Adjusting clothing

nicki_2

I've bought some tops that I really like. They're gothic in style and as much as I love the big flared sleeves/cuffs they're a little impractical at times so I was wondering how hard would it be to adjust the sleeves to a "less flared" style and would it be do-able? I really don't want to pay out to have them adjusted professionally as that would defeat the purpose of me buying them in bulk from ebay to keep costs down :rotfl:

morwenna

Without looking at the top it's hard to tell but you should be able to turn the top inside out and take in the sleeve along the under arm seam IYSWIM? Use a top with a more conventional sleeve as a template.

nicki_2

In that case I'll get my camera out and take some pictures of the sleeves.

Aril

Could you try running in a line of tacking stitches on the inside of the sleeves first to guage whether you like the effect or not first and that way you haven't ruined the fabric? As a Druid with some fabby big sleeves they look good but are absolutely hopeless for attemting any type of domestic task in. Also not good for reaching across the table when you have erm lit candles:o
Aril

pol

To cut down on sewing, you could put a small fold in and sew a nice fancy button or two on top to make it look deliberate.

pol

oystercatcher

I've shortened the sleeves on some of my tops by simply folding back the ends of the sleeves (right sides together) and with the machine sewing a seam around an inch wide all around, two or three inches from the ends of the sleeves. This makes the sleeves about two inches shorter and much less dangly and the seam looks like it's a sewn on cuff and part of the design.

This is very simple but quite hard to describe. Would only work on a garment with fairly straight sleeves not the very flared ones.
Need that picture........