Inspired by Mrs @mart’s handmade coat, I wonder, how easy is it to make your own t-shirts by copying one you already have?
I am not sure what’s going on but it seems the clothes these days but they just aren’t as good as they used to be, especially t-shirts, with really weird fits now such as really short arms, oversized necks, just overall odd! I have old t-shirts that are the perfect fit (and material!) but they aren’t going to last forever - so I wonder how easy it would be to use them as a template to make new ones. Anyone got any ideas? Anyone tried it?
You used to be able to buy transfer pages that you used in an ink jet printer then ironed onto s T-shirt may be a decade or so ago. The only problem was that you were limited to A4 size. I did buy a pack at the time and tried it, it worked quite well
There is bound to be something similar now I would have thought. (Don’t forget to print the mirror image)
Ah yeah, not bothered by design - it’s more for the fit and quality. T-shirts you buy now are just plain rubbish. Even the ‘good’ brands fall apart or are just too big or too small!
I just buy the el cheapo T Shirts from Big W, the collars are fine and at $4.50 they are a bargain but I buy them two sizes larger as they do skimp on material and I like a looser fit. They only come in white, grey and dark blue.
Noticed when my brother was visiting that his UK T Shirts were made of a much thicker material than here but that might just be a climate issue.
Old T-shirts can be used as templates for new ones but it is quite involved …and sewing experience is needed. Mrs mart makes nearly all of her outer clothes but they are done at a leisurely hobby pace and she shies away from making anything for others these days. Sometimes does a few alterations when pressed but that’s about it. Is there a person local to you who you could turn to?
She says to go to YouTube and look for ‘cloning your clothes’. There are lots of videos on it. I just did that and here is a video showing a method of doing it but there are others. Not much difference in male/female when it comes to T-shirts…
Those factors can vary a lot. YouTube can be very useful. According to her who knows, It’s best to try making the item with a cheap bit of material using all the stitch types needed. If successful, go on to make the actual garment wanted.
I know she can make mistakes even though quite experienced and then has to spend some time unpicking. Lots of patience with some cussing would be my observation.
T-shirts that look like manufactured ones require the right equipment. Since they’re generally made from a knit fabric, the seam has to stretch. The fastest way to get a stretch stitch is to have an overlock machine.
A regular sewing machine does stretch stitches, and since knits generally don’t unravel, you could get a way with a stretch stitch on a regular sewing machine but the seams wouldn’t look the same as on an overlock machine. It wouldn’t look the same with a regular sewing machine.
On my quick search on Amazon, I didn’t see an overlock machine for less than $179 US.
The neck also would take a ribbed knit that you’d have to buy to match the rest of the fabric. I’ve done it with regular knit folded over, but again, it doesn’t look the same. Getting the right match would take some looking around.
The cost to get the right equipment and the right materials is pretty high. If you want it to look like a regular t-shirt, it would cost a lot of money. If you want it to look like a reasonable copy that doesn’t really look like a t-shirt, you’d need some skills on a regular sewing machine and skills handling the seams. Without an overlock machine, the hem on the sleeve might look different and the sleeve might hang differently.
Thanks Butter… so I guess that answers my question - it’s not very easy at all
I remember now that years ago I asked my sister-in-law to copy one of my favourite shirts, and, like you said, it was ‘stiff’, in the sense that it felt like I would almost rip it if I moved or stretched in a certain way - I guess because of the stretch-stitch (or lack of).
I wonder if a better idea would be to go to one of the countries that manufacture t-shirts and see if they could produce what I have in mind - I’m pretty sure I can’t be the only one wanting them!
Having bought a new sewing machine for one of my favorite hobbies i am now trying out designing and pattern making before progressing to actually making an item…T Shirts a definate no no…stretch fabrics for one are so hard to gauge when sewing with a machine…I have made a few TShirts for fancy dress parties that we use to have often but for actually wearing …noway as they all have turned out like you obviously made that look!
I like LandsEnd TShirts during their sale times that are often…
20 Pounds can get you a good quality fabric and the designs are my taste…Cotton 100% or 95% Cotton with 5 % Elastine/Lycra
Nothing to do with Azz’s desire but more my mis interpretation. As a matter of interest I looked on Amazon for T Shirt printing and it is much more sophisticated than it was when I tried it a decade or so ago.
These days you print the image the right way up and it works on Ink jet or laser printers - as an example
Hmm. So you’re thinking of buying a ticket to travel to a foreign country to create a company from slave labor?
Might be less expensive to find a local seamstress with an overlock machine . They would take your measurements and be able to copy the shirt. The shirt would be expensive, but you could get more later.
And you can pick your own fabric. Look at the pretty colors!
C’mon Butter! I’d make sure they are paid a fair wage - and I’d be specifically going there for their expertise, given most of the best garments I own were manufactured there (albeit before the greedy corporations instructed them to make products with a more limited product life).
I wasn’t being serious mind - too much bother just for a t-shirt. There are still some manufacturers with old style shirts, Asolo (Italian brand) are still good. Tho there’s only so many you can buy of one brand! (I already have 5 in different colours )
It’s the fit, material and general quality Butter.
I’m not sure if you have anything like Asos over there, but their t-shirts are rubbish - even stores like Topman now are just rubbish.
They have things like over-sized necks, or they’re cut slightly narrower in the mid section or they have weird arms. They almost always have thin necks which stretch after a few washes. I have some old t-shirts that are till in pristine condition and have out-lasted several newer ones I have bought.
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