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I purchased a t shirt a while back in small size. I had bought similar t shirts from this brand but the issue here is this shirt length is a bit too long. The small size fits...
Not in my experience! Natural fiber garments (no synthetic content) can and do shrink overall, not just length.
Tip: Don't just cut off the extra length of a T shirt knit. The fabric will roll. Get it hemmed properly by a seamstress if you can't sew it yourself.
This really has not been my experience. I have had things shrink repeatedly in the length. Not so the width. But I buy mostly cotton. I believe I have read the same info in sewing blogs, when I was actively sewing. Wool will shrink in a hot water wash though. That’s how you creat felt. I happen to have done that very thing. On purpose.
If the tee shirt is expensive, I agree that having it rehemmed professionally is a good solution, but wash it a couple of times first!
Woven cotton, linen, and rayon fabrics tend to shrink more along the warp of the fabric.* Most clothing is cut so the warp runs vertically, from neck to heel.
Knits don't have a warp, so they shrink all over.
Wash and dry the shirt the way you normally would. If it's still too long...
If it's a nice tee, get it hemmed.
If it's a casual tee, you can cut off the excess, leaving an extra 1/2" or so. It won't ravel like woven fabric, and the bottom edge will roll a bit (especially if you stretch it sideways, from seam to seam) and hide the cut edge.
*Yet more textile junkie info:
The warp (longer) threads are stretched during weaving. When the fabric is agitated with water and heat, the threads relax and get shorter. The woof (sideways) threads are not stretched, so the don't shrink as much.
Some clothing may be cut on the crossgrain, either to save money or because somebody didn't know any better. It won't drape as nicely, and is more likely to shrink in the width than length.
Last edited by steiconi; 03-13-2022 at 11:15 AM..
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