How to Add Fabric Trim to the Bottom of a T-Shirt

Select the fabric trim you wish to use to embellish your T-shirt. Select a trim that is several inches wide if you wish to have your trim extend past the T-shirt hem and dangle from the hem (thus extending the length of the T-shirt by the width of the fabric trim). Select a trim with a width of 1 inch or less if you wish to have your fabric trim to be even with the bottom edge of the T-shirt (and not extend the length of the T-shirt). Fabric trim has a finished edge and you will not need to hem it. Any fabric trim would be suitable for using to embellish a T-shirt as long as there is a narrow area along one long edge where you can stitch the trim to the T-shirt hem.

Measure around the bottom hem of the T-shirt with the tape measure and add 1 inch to this measurement. As you measure the T-shirt hem, do not stretch the T-shirt fabric. Cut a length of fabric trim this length.

Place the fabric trim along the edge of the T-shirt so that the trim covers the hem. If the trim is narrow, the trim will just cover the hem area of the T-shirt. If the trim is wide, the trim will cover the hem area of the T-shirt and extend down below the bottom of the T-shirt. Turn under one end of the fabric trim ½-inch and position it at a side seam of the T-shirt if possible. If the T-shirt has no side seam, position the end of the fabric trim along the back hem of the T-shirt. Pin the fabric trim in place at this point and begin pinning the fabric trim around the entire bottom edge of the T-shirt until you come around again to the starting point. Turn under the end of the fabric trim ½-inch and meet the two ends of the fabric trim at the starting point. As you pin the fabric trim to the T-shirt, take care not to stretch the T-shirt fabric. Make the fabric trim and the hem of the T-shirt fit each other and match up to ensure you do not stretch the hem of the T-shirt out of shape.

Stitch the fabric trim to the bottom edge of the T-shirt using the sewing machine. Position the stitches at the upper edge of the fabric trim approximately 1/8-inch away from the edge and sew in a straight line along the entire bottom edge of the T-shirt to stitch the fabric trim to the T-shirt. Take care to ensure the T-shirt fabric stays evenly matched to the fabric trim as you stitch so you do not end up with more T-shirt fabric than fabric trim.

Remove the pins and try the T-shirt on.