Many women experience that their dress shrinks after washing or after prolonged storage. After this, the clothes become one size or even slightly smaller. In addition, we may make a mistake with the size, and the dress will simply be too small.
However, there are several ways that will help restore the previous appearance and parameters of the product or reduce clothing by size. In this article we will look at how to stretch a dress a size larger at home.
The choice of method depends on the type of fabric and material. Before using any procedure, be sure to read the label on your clothing and follow the recommendations.
For example, wool, synthetics and delicate fabrics can only be ironed at a minimum temperature. Cotton and linen, on the contrary, are ironed at a high setting. But there are several universal tips on how to restore a shrunken dress to its original appearance after washing or improper storage.
How to stretch a knitted dress one size larger.. How to stretch a dress made of viscose and knitwear
Before stretching a jersey dress, carefully study the label. This will help you choose the optimal mode for washing and ironing the product.
The easiest way is to soak the clothing for 20-30 minutes, then lightly wring it out and put it on a mannequin of the appropriate size or on yourself.
Another method that requires accuracy and caution:
- Soak the dress in the solution (8 liters of water and 50 ml of peroxide or vinegar) for 30-40 minutes.
- Without removing it from the container, stretch the fabric with your hands, trying to pull as evenly as possible along the chest, hips and waist.
- Place the product on a table covered with terry towels and shape it, maintaining the correct proportions.
- While drying, constantly pull the fabric, making sure that both sides are stretched at the same time.
- Put the practically dry dress on yourself and straighten it.
If washing, soaking or steaming does not help to stretch the cotton material, soak the product in a mixture of 5 liters of water, 3 tbsp. l. ammonia, 1 tbsp. l. turpentine and 2 tbsp. l. vodka. When the item is dry, put it on yourself or on a friend who wears an even larger size until it dries completely.
Before stretching a viscose dress, secure the bottom of the product with 1-2 stitches so that the hem stretches evenly in length.
And most importantly: wash shrinked and then stretched items in cool water using a delicate or daily cycle.
Probably every housewife has encountered a situation when a favorite item, after washing and drying, has lost its original appearance and decreased in size. The reason for shrinkage of clothing material most often occurs due to violations of the washing regime, when the item is washed in too hot water, or the detergent is selected incorrectly. In addition, the reason why an item shrinks in size is the composition of the material. Every housewife should know that only clothes that contain natural fibers fit. To avoid unpleasant incidents, you need to follow the instructions for caring for a certain material, which should be indicated on the tags and labels of clothes.
But if trouble does happen, and your item has decreased in size, you can try to restore the shrunken clothes. To do this, you can use old and proven methods that do not require financial costs. Most often, such stretching is required for woolen clothes, they are the most capricious and demanding. But in addition to woolen clothes, knitwear and cotton can also shrink, since they also contain natural fibers. In this article, we’ll look at how to stretch woolen, cotton and knitted clothes, but first, what will a housewife need if her favorite item has shrunk?
If your favorite item has lost its original appearance, has stretched out, or shrunk, you can try to revive it, for this you will need:
- a bowl of warm water;
- iron, ironing board;
- large towels 2 - 3 pieces;
- mild detergent for delicate washing;
- vinegar solution;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- conditioner for wool products.
It should be noted that for the procedure of stretching things, you will not need all of the above means, but only those that are suitable for a specific material or fabric.
Stretching various shrunken tissues
Before choosing a method for stretching things, you need to decide what fabric they are made of. All materials react differently to high temperatures and chemicals. Basic recommendations:
Wool. This delicate fiber does not tolerate rough handling.
It's easy to overdo it when stretching, so you need to handle wool items with care. You can treat a shrunken dress or sweater with water, fabric softener, turpentine or a weak vinegar solution. You need to stretch the wool in small sections, systematically working through the entire surface.- Combined knitwear based on natural and synthetic fibers . All methods are suitable for stretching, except steaming. Particular attention should be paid to the mechanical effect on the fabric. To enhance the effect, you can use the washing machine by turning on the drying function. After its completion, the item is laid out on a flat surface and stretched by hand.
- Jeans. This rough material is difficult to stretch, and shrinkage can be quite impressive. To cope with the problem, it is better to resort to the help of a steam generator. The product is pre-soaked with hair rinse.
- Synthetics. The material does not tolerate contact with caustic chemicals and high temperatures. Therefore, it is stretched by first soaking it in cool water or vinegar solution.
- Cotton and linen . Fabrics are prone to shrinkage, which often occurs due to washing in hot water. To stretch a thing, it can be soaked in any of the listed solutions, and then subjected to mechanical stress. It is recommended to stretch the product by hand, since high speed in the washing machine can aggravate the problem.
To understand which method is applicable for a particular item, you need to carefully study the label. It indicates the permissible washing and ironing temperatures.
The letter “A” circled means that dry cleaning is allowed with all known solvents according to the usual regime.
How to stretch knitted pants. How to stretch pants
Pants are a universal wardrobe item that almost everyone has. There are situations when a product needs to be made larger: pants have shrunk significantly after washing, items ordered from an online store turned out to be the wrong size. Let's try to figure out how to stretch a wardrobe item at home.
