How to Make a High Low Shirt
Find an old t-shirt or button down shirt in your closet., Choose a shirt that is loose., Opt for a shirt that has a flap in front and back., Try on the shirt., Pinch a point in the back center of the shirt where you want your low hem to fall., Lay...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find an old t-shirt or button down shirt in your closet.
You can also purchase old shirts at a thrift store if you don’t have any that need to be refashioned.
The more worn the fabric is, the better it will work., High-low shirts tend to be drapey and hang loosely over the stomach and hips.
They can even be layered over tank tops. , Baseball shirts or those with a similar hem are even easier to convert. , Decide how high you want it to be in front.
Draw a dot on the center front of the shirt where you want the front hem to hang with a fabric pen or washable marker.
If you are going to hem the shirt, make sure you include a one half to one inch (1.3 to
2.5cm) allowance for the hem.
If you have a high-low shirt that you want to emulate, put the new shirt on over this shirt to ensure a good approximation of its length in front and back.
Some front seams crop around the belly button.
More conservative high-low shirts stop fall just below the belt line. , Attach a safety pin into the pinched fabric.
Take off the shirt and mark the center with your fabric pen.
Some back hems on high low shirts drop below the butt, while others float around the middle of the back pockets on your jeans. , Imagine a line from the center dot to the top of the collar.
Fold it along this line and along the center of the back.
Smooth it out on your table.
The side seam should now be in the center, between the folds.
Straighten it out so the fabric on the left and right sides of the shirt are perfectly mirrored. , Although you are only drawing it on a single side, you will cut through both layers of fabric.
Ensure you account for seam allowances across the arc if you plan to sew the shirt. , Take your time to make even, smooth cuts through both layers of fabric., Repeat on the front edge to ensure the center of the hems don’t result in a point. , If you don’t want to hem the shirt, it is finished and ready to wear. ,,, Follow suit along the entire bottom edge of the high-low shirt. , It will also protect the cloth from fraying.
Pin it in place if it is difficult to iron evenly. , Use a spool of matching thread to disguise the hem. , Use a double needle for a double-folded, t-shirt hem. -
Step 2: Choose a shirt that is loose.
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Step 3: Opt for a shirt that has a flap in front and back.
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Step 4: Try on the shirt.
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Step 5: Pinch a point in the back center of the shirt where you want your low hem to fall.
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Step 6: Lay the shirt on your craft table.
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Step 7: Draw a downward arc with your fabric pen from the front dot to the back dot.
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Step 8: Cut along the arc with very sharp fabric scissors.
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Step 9: Turn your scissors horizontally on the bottom of the back (low) hem to make a flat edge.
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Step 10: Try on your shirt.
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Step 11: Turn your shirt inside out if you want to hem it at the bottom.
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Step 12: Plug in your iron and set it upright on your ironing board to heat up.
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Step 13: Flip the bottom edge of the fabric up approximately one-half inch (1.3cm) and iron it in place.
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Step 14: Fold it a second time if you want a t-shirt-like hem.
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Step 15: Set up your sewing machine.
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Step 16: Sew a close stitch along the inside edge of the hem.
Detailed Guide
You can also purchase old shirts at a thrift store if you don’t have any that need to be refashioned.
The more worn the fabric is, the better it will work., High-low shirts tend to be drapey and hang loosely over the stomach and hips.
They can even be layered over tank tops. , Baseball shirts or those with a similar hem are even easier to convert. , Decide how high you want it to be in front.
Draw a dot on the center front of the shirt where you want the front hem to hang with a fabric pen or washable marker.
If you are going to hem the shirt, make sure you include a one half to one inch (1.3 to
2.5cm) allowance for the hem.
If you have a high-low shirt that you want to emulate, put the new shirt on over this shirt to ensure a good approximation of its length in front and back.
Some front seams crop around the belly button.
More conservative high-low shirts stop fall just below the belt line. , Attach a safety pin into the pinched fabric.
Take off the shirt and mark the center with your fabric pen.
Some back hems on high low shirts drop below the butt, while others float around the middle of the back pockets on your jeans. , Imagine a line from the center dot to the top of the collar.
Fold it along this line and along the center of the back.
Smooth it out on your table.
The side seam should now be in the center, between the folds.
Straighten it out so the fabric on the left and right sides of the shirt are perfectly mirrored. , Although you are only drawing it on a single side, you will cut through both layers of fabric.
Ensure you account for seam allowances across the arc if you plan to sew the shirt. , Take your time to make even, smooth cuts through both layers of fabric., Repeat on the front edge to ensure the center of the hems don’t result in a point. , If you don’t want to hem the shirt, it is finished and ready to wear. ,,, Follow suit along the entire bottom edge of the high-low shirt. , It will also protect the cloth from fraying.
Pin it in place if it is difficult to iron evenly. , Use a spool of matching thread to disguise the hem. , Use a double needle for a double-folded, t-shirt hem.
About the Author
Charlotte Fox
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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