Altering Beaded Clothing

I try not to cringe when my client opens her garment bag and reveals a beaded gown, I really do. But altering beaded gowns can really be a PITA.

Here, briefly, are some strategies I've found useful:

• Beware of chain-stitched lines of beads...if you pull the wrong thread, they will come off like a zipper un-zipping.
  
• To stop a chain of beads from un-zipping you must find a loose loop near the last attached bead. You've got to secure that loop. You can thread the thread tail through a needle (the tail will usually be found on the wrong side of the fabric), bring it up to the front, through the loop, and secure it on the back. Or, elongate the loop, bring it to the back and tie it directly to the thread tail at back. Or, often what I do is to thread a length of matching thread on a needle, bring it up somewhere near the loop, through the loop, back underneath, then probably secure further by backstitching through a couple beads.
  
• When altering something with many beads, for example hemming a gown that has scattered beads all around the skirt, I sometimes use a toothpick to place tiny dots of glue behind each bead. That way, if I cut a thread that would allow the beads to un-hitch, the threads are still secured.
• Beads can be removed without disturbing the thread that secures them. This is especially useful when removing beads from a design motif. Use a sturdy pliers to break the beads. Or, some people use a small hammer. Either way, you must place a tissue, fabric, or other shield between the breaking beads and your eyes. They are glass. Also, make sure to vigorously shake out the garment area afterwards to be sure the little glass pieces are gone. I have even vacuumed garments to be sure.
  
• I find that single beads can usually be removed safely without a chain reaction. But pull on neighboring beads to be sure. And save any intact beads you remove in case you need to replace any.
• I remove only as many beads as I think I will need to to sew the seam with a zipper foot. With the zipper foot I can get very close to remaining beads, but it's necessary to go slowly to avoid hitting the beads with the needle, or getting the beads caught in the needle plate and preventing the fabric from feeding.
• Milliner's needles are long and thin, great for working with beads.
• Sequins can usually be cut, and even sewn through, with little consequence.
  

Hemming Cuffed Pants

First things first....Happy New Year!! I hope you've all enjoyed a restful holiday and had extra time to enjoy you favorite passions. I spent a lot of time knitting and spinning (something new for me.) Don't most of us enjoy more than one fiber hobby? I made 3 fair isle tammies for gifts, including some of my first homespun in one, and also gifted two skeins of homespun to a dear friend. For another dear friend, and my son's sweet girlfriend, I made beaded knitting stitch markers. So, I have had busy hands, though not sewing.

Today I have to ease myself into working again so I'm doing only one thing...hemming a pair of cuffed pants. There are several ways to think through the process, including one particularly easy to manage method described in Mary Roehr's Altering Women's Ready to Wear. I used this book almost daily when I started alterations and still refer to it periodically when I need to reassure myself about some complex alteration.

The method I'll describe for you here is different than Ms. Roehr's but is how I handle the process lately. Here goes:

1. Record these things:

• Amount you need to shorten each leg
• Depth of hem (bottom of pants to raw or finished edge of hem allowance inside pant leg)
  
• Depth of cuff (bottom of pants to top fold of cuff outside pant leg)
  

2. Release any tacking that has been done to keep cuff upright.

3. Rip old hem stitching. Fortunately, machine blind-stitched hems can be "unzipped" easily. Press hems flat.

4. Cut off the amount by which you must shorten each leg. (I like to do this with each leg laying flat, inseam and outseam lined up on top of eachother, and using a quilting ruler and rotary cutter.)

5. Re-finish the raw hem edges by serging, taping, pinking, or zigzagging.

6. Press up, to the inside, the hem depth PLUS the cuff depth. If the hem depth is 1 1/2" and the cuff depth is 2" than you will be pressing 3 1/2" to the inside. Pin baste.

7. Stitch the hem as desired.

8. Fold and press cuff depth to the outside of the leg.

9. Tack cuff up by hand or machine. I usually place a few machine stitches "in the ditch" of the cuff/pant leg, through all layers, at inseams and outseams.

Essentially what you are doing with this method is recording how the hem was made, deconstructing it, cutting off the amount to be shortened, and then re-constructing the hem just as it was made.