What and how to stretch
To enlarge leather trousers, soap solution, cologne or specialized products for stretching leather products are suitable. After the procedure, treat the skin with glycerin to give it shine and shine.
Jeans are more susceptible to stretching, since denim is used to sew them - a very elastic, elastic and flexible fabric. It is resistant to damage, so the appearance of the item will not deteriorate after all the necessary procedures.
Adviсe:
- determine to what extent stretching is needed. If the fly simply won’t fasten, ask someone who likes the item to wear it a little. Often the fabric stretches during wear;
- determine in which direction the trousers are small: long or wide, and depending on this, select techniques.
Rules:
- the content of cotton in the fabric facilitates the process of increasing size;
- use gentle products for colored laundry so as not to deform the fabric;
- do not twist things too much: this has a negative effect on them;
- do not expose to high temperatures: this dries the fabric, which subsequently leads to a decrease in size;
- do not leave the product in water for more than half an hour, even if it is heavily soiled;
- do not leave pants in the dryer for a long time;
- Read the label carefully and follow the instructions carefully.
Wash
Denim items cannot be washed in hot water: only in warm water. It is preferable to hand wash so that the trousers are less wrinkled. It is better to use regular soap as a detergent. After washing, they must be fastened and turned inside out. For drying, it is better to use fresh air, securing the item with clothespins to your belt.
Extension methods
- Soaking in water and twisting.
- Using a special expander.
- Steam treatment.
- Physical impact.
If your pants are too small at the hips
Method 1: thoroughly wet the product in warm water, unscrew it. Put it on while it remains wet and do physical exercise: jump, squat, swing your legs. Method 2: wet the item and put it on, stay in it until it dries. Method 3: put on your pants and thoroughly wet them without taking them off. Stay in it until dry.
Stretch wide
Tight trousers can be enlarged; steam treatment is used for this purpose. Method 1: take your pants and iron the elastic with hot steam. After treatment at high temperatures, the fabric warms up and the product becomes ready for changes. Put it on while it’s still hot and wear it until it cools down completely. Method 2: using a specialized device: it is a small pole with the possibility of increasing the length. Usage: wet the belt with a spray bottle or simply soak it in water. Then fasten your wet trousers and insert the expander into them, fix its position, then gradually increase the length until you get the required size. Leave them to dry, then put the device away. If there is no expander, replace it with a similar object: a board or stick.
HELP: this method gives only a short-term effect. The first wash will bring everything back.
Method 3: mechanical action: you need to try and put on jeans, fasten them with a button. To enhance the effect, you can wear tights underneath.
Stretch trousers
The composition includes synthetic elastic fibers, due to this they can easily withstand stretching and can acquire the required size. Methods:
- Soak them in hot water, put them on and do not take them off until they are completely dry.
- Steam with hot steam.
- Put it on and do some physical activity.
IMPORTANT. Synthetic fibers are very fragile: during physical impact they may not withstand and tear. Under the influence of hot steam, fabric threads can melt; such damage cannot be repaired.
General rules of care
In order not to have to wonder how to restore stretched knitwear, when washing it, it is important to follow some simple rules:
- When caring for knitwear, only hand or machine washing at a temperature of 30-40°C is allowed. When rinsing, it is important to maintain the temperature regime and avoid sudden changes from hot to cold water;
- In the process of hand washing, it is necessary to compress and unclench the knitwear along the length, to eliminate rubbing movements and stretching in width;
- To effectively wring out knitwear during hand washing, you must gently squeeze the items without twisting them. The movement comes from top to bottom. With a machine - 600 rpm, no more;
- Drying should take place in a straightened form without stretching across the width.
These rules will help extend the life of the product, maintain its appearance and shape. If knitwear shrinks after washing, even by hand, there are several ways to revive it.
How to increase the size of an item. How to expand or lengthen clothes: options and ideas for implementation...
The situation when a beautiful and comfortable piece of clothing becomes too tight is familiar to everyone. This may be due to weight gain, pregnancy, or the wrong choice of washing or drying mode. However, your favorite item can be remade so that it not only fits well, but also takes on a new original look.
The item is wide, but the sleeves have become narrow? Use homemade shoulder straps. They can be anything: lace, embroidered or contrasting fabric.
If your favorite item has become too tight in width, use sewn-in side inserts. The material for them can be chosen in a single color or in the color of the main product.
Contrasting inserts that differ in texture and color will not only help to expand the blouse, but will also become an interesting decorative element.
This is how you can increase the size of your favorite blouse or tunic. To do this, add inserts along the back or shelf of the product.
With trousers, follow the same pattern: use side inserts along the entire length. Moreover, both from the outside and from the inside seam.
Are your previously comfortable jeans starting to put pressure on your stomach? Make inserts in the waistband area in the side or back seam.
Here's a great idea to increase the size of the dress in all respects. I already want the same for myself!
Nowadays, repairing and extending old things is not so relevant: in the era of the heyday of mass market, it is easier to buy new clothes than to remake old ones. But sometimes it’s a pity to throw away your favorite thing, you want to update or refresh it. Most often, shortening is not difficult, but lengthening beautifully is a little more difficult.
