;1077892

He could, however, get a specialty fabric glue. I know I've seen several different types before, and it seemed to work all right the few times I've actually seen it used. I can't imagine it would hold up as well as actually hemming the shirt, but that might be hard to get done without getting a friend with a sewing machine, so it might be worth a try.[/QUOTE]


I stand corrected, sir. Didn't know that stuff existed.

Rabid_Llama

I wouldn't take it to a drycleaner. I work in one and I am pretty sure we don't do T-shirt alterations.