Lately, with much deeper cuffs being popular, I have several times encountered cuffs that are actually separate bands of fabric sewn to the bottom of the pants and folded to mimic cuffs but with much less bulk than traditional cuffs would produce. When I hem these, I record the same measurements as above. Then, I take apart one cuff and record the depth of the seam allowance where the band is sewn on. I cut off the required amount from the actual pant leg, than simply re-attach the cuff band in the same way it was. By taking apart only one leg at a time I can always use the other as a guide during re-construction.

Repairing Seam Slippage

I'm often asked to repair slipping seams to extend the life of linings and garments. There is nothing magical about repairing these seams...in fact, it is more important to know what not to do than to choose any one method of what to do.

What you don't want to do when repairing a slipped seam is to simply re-stitch the seam deeper. OK, there might be very few instances where I might do this...if and only if the slipping is due only to the type of fabric and and not horizontal stress. Keep in mind that if you stitch a seam deeper, you are taking in the garment and by making it smaller you are increasing the amount of stress on that seam. So, even if you do decide to fix the slipping in this manner, you must also first reinforce the fabric within that seam, or it will just slip again, and this time faster.

Whether you stitch the seam deeper, or use a "patching" method, which I'll explain below, you must reinforce the seamlines on the slipping-prone fabric. It's best to use some kind of fusible for this. Interfacing, in an appropriate weight, drape, stretchiness and grain, cut into strips, is great for this purpose. In fact, I keep pre-cut, pre-shrunk, generously cut 5/8" strips of So-Sheer© interfacing on hand. (It's also great to have ready for interfacing zipper openings.)

Press the slipped seam flat and remove stitches and serging. You can trim away any loose ravelly stuff...in linings it gets to be like soft fuzz after it's frayed over time. Now lay the seam flat and assess the damage. You have lost fabric. How much? You must interface the area, then use a wide enough "patch" of fabric so you can re-sew the seam and maintain the original lines of the garment. The interfacing should extend a bit beyond where you are going to sew the patch, vertically and horizontally.

When I say "patch" I really don't mean an old-fashioned canvas patch like we used to iron onto the knees of our Toughskins©! You want the patch to be made of a material similar in look and feel to the slipped fabric.

If you are repairing slippage on the face of a garment, this is going to be very difficult and may require some creative embellishing. Often times if I have to repair mild slippage in the actual garment fabric, I release the seam, fuse interfacing to the back, and re-stitch the seam in almost the same place. There is not much that can be done on the face of the garment. Perhaps some subtle stitching with the grain of the fabric, to secure it to the interfacing below. I have repaired actual holes in garment fabric by cutting a bit of garment fabric from a hem or seam allowance, placing it in the hole, lining up the grains, and fusing it to interfacing below, then securing with subtle hand or machine stitching. But slipped areas are long and thin and doing this will be impossible or extremely difficult. If the fabric is coarsely woven, you can even "re-weave" in some vertical fibers taken from the hem or other seam allowances before securing on the wrong side with a fusible. You go right ahead and do that...I'm just buying new pants.

On a lining, however, it is not essential that a "patch" be inconspicuous. So, when repairing slipped linings, I usually use a ribbon patch. I always have a selection of colors of tapes and ribbons in a zillion colors on hand. And their long, thin nature makes them ideal for patching slipped seams.

So, you press the lining seam flat and remove the old stitching, then trim away any fuzzy frayed stuff. Fuse strips of interfacing all along the inside raw edges, being sure to extend it past (inside) where the new stitching will be. Now lay the seam out flat, wrong side up, on the ironing board, just as if you were going to press a seam open. There is a long skinny hole where the seam has slipped. Place the ribbon under the hole, on the right side of the lining, and position it evenly around the hole. Baste in place. Fuse another piece of interfacing over the hole that will catch the edges of the lining hole and the wrong side of the ribbon patch exposed beneath.

From the right side, stitch around the ribbon edges. I often use a narrow zigzag but it is not necessary b/c the ribbon has finished edges. On the cut ends of the ribbon, you can turn them under.

So now, on the right side of the lining, you have various rectangular strips of ribbon showing. It really doesn't look bad. And you've extended the life of it by years. You can even get funky if you want and use printed or embroidered ribbons to repair the seams. If you want, you can extend the ribbon over the entire length of the seams, neck to hem, making it a decorative feature. (More power to you.)

