Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Cheats guide to tailoring a jacket ....

I use the term "tailoring" extremely loosely. Any actual tailor would be horrified at this butchering of a jacket. In my defense I do know how to tailor but this is a more realistic way (and more time efficient if say you are leaving on a trip and have a jacket you bought at a sample sale and desperately want to wear, when say your in Italy, at maybe your favorite Restaraunt? You know just setting the scene). 
Anyway here we go. Disclaimer you will need a sewing machine and know how to not sew your fingers together. Let me know in the comments if you want a more basic guide to sewing.....


Here we are before. It's boxy. It looks baggy and generally not that fitted or handsome looking. In defense I did wash this in the machine to try and shrink it up. It's an unfitted meaning its only half lined and doesn't have shoulder pads so it can stand a machine wash. 


So start by preparing the areas you want to adjust. The easiest is the Centre Back (CB) of any garment. Just start unpicking the seam, don't be afraid just go for it. This is the tedious bit. It takes so long to undo another's work...


Next is the fun bit. Start pinning how much you want to take out. If your like me I liked jackets to fit like a glove. I'm not the most patient person so I may or may not have rushed this and had to unpick it three times. Take note, take your time. Pin, try it on, pin it some
More. Try on again. Then get ready to sew it....


No we didn't return to the 80's. This is not a rerun of an old Martha show. That is an actual "beige" singer sewing machine and I love it. It sews like a dream and not to sound like an old lady but they don't make them like this any more.  I'm a little rough with my machine, my mother can contest this. I broke many of her needles and at times machines over the years. Possibly trying to see things together that should be or something of that nature. All in the name of fashion. Anyway you get the idea, start sewing the CB seam together now that you have pinned out what you want to remove. 


Here it is, a little crude put just wait. 


The miracle worker. Also know as an iron. Get a good, hot, powerful stead iron. An iron can solve/hide/fix many a problem. This is true at all levels of "tailoring". 


Pressing the pockets 


The sleeve is another area I like to adjust. It's the same process. Turn inside out, pin the seam you want to remove the excess fabric out of and make slimmer and one may say sexier.....
But remember give it a really good press after sewing ....


Ugh it's a Hilary Clinton Jacket (sorry Hilary) 


Tailored, fitted, ready for Italy (sorry for the stripped shorts, this is not the ideal outfit ) 
The main idea is to not get rid of something just because you don't like how it fits.  If its great then fix it.  I also take a lot of my jackets to the laundry/dry cleaners when i cant be bothered to do it myself. They can do amazing things. Don't be precious about it. I've had them move pockets, move sleeve heads up so it fits more tailored and also take in at sleeves and CB. Go in and talk to them. Explain what you want and see what they say. They generally can fix it. I love them on 21street just off 8th ave towards 9th. 
Also Amanda who just moved to the place on the south west corner of 9th and 21st cleaners. She's great! I know names of the places would be great. Ill get back to you. 

Ps by the time I had done this I had decided on another jacket to take traveling. I will probably wish I had brought it with me ....

Pps I will give you a proper styled shot and a back and side view to see it.....









Monday, September 9, 2013

Inspiration...

Just wanted to share an online magazine that is really great to flick through and get inspired.  Its small enough to get through easily and always has something great to look at, here is a link to the back issues, so go ahead and take a look.



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...