How can you shorten men's long sleeve shirts to short sleeves? After cutting off the sleeves my hems end up not being big enough around so they leave little pleats at the seam line. I often take out a small length of the underarm seam where I turn up the hem but that doesn't work to well. I have received about 25 long sleeve shirts and want to shorten the sleeves. Big savings.
If you are using a machine to do the hemming, try placing the outside of the sleeve on the bottom against the feed dogs. The inside of the sleeve will be facing up towards you. This will allow the feed dogs to ease the fabric as you go around the sleeve. Unless your sleeves are extremely tapered, this should work. Whenever you have a piece of fabric that is slightly larger than the piece you are joining it with, i.e. around curves, etc., place the larger piece on bottom to allow the feed dogs to do their work! :)
Are your shirt sleeves tapered? You should be able to cut your sleeve, remember at an angle since the outside of the sleeve is longer than the part under the arm, and hem without any pleating. The only thing I can think of is that the shirt is tapered. I alter all my husbands shirts and have never had a problem. Wish I could be more help.
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