How to lengthen clothes
This is probably one of the most common methods. He looks just great! Add a strip of fabric or lace along the bottom of the product. Color and material depend on your imagination.
A very fashionable trend this season is an insert made of transparent fabric. Place it on the hem of a skirt or light summer dress.
And this is an even more radical transformation of trousers. Openwork inserts are placed not at the bottom, but in the middle of the product. To enhance the effect, you can decorate your pockets and belt with lace. Personally, I really like this option.
For girls who love a sporty style of clothing, knitted cuffs will be an excellent option for changing the shape of trousers.
If we talk about blouses and jumpers, there are a huge number of options. The most popular of them are lace inserts at the bottom of the product.
Looking at this photo, I immediately wanted to have the same summer T-shirt. To remake it, you need to make a contrasting fabric insert in the middle of the product.
As you can see, you don’t always need to throw away a tight blouse or a too short skirt, especially if it concerns your favorite clothes. Use these simple but resourceful tricks and stay on trend!
How to stretch a dress to length. How to stretch a wool dress
Wool is a capricious material that can easily shrink and become deformed due to hot water and temperature, high humidity and even prolonged storage folded. If a knitted or woolen dress shrinks, pour cool water into a basin and place the clothes there. Then remove the product and carefully wrap it in a large terry towel or sheet. Do not wring out woolen items under any circumstances!
Leave the wrapped dress for 15-20 minutes. And when the moisture is absorbed, hang the product on a hanger, straighten the fabric and leave until completely dry at room temperature, preferably in a room with good ventilation. Alternatively, you can soak a wool dress in cold or cool water using a spray bottle and put it on yourself, and then wear it until it dries.
Another way to stretch a woolen or knitted dress is a solution with ammonia, turpentine and vodka. Take three tablespoons of each component and add to five liters of water. Stir and dip the shrunken dress into the mixture.
Leave for ten minutes and then dry upright at room temperature. After this treatment, the wool becomes elastic and stretches well. You can give the material the desired shape.
You can also make a solution with baking soda. Add three to four tablespoons of soda to two liters of water, mix and immerse the affected item there. Leave for 4-6 hours and then wash as usual. Then rinse the product in a solution of two liters of water and ten tablespoons of tartaric acid or wine vinegar. Leave the product in the solution for two hours, then rinse in clean water and send to dry.
If you want to stretch a wool dress to length, hang the wet item on a mannequin or hanger, attach a small weight underneath and leave to dry completely. The fur will quickly stretch downwards. You can extend the sleeves in the same way. Wool must be washed and ironed, dried and stored very carefully and in compliance with certain requirements.
To prevent woolen items from shrinking or stretching, do not store them folded for a long time, but take them out and air the material at least once or twice a month. Wash material containing more than 50% wool only on a delicate cycle and at a cool temperature of up to 30 degrees using special detergents for wool fabric.
Dry clothes flat unless you want them to stretch out. Read more about how to care for woolen items here.
How to stretch a linen dress. How to stretch a shrunken item
Stretching an item that has shrunk after washing is a painstaking, time-consuming and often risky task. Before stretching clothes, you should consider whether the chosen method takes into account the characteristics of the fabric from which the item of clothing is made.
A good way to bleach your bra at home is to find out how
Mechanical
There are several ways to stretch things with your own hands using the physical properties of water and air.
- Soak shrunken clothes in cool water for 15 minutes. Then, without squeezing, lay it out on a horizontal surface, stretching it a little with your hands. Place a microfiber towel underneath. The item should dry naturally.
- Wash clothes in a machine on a delicate cycle (without spinning and at minimum temperature). No need to add detergent. After completing the procedure, hang the item on a hanger and dry it in an upright position. During drying, it is important to monitor the symmetry of paired parts. When choosing this method, you should take into account the features of a particular washing machine model.
- For this method you will need an iron with a steam setting. Lay out clothes previously soaked in cold water horizontally. Iron it. You need to steam the item without pressing. After completing the procedure, leave the clothes to dry in a straightened state.
Chemical
This method uses available household products based on chemical compounds.
- Dilute 6 teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide in 10 liters of cool water. Leave the shrunken wardrobe item in the solution for an hour, and then wash it in a machine on a gentle cycle.
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon of vodka, 3 tablespoons of ammonia and 1 tablespoon of turpentine in 5 liters of water. Rinse clothes in the prepared solution and dry on hangers.
- Prepare a solution of 1 liter of water and 10 g of baking soda. Soak clothes in it for 12 hours. Wash the item in water with a small amount of powder. Then soak the clothes in a mixture of 2 liters of water and 10 tablespoons of vinegar for 2 hours. Then rinse thoroughly and dry.
Tip: Before using any of the above solutions, it is worth testing its effect on an inconspicuous area of clothing. Some liquids can negatively affect the color and structure of the fabric. It is equally important to strictly adhere to the solution recipe.
How to restore woolen items after washing?
You can restore a woolen item that has shrunk after washing using ammonia or hydrogen peroxide, as well as by mechanical stretching and repeated exposure to high temperatures.
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