Why do my tops stretch and get wide and short?

[AluckyEllie]

Hi!

So, I’ve noticed before with a couple of tops from Zara that after a few washes they get shorter in length and wider. I thought it was just bad luck but I recently bought a lovely sweatshirt/long sleeved top from hush and after two washes it’s unwearable! The neckline has stretched so much it shows off my bra and is practically sliding off my shoulders, I have to keep hoiking it up. It’s also became super baggy. I wash at 40 and airer dry.

What mistake am I making that is ruining all my clothes?! 😂

(DH’s view was that a spell in prison gives you plenty of time to come up with faffy ideas like that!)

@TawnyPippit

I hate this too. I saw this tip on a Martha Stewart home-making type programme (I can only assume I was doing some industrial strength procrastination/displacement activity to be watching this!). She says you should lay out and measure the garment you are washing - measure across chest, nape to hem and across hem eg. You then wash garment appropriately, then lie it flat and stretch/ease it to the measurements while damp.

It’s a good way of doing it although I have only ever done it with expensive tops I have hand washed - couldn’t be bothered with tee’s. (I think on the show she had a special notebook in which she jotted down the proportions of her favourite tops )

(DH’s view was that a spell in prison gives you plenty of time to come up with faffy ideas like that!)

LOL!!!!

(DH’s view was that a spell in prison gives you plenty of time to come up with faffy ideas like that!)

I'll bet it was just the loveliest cell!

Right. Have washed two of the dresses I mentioned above in a cool short wash and a lower spin speed. Have stretched them to the length of the third (as yet unwashed) dress so here's hoping. Will report back when they're dry...

I've never had this happen but it sounds like a problem at the stage of cutting the fabric. Fabric moves differently when worn edge to edge and top to bottom. I learned this when making my first skirt and cut it out differently to how the pattern specified so that I could save money on fabric, but it meant I lost the "give" in the fabric.

When buying the 1st lot of school uniform years ago, the lady in the shop advised not to use fabric conditioner, as this is what makes t-shirts / jumpers wide and short.

No idea if that's actually true, but I stopped buying fabric conditioner then and haven't noticed it since. Worth a try.

Re shape whilst damp and iron back into shape.

Care labels normally say about reshape whilst damp

@catmandont funny you should say that, I've never bothered with fabric conditioner until fairly recently and I've noticed my clothes seem to be shrinking.

I'm totally prepared for the truth to be that I'm expanding but my clothes seem to be getting tight all over rather than in the places where I would usually put on weight.