How to Make a Sweatshirt Smaller Without Sewing

It hurts a lot when you realize your favorite sweatshirt is oversized & you won’t look good in it anymore.

The most common way to make a sweatshirt smaller is sewing but that requires proper knowledge and skills. Otherwise, you will end up ruining your sweatshirt.

If you are looking for ways to make a sweatshirt smaller without sewing, we are going to tell you about the best ways to do it.

How do you shorten an oversized sweatshirt without sewing?

If you want to shorten an oversized sweatshirt without sewing & paying the tailor, you need to follow the steps given below:

Method #1 – Use hot water, washing machine, detergent, and dryer.

In the first method, we will use hot water, a washing machine, detergent, and a dryer to shorten the sweatshirt without sewing.

Here is what you need to do:

i. Read the care label

First of all, you should read the garment care label present on your sweatshirt.

 If the label recommends you to wash the shirt with cold water, you should wash it in hot water so the shirt can shrink and become smaller in size. For instance, sweatshirts made from cotton will shrink easily.

But if the shirt does not shrink, you need to follow other methods like hemming tape.

ii. Soak the sweatshirt in hot water

Put your oversized sweatshirt in the sink and open the hot water tap. Let the water run on it for at least 10 minutes.

Or you can fill a bucket with hot water and pour it on your oversized sweatshirt.

After that, keep the sweatshirt at room temperature for while. Now try wearing the shirt and see if it fits you or not. If it fits perfectly, you can wash the shirt and keep using it normally.

But if the shirt still does not fit you, you can further reduce its size by using boiling water.

iii. Submerge the sweatshirt in boiling water

Warning: Don’t try this method if your sweatshirt is made of polyester.

Fill a pot with water and start boiling it on high flames. Once it starts boiling, turn off the flames (heat source), put your sweatshirt inside the pot, and cover it with a lid.

If you want to shorten your sweatshirt by 1 size, you should keep it in boiling water for 20 minutes. The longer you submerge the shirt in hot water, the more it will shrink.

iv. Wash the sweatshirt with detergent & hot water

Throw your sweatshirt in a washing machine and wash it in on a hot cycle with a good detergent.

The length of the wash cycle & intensity of temperature will decide how much your sweatshirt will shrink.

Avoid using bleach because it will make your shirt loose instead of shrinking it.

v. Dry with intense heat

Once you have washed your sweatshirt, put it inside the dryer and dry it on high heat. Doing this will shrink your shirt more so it better fits your body.

After drying, try wearing the shirt to check if the size is perfect for you.

Method #2 – Use an iron for shortening the sweatshirt

When you have washed & dried the clothes, the next step is to iron the sweatshirt. It can further help you shrink the shirt and adjust it as per your size.

Follow the steps given below:

1- Make the shirt wet

If you are still not satisfied with the size of your shirt and want to shrink it even more, then you should make your sweatshirt wet before ironing it.

After that, place the shirt on an iron board so you can smoothly iron it.

2- Use a cotton towel

Next, you should use a cotton towel to form a protective layer over your sweatshirt. It will protect the shirt from any burn or damage caused by ironing.

So, place a cotton towel on top of your sweatshirt.

3- Set moderate heat

Turn on the iron and set it on moderate heat because it is the safest option.

If you will use too much heat, it can burn your sweatshirt. If you will use too less heat, it won’t be able to shrink your sweatshirt. Therefore, the best option is moderate heat.

4- Iron the sweatshirt

Now it is time to iron the sweatshirt.

Apply firm pressure and keep ironing the shirt until the water evaporates. You will see steam rising from your shirt when the water inside it evaporates.

Finally, your sweatshirt will shrink and you can wear it to see if it matches your size.

You can also put the shirt in the dryer to remove all the dampness so you can wear it instantly.

Method #3 – Use a hair dryer

The next option is using a hair dryer.

 Take your sweatshirt in one hand and a hair dryer in the other hand.

Set it on low heat settings and blow the hot air on your sweatshirt. It will help shrink the fabric so it fits you well.

Apply hot air to all parts of the fabric that you want to shrink.

How to make an oversized sweatshirt smaller in public?

Sometimes, you are in situations where your dressing matters a lot.

Let’s suppose you are wearing a loose sweatshirt and you have an emergency meeting with the boss. It would be embarrassing if you show up in a loose sweatshirt.

You can make your loose sweatshirt smaller in public without any need for sewing or going to the tailor.

Just tuck the excess fabric on the back and it will make your sweatshirt tighter. Also, roll up your sleeves and it will further improve the fitting of the shirt. You will also look fashionable.

That is how you can temporarily make the shirt smaller in urgent situations.

Things you must know before making the sweatshirt smaller

Here are some important things you must keep in mind:

1. Always read the garment care label and follow the safety instructions to avoid any damage to the clothes.
2. If the sweatshirt is made of polyester, do not use the hot water method for it.
3. Do not perform any of the processes for too long because it may cause over-shrinkage of the sweatshirt. Keep an eye on the size & stop when it suits your needs.
4. If the sweatshirt you want to make smaller is very expensive or a memory of your loved one, we recommend taking it to the tailor because it is the safest option. You might damage the shirt while working on it yourself.