Archive for the ‘Jackets’ Category
Riding jackets are very expensive, and as the young child grows, jackets can become too tight. Seams do not always have a lot of extra fabric so you need to look at adding panels.
If the arms were too tight and around the armhole and back, then you can insert a panel down the arm and down the back panel. I remembered a client bringing me a Riding Jacket a few years ago, and what I did was insert some good quality heavy velvet as panels down the arms and the side back seams. The Riding School had approved the changes, which is an important point, because some of them are very strict on what the jackets must look like. This particular jacket also had a collar that had seen better days, so I took that out and replaced it with a new black velvet collar.
So if you have a jacket in your wardrobe that has become a little tight, take a good look at it, and see if it would look any better if it had some fabric panels down the arms and back. You could take the complete back side panel out and replace it with a new fabric such as velvet, or just open the seams and add the extension between the existing panels.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
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If you suit, normally when someone puts on weight, the skirt or trousers are the first to become too tight, however a jacket can also become too tight. Depending on the style you may be able to increase the size by adding some fabric.
Riding Jackets are probably the most common to become tight, because the rider begins horse riding lessons at an early age, then as she gets older the jacket gets tighter. They will leave a reasonable seam allowance, however if this is not the case, you can look at other alternatives.
If the arms were too tight and around the armhole and back is also tight you can insert some good quality heavy velvet as panels down the arms and the side back seams. Most Riding Schools will approve this type of alterations, however they should be asked first. I had a jacket once that also needed the collar replaced, so I did that in velvet as well.
So if you have a jacket in your wardrobe that has become a little tight, take a good look at it, and see if it would look any better if it had some fabric panels down the arms and back. You could take the complete back side panel out and replace it with a new fabric such as velvet, or just open the seams and add the extension between the existing panels.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
To get into women’s lined jackets; you will find a seam that has been closed inside one of the sleeves in the lining. For men’s jackets, you will have to make an opening in the lining in the body of the garment, because the sleeves will be closed at the top of the sleeve. Occasionally, you will come across a jacket for men that are made in the same way a woman’s jacket is.
Step 1 – Unpick the inside arm seam of the lining.
Step 2 – Pop the whole jacket out through the opening. When you first do this, you may feel a little strange, but get into the habit of altering from the inside. It is quicker and easier. Pop your hand in and grab hold of the corner furthest away from you. Pull that through the opening. Then pop your hand in and grab the corner of the jacket closest to you. Then pop the collar through.
Step 3 – For this example the jacket is straight across with no split
Step 4 – The hem will be attached at each seam to hold it up. Unpick the hem from the attached seam.
Step 5 – The front panels can be manufactured in a number of ways:-
Option 1 – The front facing and the lining are joined all the way through. It will look like it has been bagged straight across from the edge to the end of the front inside panel. The stitching then tapers across and down by the hem allowance.
Option 2 – The lining is separate from the front inside panel, and has been joined before the hem has been turned up.
Step 6 – Mark the amount that you are going up on the wrong side of the outer fabric not the right side.
Step 7 – You will be measuring from the fold line (original hem) up to the new hem length. Mark all the way around the jacket, marking at seams and in between. Mark the lining the same amount. This will be the amount you are shortening the jacket by, then you will mark below this amount by 1.2 cm (1/2″). This is the seam allowance. If Option 2 – Cut the outer fabric separate to the lining EXCEPT the front and the inside front panels that are joined. Cut these together up to the edge of the inside front panel. Then cut the outer and the lining separate.
Short cut for Option 1 – Mark up the amount you are shortening the jacket, and then down the hem allowance, and BEFORE YOU CUT – stitch 1.2 cm (1/2″) above the hem allowance. Cut on the bottom chalk mark and proceed as follows:-
Step 8 – Lay the jacket on the ironing board, and iron the jacket flat.
Step 9 – Iron interfacing on to the hem allowance placing the interfacing in between each seam. My interfacing is usually 5 cm (2″) wide because most hem allowances are 4cm (1 ½”) wide. The interfacing should be between the cut line and the new fold line. Not above the fold line.
Step 10 – Bag the two front sections together. When you ironed up the hem allowance, you will have made sure the two fronts are even.
Bag the right side front, then the left side front, and check to see they are even.
Step 11 – Pin the side facing to the outer fabric on the hem on each front section.
Step 12 – Pin the lining to the outer fabric. I do a 1 cm (1/2″) hem allowance.
Step 13 – For the rest of the jacket, sew just above the bottom chalk mark. This means you sew from the edge of the facing to the opposite facing.
Step 14 – Cut off the excess fabric on the cut line.
Step 15 – Iron the hem up by having the garment with the inside facing you, and iron up the hem allowance. Use the end of the ironing board.
Step 16 – Fold the hem allowance over to the lining and iron into place.
Step 17 – Do this all the way around the jacket hem.
Step 18 – Attach the hem to the seams at each section.
Step 19 – Pop the jacket out through the opening in the sleeve.
