The classic baseball tee, but more flattering: a simple tutorial

The classic baseball tee, but more flattering: a simple tutorial

• 7.24.2013

This is a super fun summery tutorial that came out of nowhere last weekend. I bought one of those classic baseball tees at the sporting goods store a few weekends ago, and it's been sitting in my drawer since it wasn't very comfortable with the high neckline... definitely a little boy's large tee, not what I'm use to with more open necks and more room to move in with typical women's tees.

I love the classic baseball tee--they remind me of The Sandlot and Wet Hot American Summer and classic American summer activities that I never do, like walking in parades or going to carnivals or playing sports in the park... nevertheless, I have some kind of nostalgia for these things, and I've always liked the classics.

BTW, if you haven't seen Wet Hot American Summer and you like stupid and inappropriate comedies, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, and a bunch of other people from 2002... you should check it out.

Of course, baseball tees have also been trendy back and forth recently. Trendy Sydney did a feature on three ways to wear one which included a pencil skirt--that's a little adventurous for me and my poly/cotton blend $7.99 tee, but I appreciate the idea.

But back to my problem. I had a basic navy and white baseball tee that choked my neck. But the facing was made differently than a basic short-sleeve cotton unisex tee, you know? Loosely ribbed neckline binding at the neck, sewn into one of the raglan arm sleeves. This gave me an idea.

So, I undertook the adventure of picking apart the tee, cutting down the neck, and sewing it back together with the original neckline. Watch and learn!!

Baseball Tee Neckline Makeover

You will need: A baseball tee.

1. Unpick the neckline of your tee, careful not to tear the fabric of the tee or binding.

2. Carefully cut down the neckline of the tee, the same amount all around. You may want to cut it down 1/2" or so then try it on, and cut down deeper in the front than you do in the back. You only have so much binding to go around, so you can't cut it down massively, but you could get an extra inch or more in the front especially if you don't open it up a ton on the back and sides.

3. Sew the binding edges back together, right sides together.

4. Press that seam allowance to one side, but don't press out the creases from the original folds of the binding. Clip the center front (the seam will be your new center back).

5. Matching centers, pin the binding right sides together with the tee neckline. I used the folded under part from the front as my tiny (3/8") seam allowance; originally, it was only topstitched with the double row, but to keep it in place as you stretch, you'll need to sew it down first, then topstitch.

6. Press the underside down, pin carefully in place, and topstitch all around the neckline. I did it from the top since my ribbed neckline was staying in place nicely and I knew I would catch it in the seam.

7. Optional--add a second row of stitching to mimic the original, which was done with a double needle and fancy factory machine. (Alternatively, if you have a wide double needle, just use that in the previous step!)

Ta-da!!!

Now, if only it were easy to take in the sides and give it a waist--but it doesn't have side seams.

Still, much more comfortable and wearable!!