Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with alterations

Poor student doesn't want to buy new suits for his new job

demagogue — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:09:29 -0800

Men's suit-filter: Went to the tailor to get a couple of my suit jackets looked at. They told me that it wasn't that the shoulder was too tight (which I'd thought was the problem), but it was that the there wasn't enough room in the sleeve, in the area around my triceps. And upon opening up the inside of the sleeve, the tailor pronounced that there wasn't enough fabric to make the sleeve significantly bigger. Is there any way around this? Thanks MeFites!

Looking for a good women's tailor in Los Angeles.

scody — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:12:45 -0800

Looking for a good women's tailor in Los Angeles. For simple things (hemming, etc.), my dry cleaner is fine. But I've got some suit pants and a few blazers that need more significant alterations, so I'm looking for specific recommendations (i.e., someone who does reliably good work, but who won't break the bank).

I live in the Toluca Lake/Studio City area, so I'd prefer someone in that part of the Valley, but would also be happy with Burbank, Pasadena, Hollywood/West Hollywood, or Fairfax/Miracle Mile areas.

Thanks!

Looking for a tailor in Chicago.

wfrgms — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:20:06 -0800

Chicago-filter: Can you recommend a competent and not too expensive tailor? (Bonus questions about alterations inside.) Looking for a tailor, preferably one near UIC / Greektown / Little Italy, but one in the Loop would be good also. Will travel for the right place.

As for the alterations:

I've realized the sleeves on one of my suit jackets are too short by about an inch. Luckily* it's a cheaper suit so there aren't faux button holes, just buttons which can be moved without weirdness. What should this alteration run me, money-wise?

The other issue concerns some dress shirts. I have three that are too long. I wear a 33 sleeve and these are 35. Can yo take in dress shirt sleeves? It's probably a lost cause, but I did pay a lot for these shirts and they fit fine in the neck and shoulders...

Thanks for any advice!

*Then again if I had paid more it probably would have been altered right the first time.

Quick alterations in Chicago?

Ultra Laser — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:50:44 -0800

I need suggestions for a place that can do quick alterations in Chicago. Asking for my wife... she has a suit that needs some alterations done very quickly (i.e. one day turnaround). Any recommendations for places that can do this in Chicago (preferably close to Bucktown/Wicker Park)?

Unfortunately, she recently had to break up with her usual dry cleaner/alterations place over a pair of poorly hemmed pants, but now she's sort of lost in looking for a new place.

Yes, I saw this but not much info there.

Good looking denim hemming?

crush-onastick — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:45:13 -0800

Please recommend someone to hem jeans in Chicago. I'm not that short (5'5" ish); I wear heels (2-3 inches most days), yet all my jeans are 5-6 inches too long. Have you found a tailor/drycleaner in Chicago that hems jeans without making them look disastrously altered? I have seen these two threads here at ask. My sewing machine will not handle denim and I am not skilled enough to keep hand-stitches even, so I cannot and will not do this myself.

Yeh, I worry too much about my clothes, but I'm afraid to just pick a shop at random and hope it turns out.

Best New York tailors for alterations?

detune — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:26:09 -0800

Best New York tailors for alterations? I've looked through the (many) previous AskMes on tailors in NY, but most of those posts are a bit old or are not specifically asking about a tailor for alterations. What I'd like to do: have two off-the-rack suits tailored to fit me better, and have 3-5 shirts tailored to cut down the sleeve length and, if possible, cut the back so that it doesn't balloon out so much. What are my options? And, just so I can know roughly what to expect, about how much should I expect to pay?

Thanks, all!

Bridesmaid Dress Alterations in Manhattan?

Caz721 — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:52:12 -0800

Recommendations for tailor/alterations (for bridesmaid dress) in Manhattan? Looking for recommended tailor or seamstress in Manhattan (below 59th if possible, east side even better!) for bridesmaid dress alterations. If it helps, I need straps taken up, dress taken in at bust and waist and hem taken up. If you have an estimate of cost (just a range or an experience with alterations) I'd love to hear that as well. Thanks!

This tuxedo fits OK, but could be better

Mapes — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:31:17 -0800

Recommend a tailor in the DC area for suit alterations with a 1-2 day turnaround? With five days until my wedding in DC, Macy's has done a poor job fitting my tuxedo jacket. I'd like to have the sleeves shortened and the jacket slimmed a bit. Can you recommend a good tailor in the DC area who could handle a 1-2 day turnaround? I'll be flying down there on Tuesday. Thanks!

I need clothing alteration skills.

nataliedanger — Thu, 15 May 2008 05:53:51 -0800

Where can I learn the necessary skills to do clothing alterations professionally? I am a fairly skilled sewer and I'm smart enough to figure out how to do basic stuff (changing hems, replacing zippers, etc.); all I need is someone or something to show me how to do the more complicated alterations. I think I could enjoy that line of work. However, try as I might, I can't seem to find a resource to teach me these things (and I already checked the local university and technical college).

