Is there a way to shrink clothes intentionally?

Pauliedragon

Out of boredom I gave my wardrobe a bit of a tidy up and came across a few t-shirts which are about 1-2 years old but never been worn. I've lost a fair bit of weight over the last year (thanks covid for taking my job) so they're too big but I was thinking if I could manually shrink them I'd save a bit of cash on replacing some shirts that need to be binned. Surely there's a way.

Fighting Tao

Old boards answer….Blast it with piss.

Day Lewin

Possible real answer... boil them; the cotton might shrink - but the teeshirt would probably lose all shape.

Better, if you can, take them in, with a sewing machine, or persuade a sewing friend to do it.

Last idea - use as nightgowns, or for Pilates, etc, with a knot fetchingly tied at one side of the waist.

EmmetSpiceland

Could throw them into a tumble dryer for a couple of long runs.

corner of hells

Why not just keep eating till they fit you again ?

Pauliedragon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117865978#Comment_117865978

That was my thinking. Beer and pizza but it didn't go down too well with the Mrs.

ohnonotgmail

wait a couple of years and the clothes will magically shrink without any intervention on your part.

Gregor Samsa

Hang them up further away from you.

markjbloggs

Chocolate

You could try washing it on a very hot wash, but you've no guarantee that will shrink it and it might also shrink only certain parts of it like the cuffs and collar or shrink it unevenly as there might be different materials used.

If it's a combination of cotton and synthetic materials it will likely just turn into a mess.

Also some things will shrink along the weave, so they might shrink in one direction more than another, so the whole t-shirt will just distort or and lose shape.

You might be better to just give them to someone they do fit.