Step 20 – Re-iron the hem and if you marked correctly, the hem should be straight.
Step 21 – Close the opening in the sleeve.
If you have a jacket that has a curved front panel, make a template by placing a piece of cardboard underneath one front curve and draw around the outline. Cut your template. When you have the jacket inside out, lay the template over the front panel and draw your curved outline (this is on the wrong side of the fabric because it is inside out) and this is your stitch line. Proceed as per above for the rest of the jacket.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
Shortening a lined suit jacket takes some concentration but can be achieved without too much fuss if you know what you are doing in advance. This type of jacket is longer than a bomber jacket which finishes around the waist or upper hip area. To determine the average length of a suit jacket, stand in front of a mirror and lower your right arm with the elbow locked straight. Raise your thumb in a 45° angle. This is the perfect length for your body shape. A jacket on a person who is 183 cm (6′) tall will be a different length from someone who is 163 cm (5′4″). The length of your upper body and the length of your arms will determine your perfect length. A jacket that is too long will make a shorter person look even shorter, and may give the impression that they are bigger in the upper body than they really are. This means that shorter people need to have their jackets shortened to their perfect length for a better self image.
Shortening a lined jacket (no splits) is one of the most challenging of clothing alterations, or may seem so in the beginning. Just the thought can put a lot of people off and send them running to a clothing alteration shop. We have talked about what a person should be charging for clothing alterations, and this is one of the most expensive. Because I work from home, I charge $40.00 plus GST (10% tax) which is $44.00 per hour (USD$36 and GBP£24). And it would take me around one hour to shorten a lined jacket, so I would be charging AUD$44.00. If you add splits into the equation, maybe one at the back or one either side, then the price would increase. Keeping in mind that the more you shorten a jacket, the more the chances that the split cannot be kept. The fabric for a split is cut away above the split, so the higher you are shortening the jacket the less fabric you have. You need at least 5 cm (2 in) to put a split back on, and that is the bare minimum. I would prefer more than that for it to look reasonable.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
I contacted an Australian Designer recently to complain about the fact that their lined jackets are not able to be shortened at the sleeves because they are cutting the button holes. Emails went back and forth for a while. I don’t think they really took any notice, but you need to be aware that some designers are cutting their button holes on the sleeves. This is a practice that used to happen way back in the early 1900’s but stopped when it was realized that people needed their jacket sleeves shortened, so they began putting what we call false button holes on jacket sleeves. That meant that when you were shortening a jacket, you could unravel the button hole. Its simple if you get the right thread. If the button hole has been done manually, then you would have to unpick. I unravel the imitation button hole and when I have shortened the sleeve, I sew the buttons back on. Not too many people would notice the difference.
If you are getting a jacket made and it is going to be made to the correct length, then you could cut the button holes if you like, but generally the button holes are only there as a feature.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
This is one of those times when I wish I could send you an illustration, but this format of newsletter has to go out in text format and there is definitely no way I can send illustrations.
The day will come when you want to shorten the sleeves on a jacket, BUT the bottom of the sleeve has some kind of feature. It may be that the button holes are sliced open, there is embroidery, beading, elaborate cuffs or any other type of feature. So the only option is to shorten at the top of the sleeve.
I am going to cover this in more detail in my articles in the Australian Stitches magazine, and in my 2nd Edition Clothing Alteration Secrets Revealed, however, I thought I would touch on the subject here, and for those of you who are more experienced I am sure you will understand what I am saying.
Finally before I start, the jacket sleeve is going to get tighter, because you are taking from the top of the sleeve. Make sure that the sleeve is not tight on the person. If it is you can’t alter in this way.
Determine the length you want the sleeve taken up. Now this really can only be done up to about 2” or 5cm. Unpick the sleeve and lining from the shoulder. Make sure you know which sleeve is the left and which is the right. The back is wider than the front, but if you want to be sure safety pin a piece of calico onto the bottom of each sleeve with left on one and right on the other. That way you won’t get it wrong.
Put the sleeves together, right sides facing each other. So one sleeve will be inside the other, and the front of both sleeves is together and the back of each sleeve is together.
Mark down the amount you are shortening the sleeve from the top of the sleeve at the head of the sleeve
Move out to the sides. DO NOT TAKE ANY FROM THE SIDE FRONT AND BACK. Mark up the amount you are shortening the sleeve from the under arm of the sleeve.
You need to get the original shape back into the sleeve. You should be marking this on the wrong side. When you are happy you have the curve right, cut away the excess. Remember to allow for seam allowance, or measure down from the edge and put the same seam allowance back on.
Use the template you cut off the main fabric and pin to the lining so you cut away the same amount from the top and the bottom.
