Enlarging T-shirts / Sweaters

Dear users, dear authors,
If you have a finished shirt or sweater , can you simply sew a strip of fabric into the side seams if necessary? I saw a video like that on YouTube, but I can’t find the link anymore.
  Does this also work for knitted or crocheted tops ?
Would it be very noticeable, or is it worth the effort?
Has anyone ever tried this?
Is it similar to a sewn panel dress ?

Just adding a strip like that to the sides to make the shirt bigger isn’t a piece of cake, because you definitely have to keep an eye on the fit; otherwise it’ll look like a potato sack. And it only works with straight-cut pieces. If the piece has panel seams at the front and back or bust darts from the side or from the top, I’d steer clear of it.

Best regards, Inge

I’d say it depends.
With knits (stretchy fabrics, jersey, knit fabrics, etc.), where you usually don’t have darts, I think it’s quite possible.
Of course, it’s also important to consider how much you want to enlarge it. Up to 5 cm per side should be well within the realm of possibility.
However, this method only allows you to enlarge the section from the underarm or armhole end downward, and you’ll need to finish the edges accordingly.
If you also want to enlarge the shoulders and sleeves, it becomes significantly more challenging. In that case, I think it would make more sense to sew a completely new garment.

It depends on the cut and the material—I’d agree with the previous commenters on that. And you should keep in mind that it might end up being a failed experiment.

In that case, you might want to consider sewing in a zipper at the front and adding extra strips (if needed) to turn it into a little jacket. I imagine that would be easier.

Best regards,
Sonja

But it would have to be a very valuable shirt to justify all that effort—it’s probably rarely worth it. Just adding a strip on the side probably won’t work, since you’d still have to deal with the sleeves....

I saw on YouTube that someone had made a video on this topic. I didn’t click on the video, though, and I didn’t save the link either, so I can’t find it anymore, unfortunately.

@veronika-t15
I could definitely see this working for a T-shirt or sweatshirt—it wouldn’t be that complicated.

Normally, the sleeve and side seams on these pieces are sewn together in one go, so you could actually sew a (more or less) rectangular strip all the way through. That could end up looking similar to a kimono or batwing sleeve.

If you don’t want to alter the sleeve, the strip would need to be cut more like a triangle and inserted with the tip at the end of the armhole.
I could see this working for a maternity T-shirt or sweatshirt—it might actually make sense there.

Best regards, Marion