Incidentally, I don't always use fusible interfacing behind the repaired seams. You can also try fusible twill tape or fusible bias (made for stained glass quilts.)

If all this sounds like a pain in the butt, you can always bring it to me and I'll be glad to do it for you.......

Taking in Jeans at Center Back Waist - 3

OK, I've talked about this twice already. Once using the easing method here. And again using the CB seam method here. However, this is still one of the most frequent searches that lead to my blog, and I've been requested to photograph the process for more clarity. Last week I took in two pair of jeans for myself using the CB seam method and I did just that.

1. Remove the waistband (WB) at CB (center back) and for a couple inches to either side. Keep in mind that jeans are sewn with chain stitches so that yellow stitching is very easily removed . Clip through the theads at each end of the section you want to remove (on both sides of the fabric inside and outside), then find the center, most bumpy, thread on the chain side, release it from its loop, and unzip. Note: If I remember right, they usually unzip left to right, and up to down (waist to crotch.)
2. Remove the CB seam topstitching. It is important to understand where the actual seam is. I get confused myself, so I like to place a pin through the seam, see below, then flip the pants inside out and see exactly where that pin is on the other side.
3. Remove a bit more of the topstitching row that is farthest from the actual seam. (see how one row is taken lower than the other, below.) Also note that the horizontal pins denote the original seamline, and that, b/c of the flat felling process, the raw edges of the CB seam do not match up.
4. Mark new seamline. If you have to take 2" out of the back, mark a line 1" from the original seamline, tapering to nothing near the start of the crotch curve. (If you have a bodacious booty then you can taper the seam higher up.)
5. Sew the new seam. I like to do it twice. That makes it stronger and evens out any bobbly sewing.
6. Trim and serge or zigzag the new seam, stopping near the flat felled crotch curve portion.
7. Press to one side and proceed with taking in the WB.
8. Mark where the new center of the WB needs to be sewn:
9. Sew first one side of the WB ,then the other (the outside, then the facing)
10. Trim and open the seams
11. Baste outer WB to top of pants in center area.
12. Flip up outer WB and topstitch in place from outside
13. Place WB facing underneath, seam allowances folded up inside, and baste through all layers, closing the bottom WB/facing/CB pant seam.
14. close the top of the WB just by folding allowances in and stitching through all layers.
15. Now you are ready to replace all the topstitching. Use a heavy jeans thread, upolstery thread, buttonhole twist, or two strands of regular thread, and a heavy, size 16 or 18 sharp needle. Use a larger than normal stitch length. I usually use 3.5mm.
    
16. You will probably need a Jean-a-ma-jig© or other aid to help your machine sew evenly over the CB/yoke seam:
17. Replace the CB belt loop, which will cover the seam you made in the WB. Sometimes I can do this using a narrow zigzag, but sometimes the fabric is so thick, as in this case, that I just use a straight stitch.
18. That's it, you're done! Now you can wash and wear and not have to worry about them falling down. It's not perfect, but no one will notice. If any of your friends do notice...get new friends!

Quick Tip - Doubled Thread

A common misconception among casual sewers is that hand-stitching is best done with doubled thread. Often I will see hand-sewn repairs and hems done this way. There is no need to double thread, and in many cases, to do so is counter productive.

Repaired linings is one area where I often see double-thread stitching. Besides being more conspicuous than single thread stitching, it is likely to do further damage to the lining. Lining materials weaken over time. The fabric actually starts to come apart at the stitching. If you try to repair those areas with doubled thread, the holes you are making in the fabric (and the stress you're putting in them) are twice as big as if there were only one strand of thread. (Hint: If you are going to be making repairs in a lining, back the area to be stitched with fusible interfacing first.)

Hems are also often done with doubled thread. Again, the stitching is more conspicuous this way. I believe that people think the added strand of thread makes the hem stronger, but I have never seen a hem, done with a single strand of modern thread come apart. Yes, threads in hems that are 20 or more years old may degrade and require re-stitching. But threads have changed. And besides...you can worry about it in 20 years.

