Seamstresses please help

Stephb1986_2

Hi, Hopefully there are some seamstresses or ladies that like to sew on here. I've got a question.

I'm looking at buying some morning suits but one of the jackets doesn't go big enough. I was thinking of buying an extra jacket anad getting a seamstress to use panels out of the other jacket to make one of the jackets a bit bigger. Is this possible and also is it expensive?

Many Thanks

Steph xx

FairyPrincessk

Steph,

This might be possible, although depending on how much bigger and which areas you needed for it to be bigger you might end up with seams in very odd places. It probably would not look the way that you wanted it to. The job will be considerably harder if the jacket is lined, if the sleeves and collar are also too small, and if it is too small across the back.

For an idea of prices, I've had two dresses altered within the past two years, both for weddings so fairly nice, lined dresses. In both cases they needed to be taken in at the top, in one case it was a matter of approximately four seams and cost £12. In another case it was a substantially more complicated job and cost £35, but was still only about 6 seams. In this case I suspect most alterations shops wouldn't take the job and if it did it might cost quite a lot for not terribly desirable results.

Bottom line, I would suggest finding a different suit. Alternatively, consider buying fabric yourself and finding a local tailor to make you a morning suit. Please consult the tailor first on type/weight of material and amounts first. HTH.

Peggybabcot

Hi Steph, I'm a tailor with over 30 years experience and I wouldn't touch this job with a ten foot barge pole. It'll always look like you've had pieces added (at best) and at worst it'd look like a dogs dinner. Depending on how much too small it is, (a small amount) you may get away with letting the seams out. Depending where the pockets are on the side you may only have one centre back seam to go at so probably at the very best about 1" bigger. However you may have issues other than tum & chest. Arm and shoulder width for example. You could add fabric under the arm to make the sleeves wider but you'll never make the shoulders wider without it looking a mess (adding fabric at the sleeve head is the only way to do this and having a seam there would look hideous. If the front of the jacket is cut in two panels you might be able to make it bigger by replacing the outside front panel but even then I doubt you'd have enough fabric in one extra jacket to do this in one piece. That's the logistics bit over with, now down to cost. If anyone quotes you a fiver an hour I doubt they're capable of doing the job in the first place unless they really just do it for love and not the money lol. This is a highly skilled alteration and as a guide I charge around £20 per hour. Next onto the time it'll take. Given that it takes longer to unpick a garment than it does to sew it in the first place and you have to do this twice, assuming it's lined, the man hours are going to tot up very quickly indeed. Then there's the time involved in fitting the jacket, possibly at least two fittings. As a ball park guesstimate, even if it were possible you'd be well into a three figure sum. Last year I did the opposite for a client as he'd lost around 4 stone and wanted his beloved favourite suit to fit the new him. This was an easier job than you're suggesting and by the time we'd done it cost him £120.
I think the bottom line is you need to rethink the morning suits for the entire bridal party as I wouldn't recommend this route. Sorry to be so negative but there are some unscrupulous people out there that will promise you the earth and what you'll end up with is one butchered jacket. You'll have spent money on two jackets and the alteration costs and still not want to wear it.
If you want to know anything else, just ask x
PS sorry to have waffled but sometimes when you're so passionate about your job you expect everyone else to be as interested lol xx:rotfl:

short_bird

Oh goodness no. :eek:

charlies-aunt

Have you looked at hiring one through a Bridal Hire Company as an option? - they do a comprehensive range of sizes and I wonder if it might work out substantially cheaper than buying/altering or buying a made-to-measure.

-taff

It's possible but it will look awful....post #3

If you're buying the suits, why not have a jacket made?

Mands

Peggybabcot wrote: »

If you want to know anything else, just ask x
PS sorry to have waffled but sometimes when you're so passionate about your job you expect everyone else to be as interested lol xx:rotfl:

Can I be really cheeky and tag another tailoring question onto this?

I have a black wool jacket which has a narrow leather trim. The leather is round the cuffs, along the pockets and around the lapel; in each case it's inset from the edge of the fabric by about half an inch.

I've had the jacket long enough that the leather has deteriorated and split. I *really* want to be able to wear the jacket and I'm wondering if it's possible to sew something like a wide piece of ribbon or velvet on top to hide the leather.

Does that sound doable?

Many thanks if you're able to comment
Mands

short_bird

Mands: Yes, very doable!

Peggybabcot

Absolutely but remember to use a leather needle and if using a machine you'll need a walking foot because the leather means the normal foot won't move and the needle will just march up and down. The leather is a bit sticky that's why. You may have to remove the pockets slightly to sew the ribbon on if they're patch pockets and you'll have to open the lining up to sew them back on by machine. Quite an easy job and shouldn't take too long. If you're doing it by hand you'll still need a leather needle if you're going to go through the leather. Hope that helps x

Mands

short_bird wrote: »

Mands: Yes, very doable!

Peggybabcot wrote: »

Absolutely but remember to use a leather needle and if using a machine you'll need a walking foot because the leather means the normal foot won't move and the needle will just march up and down. The leather is a bit sticky that's why. You may have to remove the pockets slightly to sew the ribbon on if they're patch pockets and you'll have to open the lining up to sew them back on by machine. Quite an easy job and shouldn't take too long. If you're doing it by hand you'll still need a leather needle if you're going to go through the leather. Hope that helps x

short_bird, Peggybabcot thanks very much! This is way, way, beyond my skills so I'd got a professional in mind but I wanted some idea of how complex before I went.

Mands