Hints & Tips

Archive for the ‘Clothes too big - Take In’ Category

Waisted dresses are in fashion, and there is a lot of tulle or lace as an overlay.  When you have to take in the sides because it is too big, you have to also take in the skirt section below the waist (in most cases) However, if the fabric is fine, you may be able to get away with easing the skirt section into the top section AFTER you have taken in the top section at the sides.  I just altered a very pretty dress with tulle lace over a fine lawn.  The top section has to be taken in 1.5 cm (5/8″) from the top to the waist.  When I talk about the amount a garment is coming in at the sides, I am talking about the amount from the seam to the pin.  That means the total amount is twice that, because it is on the fold.  There were two layers, and because it was such a fine fabric, I eased the skirt back into the bodice.  The fact that it was so fine, meant that the fabric eased in, and there was not a wrinkle to be seen.  If I had taken in the skirt I would have been dealing with three layers.  The customer was happy to have it done this way, and it saved her a lot of money because of the time it would have taken to take in three layers

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Waisted dresses are in fashion, and there is a lot of tulle or lace as an overlay.  When you have to take in the sides because it is too big, you have to also take in the skirt section below the waist (in most cases) However, if the fabric is fine, you may be able to get away with easing the skirt section into the top section AFTER you have taken in the top section at the sides.  I just altered a very pretty dress with tulle lace over a fine lawn.  The top section has to be taken in 1.5 cm (5/8″) from the top to the waist.  When I talk about the amount a garment is coming in at the sides, I am talking about the amount from the seam to the pin.  That means the total amount is twice that, because it is on the fold.  There were two layers, and because it was such a fine fabric, I eased the skirt back into the bodice.  The fact that it was so fine, meant that the fabric eased in, and there was not a wrinkle to be seen.  If I had taken in the skirt I would have been dealing with three layers.  The customer was happy to have it done this way, and it saved her a lot of money because of the time it would have taken to take in three layers.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Layering has been in fashion for a while, and there are some gorgeous tops that require a singlet or tee shirt underneath so that you cannot see the bra.  After a while you can get stick of having to put something on underneath, and would maybe like to just wear the top with a bra.  A quick and easy solution is to find some fabric that matches or is similar to the top in colour.  Put the top on and raise your arm so that you can see long the gusset needs to be from the bottom of the armhole up towards your armpit.  Then measure the width you want the top of the gusset to be.  For example it will probably be around 10 cm (4″) in length and have a width at the top of 5 cm (2″).  The bottom will not be into a point, but should be rounded in the same shape as the existing armhole.  Make a template out of cardboard with the correct measurements, then increase for seam allowance.

 Fold the fabric you will be using in half, so that the fold will be at the top under the arm.  Cut out your gusset x 2 and overlock the edges or bind if you don’t have an overlocker.  Pin into place, and then sew.

 Now you can wear that lovely top without having to wear a singlet or tee shirt underneath.

 Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

You have two options here.  The first is the quick way which you have probably done before and that is to fold the shoulder over and put a pleat in it which would give you a pleat at the front and back.  You could do two or three and make it a feature.  I prefer to turn the garment inside out and stitch the fold on the under side, then come around and top stitch it down which a row of stitching as close to the edge as you can.  This gives it a pleated effect without it looking like that was what you wanted to do.

 The second way is the more time consuming and that is to take the sleeve out, recut the armhole and put the sleeve back in.  Always label your sleeves with a piece of paper attached with a safety pin before you unpick.  Ie right sleeve and left sleeve labeled.  Saves you trying to work out which sleeve goes where.  Just a little time saving thing.

 You do not need to deepen the armhole.  But you may find you have to put a dart in the front.  Also sew TWO rows of stitching around the new armhole in a wide stitch and ease it in slightly.  This ensures you don’t stretch the fabric.  Pin the sleeve back in. I usually put a dot at the top of the sleeves if there isn’t a notch there already so you know the exact top of the sleeve.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Taking a sweat shirt from a large to a medium or small is usually a lot of work.  If you have the time.  The sides need to come in from under the arm down to the hem.  I would also be taking in from the underarm down the arm to the end of the sleeve. 

Before you shorten the length from the bottom which would include taking the band off, cutting the excess off and replacing the band, you should fold the sleeve up on the shoulder to see if it needs to be raised.  Usually a sweat shirt will have a dropped shoulder, but it might be too low for a medium or small.  If you are going to take the sleeve out and raise it do this BEFORE you shorten the length.  In fact if the sleeve is too long, you may be able to just recut the sleeve head and re attach without having to undo the bottom of the band.

If the sweat shirt is too long, you may have to shorten the length.  It’s always good to have the body in the sweat shirt and pin to the persons body, rather than guessing, although a sweat shirt is not a fitting garment, so you can get away with altering down a few sizes by just taking in as discussed above.