Stitching with a double strand of thread is not only less attractive, it's more difficult. A double strand of thread is more likely to tangle and buckle during the sewing process. Rather, try this:

• Cut a piece of thread about 18" long and immediately knot the end you have cut off the spool. Threads have direction, and they are meant to be sewn head first, off the spool. So that is how you want to thread your needle.

• Run the thread through a conditioner like Thread Heaven© several times. Then, run it through your fingers several times to work the conditioner into the strand. Thread conditioner helps prevent tangling and makes thread slide more easily through fabric.

• Alternatively, and especially if you will be doing a lot of hand sewing, use a cake of beeswax to condition the thread. To do this, run the thread deeply through the beeswax, then use an iron to actually press the wax into the thread. The thread will be supremely pleasant to stitch with. I promise. To be even more efficient, cut and knot several lengths of thread at a time, and condition them all with the beeswax at once (just pull them all under the iron.) lay them out or roll back onto a spool. That way when your first strand runs out, the next is ready, and you need not get up and iron another.

OK, so there are a few instances when you might want to sew with a doubled thread. Sewing on a button, perhaps. With a doubled thread, it takes half as long. Or making a thread chain - doubled thread makes it twice as thick. Perhaps making a hand-stitched buttonhole, though I'd rather use a thicker thread in the first place for that.

Future post: Why not to hem your pants with staples and/or fusible web.

Raincoat from Hell

Having spent most of yesterday hemming the sleeves and bottom of a lined raincoat, (with zip-out liner), I thought I'd share some brief tips for working with these often tricky fabrics.

• Often these outerwear fabrics are synthetic "microfibers." They are very densely woven and will ripple in the seams unless you use a very fine, sharp needle. There are also special needles made for microfibers called "microtex" needles.
• Raincoat fabrics especially may be coated with waterproof material throughout, and again in the seams. When sewing with right sides together, and the coating against the presser foot, you will probably need a teflon foot. Alternatively, you can try a roller foot, though I've never had great luck with those.
• Do not plan to hand-stitch any coated fabrics...it is too difficult to get the needle through.
  
• Microfibers may retain pin and needle holes. In other words, be judicious with pin-basting and realize that if you remove stitching, it's likely to leave a line of permanent holes. I've used tape, glue, and clothes pins and paper clips for basting.
  
• Careful with the iron! Use very low heat and test on a scrap before touching these fabrics with an iron...they may melt or change character.

When my client comes today to pick up her raincoat I'll have to tell her that if she ever asks me to do this again, I'll be charging half a million dollars plus an additional 2 pounds of chocolate for mental well-being.

Altering the Jacket Pattern

Still working with Vogue 7467, the Claire Shaeffer jacket, I've completed the initial pattern alterations.

If you do length alterations after width alterations, the latter may disturb the former and lines will have to be re-drawn. So generally it's best to complete length alterations first.
I found this FBA (full bust alteration) was tricky as I didn't want to disturb the placement of the upper welt pocket. I considered cutting the welt box out on 3 sides (2 long and one short) and folding it back out of the way, making my FBA as I usually do (by cutting to the armhole), than plopping the welt back down. But I decided to do the alteration this way which also has the advantage of not adding any fullness in the upper chest. I also moved the upper dart apex down an inch. Redrawing the dart, I debated whether I should make it deeper since I've added more at the waist. It's slightly deeper but I did not want to go too far. I can take more out at the muslin fitting if necessary.
I wish I were a neater pattern alterer, but I'm not. Things always seem to look a mess when I'm done with them. But, usually, they work well. Yes, I'm knocking on wood. (Had to knock on a pencil, that's the only wood I've got in reach at the moment...think that counts?)

In the front and back I took 1/2" off the shoulder.
I may end up taking more out of the center back, but again, I will decide that when I get the muslin on - I don't want to have to undo pattern alterations later.

Hemming Tip 3

When performing alterations on RTW a major concern is that once something is de-constructed, I'll be able to remember how to reconstruct it correctly!

Often, when working on sleeves or pant legs, I can take one apart and put it back together using the other, original side, as a guide.

But sometimes I just want to take both sides apart at the same time. Or perhaps it is a unique feature of the garment that needs changing and there is no other side for comparison, maybe a collar or a single pocket.

