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Posted by Pat in Virginia on May 13, 2007, 9:55 am
I have a nice, new sweatshirt that is too long. I want
to shorten both the body and the sleeves. It has a
pouch pocket and a ribbed bottom. I was thinking of
removing/discarding the ribbed band and sewing the hem
straight across, maybe with short side slits, like a
tunic. I am willing to shorten the sleeves, then add
narrow elastic in a casing. I am also willing to
shorten sleeves and return the rib band. What I need to
know is how to do all this with out stretching out the
hem lines. Should I add some flexible hem tape, or
interfacing, or what? I do have a serger and while I am
not skilled with that, I am willing (eager) to learn.
Thanks for any advice!
PAT in Virginia
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Posted by Donna Gennick on May 13, 2007, 4:44 pm
Hi Pat,
There are so may fun things you can do with sweathshirts! If you have
access to a library, or inter-library loan, see if you can borrow one or
more of the following: Sweatshirts with Style, More Sweatshirts with
Style (both by Mary Mulari), or Kwik-Sew's Sweatshirts Unlimited.
The best way to keep the edges from stretching out of shape is to
stay-stitch about 1/4 to 1/2 inch away from the seam on the body of the
shirt before you cut off the ribbing. Leave the bulk of the seam on the
ribbing instead of on the shirt body.
You can just turn up the hem and sew it down, or add a decorative band
with bias tape or similar, or add tunic-like extensions at the lower
edge, or use another fabric as a facing. The "Style" books I mentioned
explain how.
You can use a serger to finish the edges or re-attach the cuffs, but a
regular sewing machine will do the job nearly as well. Just might not
look quite as neat inside, but not a big deal.
I love altering sweatshirts. They are a blank canvas that you can play
with in so many different ways.
Pat in Virginia wrote:
> I have a nice, new sweatshirt that is too long. I want to shorten both
> the body and the sleeves. It has a pouch pocket and a ribbed bottom. I
> was thinking of removing/discarding the ribbed band and sewing the hem
> straight across, maybe with short side slits, like a tunic. I am willing
> to shorten the sleeves, then add narrow elastic in a casing. I am also
> willing to shorten sleeves and return the rib band. What I need to know
> is how to do all this with out stretching out the hem lines. Should I
> add some flexible hem tape, or interfacing, or what? I do have a serger
> and while I am not skilled with that, I am willing (eager) to learn.
> Thanks for any advice!
> PAT in Virginia
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Posted by CypSew on May 14, 2007, 11:06 pm
Mary Mulari and Nancy Zieman published a book & DVD on changing sweatshirts.
It was a Christmas gift, but I know it's for sale in Nancy's catalog. I've
had fun trying out some of the techniques on some of my older shirts before
getting any new ones. Here in Houston, I wear sweats only a few times
annually.
What I've done before, is stitch a seam about 1-2 inches above where it is
to cut, as Donna suggested. Then after pinning up the hem, I use a double
needle and wooly nylon thread in the bobbin, I hem it from the top. It
gives a double seam on top, and the wooly nylon zig-zags on the wrong side.
Emily
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Posted by Pat in Virginia on May 15, 2007, 5:17 pm
Thanks Emily. As I mentioned to Donna, this is a
University shirt, so I want to keep it simple. I will
have to try the woolly nylon thread you mentioned on an
older, 'less sentimental' shirt. PAT
CypSew wrote:
> Mary Mulari and Nancy Zieman published a book & DVD on changing sweatshirts.
> It was a Christmas gift, but I know it's for sale in Nancy's catalog. I've
> had fun trying out some of the techniques on some of my older shirts before
> getting any new ones. Here in Houston, I wear sweats only a few times
> annually.
> What I've done before, is stitch a seam about 1-2 inches above where it is
> to cut, as Donna suggested. Then after pinning up the hem, I use a double
> needle and wooly nylon thread in the bobbin, I hem it from the top. It
> gives a double seam on top, and the wooly nylon zig-zags on the wrong side.
> Emily
>
>
>
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Posted by Pat in Virginia on May 15, 2007, 5:15 pm
Thanks, Donna. Yes, a sweatshirt can be the starting
point for any number of fun or glitzy or ??? shirts or
jackets. I *should* have mentioned that this is a
pullover sweatshirt, with a University motif. So, I
just need to adjust the lengths. I will try the stay
stitching. As an avid quilter, I've been away from knit
sewing for ages, so this is like starting over!
PAT
Donna Gennick wrote:
> Hi Pat,
>
> There are so may fun things you can do with sweathshirts! If you have
> access to a library, or inter-library loan, see if you can borrow one or
> more of the following: Sweatshirts with Style, More Sweatshirts with
> Style (both by Mary Mulari), or Kwik-Sew's Sweatshirts Unlimited.
...cut...
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