HINT – If you do opt for raising at the sleeve head, don’t take the side of the sleeve in until you have repinned the cut sleeve head onto the garment.  You should take in the side seam from the underarm to the hem BEFORE you pin the sleeve back on.  the reason for this is that the sleeve gets narrower the closer it gets to the end of the sleeve, so it will automatically become narrower.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Our body shapes are all different, and one of the challenges with pear shaped people is having their clothes fit at the waist, but comfortable over the hip.  Rather than take in the sides or centre back seam, consider putting darts in the back.  If there is a waist band, unpick the band about 10cm (4”) either side of the centre back seam.  Sew darts about 5cm (2”) either side of the centre back seam.  Take in the band the amount you have taken in as darts in the centre back band.  Open out the seam by cutting in the centre, so that the seam sits flat in the band.

 Iron your darts flat and iron the seam flat in the band.  Rejoin the band.  If the person has a particularly small waist, do the same at the front, but in this case you should undo the band all the way around to the front darts, but take the excess out of the band at the centre back.

 Hint – If you want to make sure you have the seam join on the same position as the center back seam, when you unpick at the start, place a nick in the band top and bottom.  Then when you fold the band over to take in, fold at the nicks.  Your seam will be in the centre.

 Happy sewing

 Judith aka genie

The most common place I have to put darts is at the front armhole near the bust.  Some garments gape in this area, and putting a dart there solves the problem.  There are two ways to do this if the garment is lined or has a facing.  The first is to unpick the seams joining the lining or facing and taking a dart in each section.  This works in most cases, but where is can come unstuck is if the fabric is sheer.  As the person walks the darts will move separate to each other, and the inside dart can become noticeable.  So the way around that is to sew the two fabrics together. 

 Lay the garment inside out over the end of the ironing board.  Measure the amount you are going to take in and place a pin through both fabrics, making sure that the fabric is sitting perfectly flat from the top of the garment.  You don’t want to have any wrinkles.

 Mark with your tailors chalk from the edge to the pin on the inside lining or facing on both sides.  Measure from the armhole up to each point to make sure you have the same distance for each dart. 

 Sew a seam from the edge to the finished length of the dart, sewing through both pieces of fabric.  You now have the fabrics joined together, so now you can sew your dart without worrying about the fabrics slipping on you.

Happy sewing

 Judith aka genie

I pinned a garment on a client but was not able to complete the job.  Another person prepared and sewed the garments.  I had discussed what needed to be done however not everyone works the same way. 

For those of you who have my book, you will know what I mean when I say that I measure where my pins are.  I always say, where I pin is where I sew, and I mean that literally.  I take down the measurements like a carpenter.

How since the Victorian times, the standard way to alter a garment is to turn the garment inside out and rub a chalk or pencil over the pin on the inside.  When the garment is ready to be sewn, they sew over the chalk or pencil mark.

Let me explain why this will not always work.  Notice that I say “not always” work.  If the seam is in the centre and the pins are in the exact position either side of the seam, then it will work, but how many people pin with the seam in the centre?  Not everyone.

Try the exercise yourself.  Take a garment that needs to be taken in both sides.  Pin a garment with the seam just a little off centre.  Turn the garment inside out and chalk the pins.  Before you take your pins out, use my technique for writing down your measurements.  Now take your pins out.  Place the seam flat and sew down the chalk mark.  In all likelihood you have made the garment too tight on one side and not tight enough on the opposite side.  The garment will not be even both sides.

How often do you hear that people have taken a garment to an alteration shop and it was taken in too much or not enough?  That is because the above scenario has happened.

If you want to give your customers 100% accuracy, use the technique in my book “Genie Clothing Alteration Secrets Revealed”.

 Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

I can’t say I do this a lot, but sometimes I get a customer who has a shirt that hangs half way down her arm (I am exaggerating here)  You know what I mean.  Anyway, usually they don’t want to spend a lot of money on taking out the sleeve and raising the sleeve onto the shoulder.  So putting a pleat in the shoulder seam brings the sleeve up higher.

 I find it sits nicer if you have the fold of the pleat on the edge of the sleeve head.  Stitch in the ditch on the shoulder seam to secure the pleat

 Happy sewing

 Judith aka genie

Some people’s weight fluctuates badly.  They can loose weight over summer, and then put it all back on over winter.  Men in particular could have this problem. 

 Suit trousers or good work trousers have the ability to be taken in through the centre back.  So when you are taking in the centre back and the person is concerned about cutting away the excess, try doing it this way.

 Sew your new seam down the centre back BEFORE you unpick the original seam.  You always need a reference point when taking in, so get in the habit of sewing the new seam first BEFORE you unpick the old.

 Anyway back to the centre back.  Once you have taken it in, turn the garment inside out (if it isn’t already) and iron the seams flat.  Now fold the excess from the seams underneath – folding in towards the centre back seam.

 Stitch down the fold so that it won’t roll out. Make sure that the seams are stitched down at the lower bottom area, otherwise it will not sit properly

 Resew the band. 

 Happy sewing

 Judith aka genie