In those cases I will use my digital camera to document the various stages of construction as I take it apart. For example this series of a dress vent:That way if I "lose" my place when I'm putting it back together, I have the pictures for reference.

Hemming Tip 2

As I was getting dressed this morning, I noticed just how much difference, on this cotton paisley skirt, there is between the front and back length. (I can't seem to do anything anymore without relating it to my blog!)

See it here, hanging with the front and back waists even at the top: (don't look, Mom, it's not pressed!)
I marked the hem of this skirt easily with a free-standing chalk hem marker.

• First pin up the front of the skirt to where you want the hem to fall.
• Adjust the level of the chalk dispenser on the hem marker to the hem level in the front
• Remove the pins and let the excess fabric fall straight down
• Squeeze the chalk bulb, marking the hem every few inches, all around the skirt as you slowly turn 360*
• Be sure to stand up straight at each step above, and be wearing appropriate shoes.

You are likely to find that your natural hem is longer in the back or front or sides. It may be longer on the right than left as well. But as long as you mark it in this fashion, it will look even from any direction.

Easy Jeans Hem

There are a couple ways to preserve the original hem on a pair of jeans. In recent years, with the popularity of distressed and decorative hems, I've been asked to do this quite a few times.

The first method, that I'll show you today, is to simply create a tuck on the wrong side of the pants that in effect moves the original hem upward.

The second method involves removing the original hem, taking it apart, and re-applying it like a binding after cutting down the pant legs. I used this method once when I accidentally cut a client's jeans on the hem line, rather than the cutting line. The result is marginally better than the easy method, and likely no one would notice the difference but you. With a microscope.

To do the first, easy method of moving an original hem up, you do not need to have jeans topstitching thread. You also do not need to cut the jeans before making the alteration. This way you can actually try them on and verify the length before cutting. Here are the steps to making this hem:

1. Pre-wash and dry jeans, at least once.
2. Try on jeans with appropriate shoes and fold up the hem to the ideal length.
3. Remove jeans and measure the amount of length to be taken up. For example, if you've folded up 2" to achieve your ideal length, you will be moving the original hem upwards 2" or removing 2" from the length of the pant leg.
4. Make a tuck, right sides together, around the pant leg just above the original hem - the depth of this tuck will equal half the amount you need to remove from the pant length. In our example, the tuck is 1" deep. (A 1" fold = 1" on each side of the tuck = 2" total removed.)
5. Place vertical pins (perpendicular to stitching line) at the inseam, outseam, center front and center back. You may wish to place horizontal pins (parallel to the stitching line) as well in between those.
6. Sew around the base of the tuck, as close as possible to the bulk of the original hem. You can move your needle all the way to the left or even use a zipper foot to get in close if necessary, but I usually have no problem. Use regular sewing thread in a color to match your denim. (Yup, that's a stretch needle I've got on the machine....ooops....you will, of course, use a universal, sharp, or denim needle, right?)
7. At this point you may wish to try on the jeans and verify proper length
8. Now you can sew again around the tuck, this time with a wide zigzag, close to the first row of stitching.
9. Trim away the excess tuck fabric beyond the zigzagging. (I am not trimming these as they are my jeans and don't need shortening.)
   
10. Press tuck up or down (it will end up down after wash and wear.)

The result of this procedure is a seam running around the leg immediately above the original hem. You will notice the seam at first...no one else will. You have quickly, easily hemmed your jeans with no special thread and no risk. And you have just deprived me of $15.

Hemming Tip

Just a little tip today.

It is very difficult to make a hand-stitched invisible hem on some fabrics. Gabardine and silk faille or 4-ply silk are among the toughest to deal with.

In general:

• Use a very fine, milliner's needle
• Pick up, vertically, only two threads from the skirt fabric
• Never pull the sewing thread taut....leave the stitches a bit loopy. You'd think they wouldn't hold the hem up, but they do.
• Use a 3rd hand clamp to hold fabric taut as you stitch
• Using a thread conditioner such as Thread Heaven or beeswax to prevent tangling. (Beeswax works better, but it must be pressed into the thread with an iron. So, usually I use Thread Heaven for quick jobs. When I have a couple hours' worth of hand-sewing ahead of me, then I'll take the time to use beeswax.)