Good tailor/seamstress in west downtown Toronto?

Dasein — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:44:33 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for a good tailor around Queen and Spadina in Toronto. Nothing fancy - I just need some dress pants hemmed - but recommendations any places you personally know to be good/not too expensive would be appreciated.

Clothes make the me.

pseudostrabismus — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:13:54 -0800

Suggest a good tailor in Toronto? Looking to get some ladies' clothing altered to fit-
a semi-formal dress taken in, and darts put into women's dress shirts.

Seeking a reasonably-priced tailor in Toronto, ideally on the TTC line.
(although fat lot of good that'd be this week, stupid strike!)
Thanks in advance!

Pull me up by my beltloops.

chrisfromthelc — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:33:12 -0800

I'm looking for a reputable alteration shop or tailor in West Houston. I've got a few pair of pants that I need altered. I can only ever find 30" length pants in my waist size, and I'm tired of stepping on the back of the cuffs. I've got a few pair of khakis/slacks, and a couple of pair of denim jeans that will be destroyed promptly if I do not get them fixed.

I'm looking for something on the west side, bonus points if it's near the Hwy 6/I-10/Eldridge/Richmond/Westhiemer area.

Please help me find an affordable route to fashionable pants that fit.

sequential — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:26:47 -0800

Please help me find an affordable route to fashionable pants that fit. I have been trying to find pants that fit me over the past several weeks. If the waist fits, the seat, crotch, thighs, and calves don't. If the seat, crotch, calves, and thighs fit, the waist is comically large. Belts currently provide the solution to my problem, but wearing pants that are four or more inches too large in the waist tend to cinch in an aesthetically unpleasing manner when belted. Suspenders don't work either.

I have a small waist and hips relative to my rather shapely behind and muscular legs. A bit of research has yielded that this is a relatively common problem for men with athletic builds, but there doesn't seem to be a readily accessible solution outside of custom made pants. Keep in mind that I don't generally wear slacks. In fact, I almost always wear jeans or something casual like cords.

If you'd recommend custom made pants, who would you recommend? If you'd recommend having off the rack pants altered, what specifically am I looking for in stores that make a good candidate for alterations? Don't be shy about suggesting stores, brands, or designers. I'd far rather have a selection of off the rack clothing than have to have every single pair of pants custom made or altered.

Thanks for your help.

I hate trusting strangers with my clothes.

crush-onastick — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 06:14:52 -0800

Alterations/Tailor in Chicago. Anyone have a personal recommendation? The drycleaner in my building does it, but I want to know if anyone can recommend a tailor personally. It's a dress (made of a recycled polyester with a water repellent finish) which needs some refitting through the bodice. Doesn't have to be a commercial tailor, either. If you know a good seamstress who is willing to do piecework, that's great. I just want someone I trust picking apart & resewing my dress.

Recommend a Tailor in Seattle

matildaben — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:25:04 -0800

Can anyone recommend a tailor in Seattle or the Eastside? I need alterations done on several pieces of women's clothing, somewhat more complicated than just doing hems, so I would like a real tailor, not a dry cleaning shop that does alterations. I've already Googled, but would much prefer a referral to someone whose services you have actually used.

he's not getting fatter, so the pants must be smaller

Attackpanda — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 10:47:27 -0800

Sewingfilter: how do I take in pants? I made my boyfriends sleep pants from this pattern He told me he was a medium in pants and I made them for the medium pattern. Well I had him try them on before I sewed the elastic in the waist band and they are much too big, even with a drawstring. I realized I should have made them S instead of M. How do I take the pants in? What stitches do I need to undo, or do I just sew this sides up smaller and cut the excess off? I'm a beginner at this so I'm really not sure.

What can I do with my bridesmaid dress?

christinetheslp — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:53:27 -0800

I'm done being the bridesmaid - now what can I do with the dress? Last March I stood up in a friend's wedding and we had bridesmaids' dresses that were a very pretty blue color. After the wedding I hung it in the back of my closet and I haven't had an occasion to wear it since.

It occurred to me today that I'd like to alter the dress so it's a little more wearable. After all, I paid a lot of money for it and I'd like to wear it more than once. The dress can be seen here...I think that if I had the skirt part taken up and modified the bodice somehow it could become a more casual-looking dress that I could wear as a guest to weddings or dinners.

So, I have two questions. First, ladies, would you take offense if your former bridesmaids altered their dresses after the wedding? I think that it would be pretty cool if the friends who stood up in my wedding were able to wear their dresses more than once, but I could see some people getting offended that the bridesmaids didn't keep the dress forever and ever for sentimental value. I know that this is a question to be hashed out between me and the bride, but I don't even want to approach her if this is some kind of huge faux pas.

Secondly, does this dress look like it will always scream, "Bridesmaid!" or do you think it's salvagable? Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

can i alter a sweater?

thinkingwoman — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:50:22 -0800

can i get a sweater altered? it's a beautiful piece of clothing, but bunches a bit under the arms. otherwise it fits fine. would a tailor be able to take it in or does this call for a specialist?

When you can take the bobbin from my hand, it will be time for you to sew.

Vervain — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 14:48:26 -0800

I want to improve my sewing kung-fu. But where to start? I've owned my mother's old Husqvarna Viking for years, and while I have a basic enough grasp of how it functions, I have yet to really do anything significant with it--mending, minor alterations, simple projects like curtains and pillow shams, and one improvised Mona Lisa costume that turned out middling-to-awful. This was all well and good, but...

Flash forward to two weeks ago, where I found myself digging through a not-small-mall's plus-sized offerings, which were uniformly crap. (I was looking for a dress to wear to an upcoming wedding.) It might've been a lack of sleep or an overdose of Project Runway, but after the nth rack of tacky polyester garbage, something snapped. I'm now bound and determined to learn to sew, and the incomplete set of Time-Life sewing books I somehow inherited along with Mom's machine just aren't going to cut it. (Sorry.)

Much as I would like to go from zero to couture in a week, I know I have to start somewhere. My question(s) for you: what books do you recommend for beginning/intermediate/advanced sewing skills, especially those relating to pattern alteration or design? What, if anything, do you feel you need to learn in a classroom setting? Were there any projects that you found especially helpful for the acquisition and honing of skills? And what additions (e.g. specialty feet, duct tape double) to the basic sewing setup did you find most helpful?

Do you love your L.A. tailor?

zharptitsa — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 13:55:43 -0800

Can anyone recommend a skilled, reasonably-priced tailor in Los Angeles (preferably on the westside)? Mostly I'm looking for someone who can do some significant suit alterations and occasionally make an outfit from scratch if I provide the material and pattern. I really like the seamstress at my dry cleaners and am happy to have her hem skirts and pants when needed, but I'm looking for someone to do some more advanced work. Any ideas? Thanks!

NYC men's alterations?

lackutrol — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 17:26:14 -0800

Best tailors in New York? After posting in another clothing thread, I realized that I don't really know any great tailors for alterations. I haven't bought a ton of clothes needing tailoring in New York, but I might get myself some new trousers, and the last couple of times I was unsatisfied with the job--either too long or too short (usually too long). Bonus points if they're in or convenient to the West Village. I'm not really looking for information on custom tailors, but feel free to post it--maybe I'll use it whenever I'm making my dream salary.

My legs are just long enough. They reach all the way to the ground.

MsMolly — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 15:02:07 -0800

How to shorten blue jeans and keep the cuff? I bought some jeans at Banana Republic this weekend that, as most jeans are, are about 4 inches too long for me. I want to shorten them but keep the cuff the way it is. I've heard that you can have this done when you take your pants to a tailor, so my question is: Is there any way to do this myself with my sewing machine at home? This post on a discussion board is all I've been able to find so far, and they didn't reach a consensus. Anyone know of a site that shows how it's done, preferably with illustrations or photos? Or should I just save myself the hassle and go get them professionally altered?

Same-day alterations in NYC?

Vidiot — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 06:12:20 -0800

Same-day or while-you-wait clothing alterations in NYC? (Bonus points if they'll do it on Saturdays.)

Shrinking a Baseball Cap

DrJohnEvans — Mon, 10 Jan 2005 13:27:53 -0800

My head is an in-between size. I want to shrink a fitted New Era baseball cap very slightly, by maybe a sixteenth of an inch. Google only seems to tell me how to avoid doing so, and putting it in the dryer strikes me as overkill. Any tips from the local chapeau connoisseurs? Or should I just put off my next trip to the barber's?

How can I find a good tailor besides trial and error?

SpecialK — Tue, 20 Jul 2004 15:57:29 -0800

ClothingFilter: I need to find a tailor to make some alterations to an expensive sportcoat. The retailer I bought it from only does alterations to new items, and their tailor works for them... I've always had good experiences with that tailor, but the other things I've gotten done (through the place that dry cleans my clothes) really sucked. How can I find a good tailor besides trial and error? Also, does anyone know what the standard turnaround for getting some shirts laundered is? I just started having to wear all this professional stuff regularly, and while I know how to dress and how to select clothes, I'm finding I'm really clueless on the maintenance part. The cleaner in my neighbourhood wants 3 days to wash, starch, and press shirts...

Any other dry cleaning tips would be appreciated. I already know little things like not to leave the plastic tabs in your shirt collar when you send them out to get them cleaned... but like I said, other than that, I'm clueless.