Crop a Sweatshirt

 Hello Readers. Have you ever wanted to shorten a long top? I liked this sweatshirt a lot but it was a tunic. I wanted it to be waist length so I decided to shorten it and add a waistband made from the excess fabric I cut off. Let me show you how I did it. 

A new shorter length.

 

This was a soft tunic style sweatshirt. I like the eggplant color but the hem length and the sleeve length were both a bit long for me. I would like it a lot better if it was shorter in length and I would love an actual waistband at the hem of this shirt. Let's make it shorter. It's easy to do.

 

I cut the length of the shirt to my waist. I use sharp sewing scissors. This length will vary for each person. I suggest putting it on and marking the length that you want and then cutting the shirt.

 

I cut a second piece to use as a waistband. I cut a band from the extra fabric that was approximately 3 inches wide. 

 

I folded the band in half. I wanted the right-side of the fabric facing out. 

 

I clipped the waistband to the outside of the sweatshirt. It was clipped all the way around the hemline. The clips will help keep it in place while I sew it together. 

 

I sewed all the cut edges to each other. I sewed all the way around the hem of the sweatshirt to attach the waistband. I used my serger but you could also use a zigzag stitch on a regular sewing machine. Either is fine. Use what you have.

 

My next step was to top stitch the new seam. This will make the seam smooth and flat. I used my sewing machine with a straight stitch. This waistband will look nicely finished with out any elastic in it so I did not add any elastic to the waistband. (This is a simple beginner sewing machine if you need one.)

 

I wanted to shorten the sleeves a little too. (I have short arms. If you have normal to long arms, you might not need to do this.) I turned the sleeves up. I wanted the sleeves about 3 inches shorter. 

 

I stitched around the wrist cuff. I used a zigzag stitch so that the cuff will still have some stretch. The way I folded the cuff up to sew it will remove the extra length in the sleeve.

 

This is what the new seam looks like. It runs all the way around the wrist. 

 

I cut the excess fabric off the sleeve. I cut next to the seam I just sewed. When I fold the cuff down it will look like a normal sleeve and cuff.

 

Here is my new sweatshirt. The new waistband and wrist cuff look like there were always like that. 

 

I was happy with the new shape and fit of this sweatshirt. I hope this helps you crop one of your shirts. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.