Cut a T Shirt

Regular T-shirts can be boring and unflattering, especially if they are oversized. Luckily, there are lots of ways to revamp your old tees to create an edgier, more feminine look. Read on to learn how!

Steps

Method One: Racerback Tank

  1. Lay your T-shirt down flat on a rug. Use a scissor to cut around the hem of the collar, creating a scooped boat neck.
  2. Cut off the sleeves. Cut just inside the seams of each sleeve and save one of the sleeves to use later.
  3. Shape the back. Cut the back of the shirt so that it has a lower scoop than the front. Cut in two slightly curved lines that meet in the center to form an upside-down triangle.
  4. Pull the cut edges taut, so they curl over.
  5. Cut the hem off of one of the extra sleeves. Make an additional cut in the hem so that you have one long strip of fabric rather than a ring.
  6. Create the racerback. Laying the shirt face down, tie the back straps together with the piece of fabric you have cut. Do a double knot and then cut off the ends.
  7. Finished! Enjoy your new racerback.

Method Two: Off-the-Shoulder Tee

  1. Start off with a slightly oversized T-shirt. Fold it in half vertically with the front of the shirt facing outward, making sure that the sleeves are evenly aligned. Use a pen to mark the point on the collar where the shirt is folded.
  2. Measure your neckline. Holding a tape measure at the base of your neck, measure from that point to a couple of inches below your shoulder on the opposite side.
    • Round down by 1 or 2 centimeters, and then divide that number in half.
  3. Lay the T-shirt flat on your working surface. Measure from the shoulder of your shirt (about 2 inches away from the collar) to the front center of the shirt. Mark the point where your measurement (divided by two) aligns with the original marking you made in the center of the collar. Mark just above the tape measure at that point and at the starting point (0).
  4. Cut the top layer of the shirt first. Making sure you are only cutting the top layer, make a circular cut from the shoulder to the center of the shirt where you made your mark. Now, make a horizontal cut at the starting point to release the collar and create a flap.
  5. Fold the collar flap over to the other side. Use it as a template to continue cutting the other side of the T-shirt. Again, make sure you are only cutting the top layer of the T-shirt.
  6. Cut the back of the shirt. For the back of the shirt, only cut along the hem of the collar. Making a scooped cut in the back of the shirt will make the hole too large and the shirt will hang too low off of your shoulder.
  7. Remove the hems. Cut the hems off of each sleeve and the bottom of the T-shirt.
  8. Pull the cut edges taut, so they curl over.
  9. Finished! Enjoy your new off shoulder T!

Tips

  • If possible, practice by first cutting a T-shirt that you wouldn't mind discarding of.
  • Make the neckline of the tank top as high or as low as you want. You might want to try the T-shirt on first and make marks to determine where to cut.

Things You'll Need

  • Scissors
  • Tape measure
  • Pen

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