Try not to stretch out the collar by pulling it as you’re holding it. This can warp the fabric and make the cut look uneven.
It’s important for the seams to be aligned because the new neckline will be crooked if they aren’t.
You can make your neckline as low or as high as you want, depending on your preference. Just make sure you start measuring below the bottom of the collar, rather than the top. You’ll be cutting different shapes for both a scoop neck and a v-neck, but for both types of necklines, you’ll start cutting along the crease at the front of the shirt.
This will make the neckline wider and looser for a flattering scoop neck shirt. As you’re cutting, make sure you have both layers of the shirt in the scissors. If you cut one side of the shirt at a time, you run the risk of the neckline being crooked. If your cuts are too short, the edge of the fabric can become jagged. Try to make longer cuts as you curve the scissors and keep the fabric flat.
For a v-neck, make sure your cuts are as long as possible to avoid curves in the neckline. It may be helpful to hold a ruler next to the scissors to keep them straight as you cut the fabric.
Be sure not to stretch or rip the shirt by pulling too hard. Just gently tug on the neckline fabric a few times. If you still have a few jagged edges after pulling on the fabric, run the shirt through the washer and dryer to soften the fabric and hide the edges.
For this type of neckline, you’ll only be cutting the front of the shirt up to the shoulder seams, so the back part doesn’t need to be perfectly aligned.
If you have a logo or design on the front of your shirt, you may want to make sure you aren’t going to be cutting off the printing.
Make sure the point is on the bottom part of the collar, since you won’t be removing the collar from the shirt.
If you want to make a more rounded cut-out in the neckline, you can cut a curved line between the two points.
If you want to customize the shirt even further, you can make it sleeveless.
When you’re pulling the fabric, make sure you don’t pull too hard and rip the shirt. If the fabric won’t roll under, run the shirt through the washer and dryer to soften the fabric, making it easier to hide any edges.
You can use a long-sleeve or short-sleeve shirt for this. It’s best to use a shirt that has shoulder seams, since they’ll help guide your cutting.
If you want the shoulder holes to be larger, you can cut to about halfway between the top of the shoulder and the middle of the collar on both sides of the shirt.
Mark a spot that’s further away to create a bigger hole for your shoulder, or if you’re working with a larger-sized shirt.
Once you’re done, repeat this process with the back of the shirt on this same sleeve. This sleeve of the shirt is finished, but you still have to cut the other cold shoulder. Make sure the fabric stays smooth and flat as you work!
When you’re done cutting, you should have 2 triangles of fabric from the shoulders of the shirt, and the collar should still be intact around the neck of the shirt.
If you want to make the fabric softer and widen the holes, wash and dry the shirt to roll the edges of the hole even further.
