How to Alter a Shirt Tail Blouse

Shortening a Shirt

• 1

  Determine the amount the shirt needs shortening by. Remember that the shirt will be much shorter at the sides than at the front and back. Don't shorten the shirt so much that it will come untucked at the sides.

• 2

  Cut off the old hem and excess fabric, leaving 1/2 inch for the new hem.

• 3

  Turn shirt inside out. Turn up edge 1/4 inch and press. Turn up again and press. Stitch along the hemline.

Lengthening a Shirt

• 4

  Place a piece of paper under one of the side seams of the shirt, and place paper and shirt flat on your work surface. The side seams will be shorter than the rest of the shirt in a way that makes a roughly triangular shape; the two sides are the front and back hems of the shirt near the side seams, and the bottom is at the level of the length of the shirt at the front or back. Trace this shape.

• 5

  Set the shirt aside. Draw another triangle around the one you just made, 3/4 inch bigger all around. Cut it out. Using this as your pattern piece, cut out two triangles from the extra fabric.

• 6

  Hem both triangles on all sides. Turn in 1/4 inch, press, turn up again, press and stitch.

• 7

  Place the shirt on a flat surface, side seam up. Position the triangle where you want it on the wrong side of the fabric and pin in place; then stitch and press. Repeat on the other side.