Shorten shirt sleeves with cuff Shorten shirt sleeves with cuff a small amount, by unpicking the cuff, shortening at the body of the sleeve and reattaching the cuff. For this exercise we will assume the sleeve needs to be shortened 4 cm (1 ½ in) which is an amount that allows for cutting part of the placket off. Unpick the right cuff and safety pin to the right sleeve. Unpick the left cuff [...]
Find out what the new length needs to be by pinning the excess fabric around the elbow area. I do this because I want the cuff to rest in the right position on the wrist. Remember to always allow for flounce. That means when the person raises their arm the cuff does not ride up the wrist too much. Before doing this clothing alteration, always make sure that the person's upper arm width is less [...]
Bagging corners Bagging corners basically means folding the fabric with RIGHT SIDES together and stitching from the fold to the end, or just before the end depending on how it will be finished. The fabric is then turned back the right way and with a ruler or turner, push the tip of the folded section so that it sits flat. Some people trim the hem allowance to reduce bulk, but I prefer [...]
Open out seams hem to sit flat Open out seams hem to sit flat should always be done before over locking. This is another one of those alteration areas that can create confusion. I had a lady join one of my shops, who thought the only way to open out seams was to start sewing about 15 cm (6 in) above the new hem length, slowly taper down, then once she reached the [...]
What is the right length trousers or jeans What is the right length trousers or jeans is a topic that needs to be discussed between the person doing the alteration and the customer. If you have my book, you will understand when I say that getting the pinning right means getting the alteration right. When determining the new length on a pair of trousers or jeans, it is imperative that the person have [...]