Reattach the sleeves. As a tip, always sew a row of gathering stitch around the top of the sleeve from one side to the other, and give it a little pull so that when you place the sleeve head in your hand it hangs properly. Ease the sleeve in; do not take in the sleeve to make it fit. If you have to sew a row of gathering stitch around the edge of the armhole of the jacket and ease in.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
This is a true story. A gentleman come into one of my shops, and he said, “I want you to put some pockets in my favourite jacket. I don’t care how much it costs. I have had this jacket for years, and I love it, but I can’t stand it any more. I want pockets!!!!!”
Looking at the jacket I poked my little finger into the side of the pocket. Then I poked my finger into the other side of the pocket. It was a very tight fit, but I could just get my long acrylic nail in there.
Grabbing a quick unpick I sniped the stitches, beginning at the edge and working across.
Then I unpicked the opposite pocket. I pulled out the loose threads and handed him back his jacket, and said “How about $100.00?” “Just kidding…”
He could not believe it. For good measure I looked at the top pocket, and it was sewn shut as well, so I opening that.
I had a customer for life…………………………….
Manufacturers sew most of the pockets shut because they don’t want them to sag open on the hangers, and there are people who do not want to put their hands in their pockets, because it might put the jacket out of shape. Personally I LOVE my pockets. I have my hands in them all the time, so if you have someone who comes and gets a jacket altered, even if it’s the sleeves, check out the pockets, and ask if they want them opened.
I don’t charge to do this. I think it’s a good PR exercise
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
Men’s Jackets are a little different from ladies jackets, because most men’s jackets are hand stitched around the armhole which closes off the ability to your arm through the sleeve and into the body of the jacket. (Please note that you may come across some men’s jackets that are mass produced, and the sleeve will not be hand stitched on, which means you can get in the same way as you do for ladies.)
So if you are shortening the sleeves on men’s jacket with the sleeves attached at the shoulder, open the lining on both sleeves. Always open the inside arm seam, rather than the outside arm seam.
If you are doing alterations to the body of the garment, put an opening in the lining at the side seam. When you are finished, unpick the bottom of the breast pocket lining, pull the side seam lining through the bottom of the pocket lining and sew up the side seam. Now close the breast pocket lining with a seam across the bottom like you do with the inside arm seam.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
I knew she was a perfectionist, when she turned the jacket inside out and looked at the workmanship on the inside. I had shortened hundreds of Ladies Lined Jackets, and I am very proud of my own workmanship, so I had a smile on my face. She glared at me and said “I don’t want that seam to be like that on the inside of the sleeve!!!!” The smile escaped my lips, but I kept my sense of humour.
What she was referring to was the inside arm seam on the lining. This is how we get into the inside of ladies jackets. If you have a look at the inside lining on the left or right sleeve, you will see that there is a section that has been sewn down the edge keeping the seam together.
I explained to my customer, that this is how we get into the jackets to shorten sleeves, take in backs etc. She did not believe me, so I explained that if she went into any fashion store and looked inside the left or right sleeve of all lined jackets, she would notice that they were all like this. She became very upset, and because my shop was next door to a fashion store, I took her into the shop and turned the sleeve inside out of some jackets to show her that it was normal. I did offer to hand stitch the seam closed if she preferred it that way, which she insisted I do. Remember the customer is always right…………………
If you are going to alter a lined jacket, unpick this seam and pop the jacket inside out. Put your hand inside the jacket and pull one corner out first, then the opposite corner, and then the rest of the jacket. If the opening is not enough, make it bigger.
If on the other hand you are doing some alterations to the body of the jacket, make your life a little easier, and open the side seam in the body of the jacket. Do whatever needs doing, then open the sleeve opening, pull the section you unpicked through the opening in the sleeve, seam up the seam and close the lining in the sleeve.
This rule applies for ladies jackets, but for men’s jackets it’s different. Next week I will give you some tips on getting into men’s lined jackets.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
This is usually done on school jackets. Usually for a child who has become a prefect or excelled in sports. The pocket will be embroidered with the childs achievements and the old pocket is taken off and the new one sewn on. You can sew around the sides, but it doesn’t look as good. Unpick the old pocket, and lay the new one in the position you want it. Make sure it is laying flat on the jacket. Trace around the pocket with a tailors pencil, making sure you can see the pencil mark, but not so hard that you won’t get the mark out later.
Unpick the lining on the inside in the same position the pocket will be placed. Dont worry about how to close the lining, I will tell you that at the end. You don’t want to sew over the lining. Open the lining enough that you have clear access to the breast of the jacket.
Place a mark on the pocket at the two bottom corners so you know to line them up when you come to that area as you sew. Do this before you start to sew.
Begin on the side closest to the buttons or button holes. Lay the pocket so the right side is against the right side of the jacket. You want to sew over the top of your traced line.
It gets a little harder as you come around the bottom of the pocket, but if you have marked the pocket and the jacket you will ensure you line these two areas up.
When you have finished, unpick the bottom of the enclosed pocket on the inside of the jacket. Pull the lining through this opening, and stitch the lining up. Then pull the pocket lining up to the outside and topstitch the end closed. Push the pocket lining back into the pocket, and no one will know how you did the job.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie