Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tailoring

What on earth do you call this piece of metal and where can I get one?

iwhitney — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:40:56 -0800

At the end of woven straps, makers will put a metal cap to prevent the end from fraying. What is this cap called and where can I buy one? I have this bag and one of the straps is missing its end cap. I'd like to replace it, but am hampered by two things.

1) I don't know what that little piece of metal is called
2) Since I don't know the name, it's hard to google it and find a place I could buy one.

The replacement doesn't have to be an exact match. I just want to keep the strap from fraying.

And 9 To Suffocate Us.

jstarlee — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:51:35 -0800

[HalloweenFilter] I would like to dress up as one of the rag dolls in the animation movie "9." (this one) I have no experience in tailoring/crafting but I have a friend who does and is very excited at this idea. She has told me that stitching up the costume is not the problem - it's that the fabric will make the costume extremely hot. I am more comfortable with hot temperature rather than cold anyway and also willing to endure the heat/poor ventilation as long as it's a decent costume. My major concern is the details of the costume - particularly the eyes and the hands.

1) How hard would it be to achieve similar quality of the goggle-like eyes? Right now I am thinking cut-off Pringles cans. I am fine with the pupils fixated at the center of the eyes and not moving at all - perhaps use spectacles from sunglasses?

2) The hands of the rag dolls look delicate and complicated - mostly made of metal with leather (wood?) outside. How can we achieve similar look (without going broke or taking too much time)?

Bonus: How would you make the cane/lamp stick?

We would probably spend a few hours each week so looking at around 40 person-hours. I would like to keep the budget around $50. (for good quality $75, no more than $100)

Thank you very much in advance and if you want to take this idea and make other rag doll costumes (number 9 or not) I'd love to get together and take a picture on Halloween night!!

Will I turn my fancy suit into a clown suit?

abkadefgee — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:01:13 -0800

I'd like to buy a new suit. I'd also like to lose a lot of weight. Will the suit still look alright if I lose 60 lbs and have it altered, or should I just wait until I lose the weight? I recently started a new job and have some extra money to spend on some upgraded clothing. The suit isn't a requirement of my job, but I'd like to look extra sharp now that I can afford a suit that fits properly.

On the other hand, I'd also like to lose a fair amount of weight. I'm currently about 5'9" and 220 and I'd like to gradually get down to about 160. Obviously, if I lose that much weight, my current suit will no longer fit.

So, if I have a suit altered to fit me after losing 60 lbs, will it still look decent? Would a jacket/blazer/sport coat be easier to alter than the slacks? Or will I look like a mess either way?

If the answer is yes to the latter question, I'll keep my suit money in the bank.

Should I have my clothes tailored now that I am svelte?

xetere — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:05:15 -0800

Does it make sense to take in men's pants after significant weight loss? With gentle loving prodding from my wife, I've lost a good deal of weight (50 lbs). Gotten into shape and intend to stay that way.

All of my pants are falling off of me. Between the casual, work-khaki casual, work and formal clothes that I've collected over the years we're talking up to about twenty five pairs of pants alone.

Given the economic situation, I haven't the means to go on a shopping spree, however, even though I am in IT, I do need fairly decent meeting type work clothes, khaki type casual work clothes and lying about the house clothes etc.

Hence, would it make sense to go to a tailor and have the best pants taken in? Or would that just not look right and cost more than new clothes themselves? Just by how many sizes can you take in clothes before they look like hand-me-downs from President Taft?

Essential info:
1. no clothes horse me, ergo, no fancy expensive pants
2. no clothes horse me, ergo, I have *no idea* what tailors charge for alterations
3. size 42 -> size 34/36 US so it is fairly substantial
4. Shirts too but one can get away with the "billowy look" with shirts.
5. Yeah and suits too

Otherwise they go straight to goodwill, and I will buy about four pairs of pants right now so people don't stare at me on the subway, and add two pair/quarterly which is maximum for affordability.

Extra credit: Should a tailor be an option, does anyone know of a decent one in New York - around Columbia area?

Make me a Master Tailor...

Hollowman — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:11:09 -0800

Make me a Master Tailor: I know how to plug in a sewing machine and use a cloth ruler. Assuming nothing more, where do I begin... A chance encounter with the Book Shirtmaking: Developing Skills for Fine Sewing last week has lead to a weekend and more of sleepless nights, thinking about a possible career change.

I've always been very crafty (woodworking, knitting, cooking, baking, cake decorating, etc.) and meticulous in all of my work, but had never considered making clothes for myself, let alone others. After reading, er, devouring the book, my brain has literally run away with itself trying to come up with ways to ease into a more tactile and creatively oriented career. I know that the bespoke industry is no picnic as far as hours, pay, etc., but I'm very much interested in what 'I' would need to learn in order to be a "Success" technically, not so much financially. I'm not that interested in the fashion design aspect, but the creation of perfectly fitted, intricately constructed, and beautiful clothing. Primarily for Men (myself especially), but for anyone willing to have custom work done.

So with that said, I'm asking the hive mind for suggestions on:
- References. Books, magazines, websites, blogs, etc. to learn sewing, fitting, tailoring techniques from absolute beginner to professional levels. Especially, anything more focused on Men's clothing. I do realize from reading what I have been able to find, that most of this information isn't in book form, but gained through apprenticing, classroom, or on the job type of training.
- Educational programs. From DVDs to Design School, what would I need to look for to be taken seriously. Is there a certification process, some sort of art degree?
- Equipment. I essentially, just have my sister's sewing machine on loan for now, and a pair of scissors. It is a mid level machine in the $500 range, but I can't remember the model right now. I'd like to get some idea of what would be needed to do one-off, or very limited copies of tailored clothes. I am not really interested in doing "sewing room" work as a main focus. So I'm not sure what features are necessary, and what ones are not needed. I don't see a massive computerized embroidery robot with 5000 fonts and Disney characters in my future.
- What else? Free for all category or wish lists.

