I still feel like a wizard every time...

March 18, 2012 10:02 AM

I fold my t-shirts like this. Lately, though, I've acquired a lot of long-sleeved thermals that I like to wear. Is there a comparable method of folding long-sleeved shirts? If not, what's your favorite quick and consistent long-sleeved-shirt folding method? (Extra points if it also works for bulkier stuff like sweaters and sweatshirts.)
posted by naturalog to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

I roll most of these. Even sweaters.
posted by Ideefixe at 10:25 AM on March 18, 2012 [3 favorites]

This is how I do it, which is comparable. In the past I've used shirt folding boards, a remnant of having used a folding machine when working at a drycleaner's, but now I don't even need a board.

I also have a way I can't describe easily and can't find a video of, where I do this same move, only in the air fresh out of the dryer - holding it up between the shoulders and collar where the fold will go, letting the arms hang down and using two fingers to flip them in place, then starting the horizontal fold, letting the bottom of the shirt hit the top of the dryer for the first fold at the waist and then flipping it again to make the small square.
posted by peagood at 10:32 AM on March 18, 2012 [1 favorite]

Th trick for my bulky stuf is to fold in the arms only then just flip that in half and stop! Making it as flat as you can if you are going to stack them.
posted by dawkins_7 at 10:34 AM on March 18, 2012

I used to work in retail and we used the method in peagood's first link, minus the clipboard. That person is really slow, you can do that in about 5 seconds. With practice you can do it standing up (I think this is what peagood is describing).
posted by desjardins at 10:40 AM on March 18, 2012 [1 favorite]

This shows long-sleeves.
posted by SoulOnIce at 11:08 AM on March 18, 2012

Yes, desjardins - that's where I learned it too. To this day I re-fold things in stores this way after I've held them up to look at them.
posted by peagood at 12:49 PM on March 18, 2012 [1 favorite]

Best answer: This is the vid that taught me the folding method you currently use for T-shirts. It includes demonstrations for long sleeves, as well as a handy warning not to attempt the same method for skirts or trousers. Just in case you were tempted.
posted by MUD at 1:06 PM on March 18, 2012