How-to: Change the Neckline on a T-shirt

Ways to Refashion a T-shirt

alter neckline on T-shirt tutorial (3 of 3)

Tired of always having the same old neckline on every single T-shirt?

Fortunately, the neckline of a T-shirt is the easiest thing to alter. You can create tons of different looks, it’s super quick and easy to do, and it doesn’t require any sewing skills!

All you really need, in fact, is a pair of great scissors, a T-shirt to play victim, and a brave heart and bold hand.

Cut the ribbing completely off. Save it for another project!
Cut the ribbing completely off. Save it for another project!

For this particular T-shirt (a T-shirt that I altered to fit already), I used a pair of pinking shears to cut off the ribbing completely, significantly widening the neckline. Save this ribbing, because you can use it with other remade clothing projects–with the Lil Blue Boo T-shirt dress pattern, for instance, using T-shirt ribbing is key to giving the remade T-shirt dress a professional-looking neckline.

Slit the neckline, stopping before you get to your goodies.
Slit the neckline, stopping before you get to your goodies.

After you’ve cut off the ribbing, you can also slit the front center of the neckline–depending on how far you cut, you can heighten the effect from fairly modest to pretty trashy. My neckline, for instance, is pretty modest… on this T-shirt.

V-necks and scoop necks are also really easy to create with just your pair of pinking shears. If you want a very specific neckline, you (or a very, VERY good friend) can draw it in chalk directly onto the T-shirt while you’re wearing it. And then all you have to do is cut along the line!

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