Anyone have a good method for stretching a t-shirt?

[Jennasis]

I've googled and found several methods but I'm hoping for some tried and true suggestions. I bought an awesome shirt from an Etsy seller and even the women's XL is a little body hugging for my taste. Looking to stretch her out. I've read about soaking in warm water and hair conditioner, wearing in the shower, stretching over a chair etc.. anyone have real luck with a method? Can't exchange as it's a custom item.

 

[HeatherC]

I HAVE had luck with the hair conditioner hack. I have done it when something wound up in the dryer that shouldn’t have. Hope others have some more ideas for you too! Good luck!

 

[Imzadi]

I make sure I wash the shirt only in cold water. Heat of any kind will shrink the shirt. Never put it in the drier.

I hand wash or take the t-shirt out of the washer, while wet, hang it up and gently stretch it by hand. Both hands parallel to each other, going all the way down the sides of the shirt, from the underarms down. Sometimes, I'll raise my arms & place my forearms inside the sides of the shirt and gently spread them apart to stretch that way too.

To stretch the upper chest, place your hands so that they are at the inside edges of the chest area, where the material is still one piece and meets the sleeves seams. You want to stretch one whole piece of fabric. Never pull from the sleeve or stretch across any seams as that will weaken the seams and possibly cause the stitching to rip apart. Do the front chest, then flip and do the upper back.

Stretching the material has to be done while wet. That is KEY. Then a few hours later, while still damp, gently stretch it again, in case it has shrunken a little while drying. Then one last time before it's fully dried.

If that is still not enough, or it shrinks too much as it dries, I take a thick piece of cardboard that will fit inside the stretched, wet shirt, the size I want. I place a plastic bag over the cardboard, then slip it inside the wet shirt while it dries. That will help the shirt retain the stretched shape as it dries.

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

This is why I stopped buying women's sizes in t-shirts. It doesn't seem to matter how big I get it it hugs all the wrong places.

The few that I have and do wear I literally just put it on and stretch the heck out of it in the stomach and armpits.

It shrinks right back down after washing.

I'd just be concerned that some of these hacks will work for one time and then shrink back down anyways so it may just waste time.
Plus the manual stretching kind of acts as a stress reliever for me haha.

 

[SuperPreparo]

I’ve had good luck with the hair conditioner method also, but I’ve only used it on clothes that were accidentally dried and shrunk.

 

[Jennasis]

Will give the hair conditioner a try. Though DH says I should just order another one

 

[cobright]

I once had a concert T-shirt that didn't fit right across the chest. It had sentimental value of a sort so I asked a tailor about it when I was having some alterations done and he recut it as a raglan t-shirt. The addition of the diagonal shoulder panels allowed the size to open up.

 

[wenrob]

Will give the hair conditioner a try. Though DH says I should just order another one

I agree with your DH. If had to have to go to all that trouble every time I wash it I’d just end up not wearing it and so the cost of the shirt would be wasted anyway.

 

[TheDad00]

Gain weight.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Give it to me to wear for a bit.

 

[AustinTink]

I make sure I wash the shirt only in cold water. Heat of any kind will shrink the shirt. Never put it in the drier.

I hand wash or take the t-shirt out of the washer, while wet, hang it up and gently stretch it by hand. Both hands parallel to each other, going all the way down the sides of the shirt, from the underarms down. Sometimes, I'll raise my arms & place my forearms inside the sides of the shirt and gently spread them apart to stretch that way too.

To stretch the upper chest, place your hands so that they are at the inside edges of the chest area, where the material is still one piece and meets the sleeves seams. You want to stretch one whole piece of fabric. Never pull from the sleeve or stretch across any seams as that will weaken the seams and possibly cause the stitching to rip apart. Do the front chest, then flip and do the upper back.

Stretching the material has to be done while wet. That is KEY. Then a few hours later, while still damp, gently stretch it again, in case it has shrunken a little while drying. Then one last time before it's fully dried.

If that is still not enough, or it shrinks too much as it dries, I take a thick piece of cardboard that will fit inside the stretched, wet shirt, the size I want. I place a plastic bag over the cardboard, then slip it inside the wet shirt while it dries. That will help the shirt retain the stretched shape as it dries.

I do this exact method. It really does work. I've brought shirts back to life that had been shrunk at least two sizes by using this method. I originally saw it on a Martha Stewart video back in the day.

 

[Jennasis]

Gain weight.

That's the problem lol.

 

[NotUrsula]

It depends enormously on the fiber content of the garment. Cotton can be pretty easily stretched using weights, but polyester and nylon will generally spring back quickly once the fibers warm up with wearing. Don't use weights on polyester/nylon; that will cause the fibers to completely break down and create puckers in the garment.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I second the discussion about cold water and light stretching while wet. Alternatively if you think it would look ok altering it by adding side panels (if that's the part that needs the most room) would work but that's more labor intensive compared to light stretching or honestly just buying a different size

 

[LuvOrlando]

Everything stretches when I hang it to dry soaked so I coil it to lose water before I hang it up. Maybe use this to your advantage & hang it longways over the showerrod and use pants hangers on either side on the waist part to pull it apart as it dries in addition to all the other tips.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Stuff a couple of pillows into it and let it sit.

 

[DisneyHardin]

If I need to stretch it a little bit, I will put it on, sit down, and then stretch it out over my knees and hold it there for a bit.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Everything stretches when I hang it to dry soaked

That's for sure why some of the things I own I lay flat to dry. Almost all my clothing is hang dry or line dry. I've got a few things that specifically say lay flat to dry and a few things that the fabric is one where either I'll get hanger indentations at the shoulder or it will get stretched out by the force of gravity being hung up. Although like the OP sometimes that's exactly what you want to happen lol.

 

[disneychrista]

If a T-shirt needs a little stretch I just stretch it out before putting it on. Put my arm in the bottom and open them wide, turn 90 degrees and do it again. My issues is usually the sleeves, my upper arm are proportionally larger than my torso. I do the same thing with the sleeves, except with the hands.

 

[dez1978]

I had luck washing then stretching it over my laundry hamper. I turned it upside down and pulled it down over it and let it dry that way.