I have a good job with regular hours with enough extra income to "invest" in myself to turn a fantasy into reality, if the reality can be anything like the fantasy. I have 10-20 hours a week to develop skills and do practice work. I realize that this is a long term plan and so I want to lay a solid foundation going forward. Worst case scenario, I have some new shirts that I can wear under my suit jackets :)

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!

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.

Resurrecting saggy jeans

cgs — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:39:14 -0800

What can you do when the ass falls out of your jeans? I have some Levis that are still in great shape but have stretched over time and now have the dread saggy butt. Is there anything that can be done? Take them to a tailors, etc? Or is it not worth it?

Thanks for your help!

Instructions on altering a woman's dress shirt?

sLevi — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:48:09 -0800

Can anyone recommend an online tutorial or a sewing book on how to tailor button-down dress shirts for women? Button-down shirts never ever fit me, because if they fit in the shoulders they balloon out at the waist and never have deep enough bust darts. I know how to sew and could probably figure it out through trial and error, but would like something which will walk me through the process of tailoring a shirt--what to look for, techniques, etc.

Also! Recommendations for where to buy button-down shirts with room in the bust and fitted at the waist?

making shirts from sarongs

tristanshout — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 11:53:46 -0800

How much fabric/yardage is necessary to make a man's shirt? details I have a huge stack of Indonesian sarongs in snappy plaids. They run in inches 73 x 51. Would it be possible to turn these into MEN'S shirts, short-sleeved or long-sleeved?

I want to be the next Thom Browne

spicynuts — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 10:10:35 -0800

Making my own suits and shirts. I'd like to learn to create my own clothing (I'm a guy), particulary suits, shirts and sport coats. At the very least I'd like to be able to tailor off the rack purchases for myself. I live in NYC and it looks like FIT does not have any adult ed/continuing ed classes for this and I can't find any men's clothing oriented classes elsewhere in the city. Does anyone know where I could learn these skills in NYC?

Does anyone have recommendations for an expert tailor in Hoi An or Bankok via the internet?

rubyeyo — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:26:33 -0800

I am looking for an excellent tailor in either Hoi An or Bankok that would be able to custom tailor a new wardrobe for me via the internet. I will not be able to make it overseas for the next 2 years, and I would like to get started soon with ordering etc. If anyone has links of places that they can personally recommend, I would appreciate it. I will be asking for more than simple suits and dresses, so anyone with superior tailoring skills that could be recommended would be appreciated.
A place with a website or email address is preffered.

My Beau Wants to Design Menswear

ao4047 — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 17:17:22 -0800

My boyfriend wants to experiment with designing menswear - both casual and formal (he's had experience sewing wedding dresses). Looking for:

Standard books/design he should look at (incl pattern-making books) - what are the 'canon' books/ideas?
Online resources for menswear design and construction
Favorite fabric stores in Chicago (preferably not in the suburbs)

Please help me find shirts which are interesting not just for their pattern!

dance — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 15:45:33 -0800

It would be great if people could share their favourite suppliers/retailers/tailors for affordable, quality shirts. I'm talking about shirts which are either interesting, different or vintage. I'd be especially keen on those with detachable collars - this was in fact the reason for my asking the question. I've been looking around at Vintage Shirt, and what they have is wonderful, including all the related paraphenalia, but it's very expensive. Surely they are cheaper vendors of the same thing? I'm not averse to eBay. I'm in the UK and would appreciate UK retailers (or others - with a focus on international sales!) Thanks very much, I appreciate any help.

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?

I can't walk down the aisle like that!

JonahBlack — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 20:39:20 -0800

Does anyone know of seamstresses/tailors in or around Boston that do good work on wedding dresses? My fiance needs to get a wedding dress she bought altered, but isn't having any luck. Given the nature of wedding dresses, she doesn't want to just try some random place.

Hong Kong women's tailoring

suleikacasilda — Sun, 21 Aug 2005 10:59:33 -0800

Tips please on getting posh frocks made from scratch in Hong Kong. I'm going to be working (classical singing) in Hong Kong for 9 days in September. I've heard about the tailoring thing, and a couple of male colleagues have had suits made while there. Inspired by this recent Hong Kong thread, I decided to try to get two or three simple concert dresses made (think long and formal). I was thinking of turning up with one of my dresses as a demo of a basic shape that fits me, a few colour swatches and a few sketches and photos. Any tips as to where to go and how to go about it? I've done quite a bit of googling but there's very little out there on tailoring women's clothes.

Stop my suit trousers from wearing out between the thighs!

viama — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 04:35:05 -0800

How do I stop my suit trousers wearing out so quickly? The area between thighs always seems to pill up and eventually wear out, especially on pure wool suits. My thighs are a bit on the large side, I'll admit. Blended fabrics seem to fare much better.

Tailors in NYC

adamgreenfield — Sat, 10 Jan 2004 07:28:07 -0800

Wow, this is like popcorn. OK then.

All youse New Yorkers: anybody recommend a decent tailor? This is for some detail work. My wife got this amazing Vivienne Tam skirt at a secondhand store in the East Village, which needs to be taken in a little, and the fabric is like neoprene. She doesn't feel right just bringing it in to the local drycleaner/tailor/laundry, and I can't say I blame her.