I bought some Polo t-shirts which I liked the designs and colors. However, “I want to raise the hem by myself because the hem is a little too long when I actually wear it!”
Do you have that type of experience? This time, I will introduce how you can hem a polo t-shirt by yourself, and how to find a repair store and how much they charge to raise the hem.
Hemming Method of Polo T-shirts # 1: Use a Hemming Tape
So, first of all, I will introduce you the method which you can do by yourself, with images. These pictures were taken by me using an old personal polo t-shirt. Please forgive me, though I think that it is a little unpleasurable to see.
Now, the easiest way to hem a polo shirt is to hem it using a hem tape.
Preparation
- A polo t-shirt which you want to hem up
- An elastic hem tape
- An Iron
How to hem up
1. Fold the hem of the polo shirt you want to hem up as much as you want and raise it with an iron.
2. Put the hemming tape in the folded hem and apply the iron. Refer to the notes on the hemming tape for the set temperature of the iron. At this time, if you pull the fabric too much, the shape will collapse. Be careful not to pull too much!
Essential Points
Make sure that the hemming tape is elastic. When you wear a polo shirt, you may wear it from your head and stretch your hem. If you choose a non-stretchable tape, the hem will not stretch much, making it difficult to wear a polo shirt.
Advantage
Since all you have to do is to apply the elastic tape, the polo shirt can be hemmed up easily and reasonably.
Disadvantage
Depending on the types of hemming tapes, the stretchability may be impaired and you may not be able to wear it any more. If you apply the hemming tape while pulling the fabric, the shape will collapse.
Hemming Method of Polo T-shirts #2: Hand-sewing or Machine-sewing
There is also a method to hem by hand sewing or using a sewing machine. However, as with a hemming tape, the problem is the stretchability after finishing. There are cases where it is difficult for an amateur to hem up while maintaining elasticity to make it easier to wear. We recommend practicing with a polo shirt that you don’t wear anymore and then raising the hem.
Preparation
Sewing needles, gusset needles, basting threads, hand-sewn (or sewing-machine) threads (for knitting). You should match the colors of threads with the color of the polo T-shirt you want to hem up. An iron and a sewing machine.
How to hem up
1. Fold the hem of the polo shirt you want to hem up as much as you want and raise it with an iron.
2. Attach gusset needles and start basting.
3. Choose either sewing by hand or sewing with a sewing machine. In case of hand-sewing, it is recommended to sew with blind stitching. If you use a sewing machine, be sure to use threads and needles for knitted fabrics. The image looks like blind stitching. I used a vivid colored thread for easy understanding, but please use the color of the fabric so that it does not stand out.
Advantage of this method
Because it is sewn, it is hard to fray even after washing.
Disadvantage of this method: Because the fabric is sewn, the stretchability may be lost. The fabric of the polo shirt is highly stretchable, so it is easy to cause shrinkage and distortion called puckering, especially when sewing with a sewing machine. Not recommended for beginners.