And here's the tip:

• When hemming a serged edge, try picking up only a looper thread of the hem rather than stitching through the hem allowance fabric. The serger threads are loose and they give so your hem is more pliable, less noticeable. This photo shows the actual stitches a little more clearly -

I've been doing dressy hems this way for about 4 months and haven't had any come back yet...it must be working!

Beware of Jumping Slinky

A stunning young woman and her mom brought me her prom dress to alter last spring. It was a Grecian Goddess style made of acetate slinky - drapey, form-skimming slinky. Absolutely gorgeous on her dark-haired, delicate frame.

Petite, she is probably just over 5' without her heels. The dress was incredibly long, probably about 9" had to come off. So, I carefully pinned it up all around (with my best not-going-to-snag pins), gave her a pick up date, replaced the pins with thread tracing, draped it over the hanger, covered it in its plastic, and set it aside.

When it was time to do the dress, I took it out, assessed the evenness of my thread marking, and cut the hem. There was no hem allowance. No hem at all...the edge of this dress had been cut only and left raw as part of the design. So, I rotary cut it right on the hemline. (Rotary cutting gives a much neater cut than scissors.)

I put it on the form to make sure I'd cut it evenly and I could tell right away that something was wrong...it was much, much too short! What happened?

Well, of course, hindsight is 20/20. The weight of all that hem pinned up had weighed the lightweight but very stretchy slinky down significantly. When I cut it, it sprung up! Never having worked with slinky before, I'd had no idea this could happen.

This is when that unpleasant heat spreads through your whole body and you have a moment of pure panic.

I had to fess up and find a way to make amends. I photographed the dress and posted an SOS on our PACC discussion list.

My guilt was somewhat allayed by the fact that this had happened to other professionals on the list. And, of course, there were many suggestions as to how to fix this dress, as well as how to mark such hems in the future.

My first thought, after a consultation with the client, was to mimic the shirring in the bodice of the dress, at the hem at the sides:

But I didn't like the way it was coming together.

So, I decided to make a plain, straight band around instead:





The back of the dress was longer so I made a mitered point there:







In the end, it worked out OK. I didn't charge the clients for the hem (obviously!) and they were happy with the result. Mom even liked the band better than the original raw edge.

I learned a valuable lesson about hemming fabrics with significant lengthwise stretch. You must mark them a distance from the floor, say 12", with a skirt hem marker and chalk or pins. Then record the distance from your mark to where you want the final hem to be (you can do this by pinning the hem up in the usual way.) This is the same method I use to mark something that is too voluminous to pin all the way around or something that is hemmed right to the floor. But the difference is in the next step, the cutting.

Say I want the hem to fall 10" from the chalk marks. I would cut off some of the excess hem allowance and measure to see how much more I have to cut. Then I would cut a little more and measure again, and so on until I get to a point where the hem allowance is the proper distance from the chalk marks so that the hem itself will be 10" below the markings. You can do this right while the dress is hanging on the form.

This is probably a good way to hem very fluid bias fabrics as well, though I've never encountered any that spring up the way slinky does. I did use this method a couple times this season when hemming that very stretchy and currently very popular polyester interlock.

Taking in Jeans at Center Back Waist - 2

Tapering CB seam

When you take in the back waist of your jeans via the CB crotch seam, be aware that you will also be losing a certain amount of space in the body of the pant. When you pinch the waistband in back to gauge how much to take in, also assess if you can afford to lose that amount, tapering down into the seat of the pant.

The procedure for this alteration is similar to that for the easing method, but you do not need to remove the entire back WB. Considering the ripping and re-stitching of the CB seam, though, it takes at least as much time.

1. Remove the CB belt loop
2. Release the WB for about 2" on either side of the CB
3. Release the WB facing from the WB front for about 2" at CB
4. Remove CB seam topstitching only. Do not release the CB seam completely.
   
5. Press CB seam flat
6. Sew out desired amount from WB and WB facing. For example, if you want to remove 1 1/2" from the WB, fold the WB right side in at CB and sew 3/4" from the fold. Repeat for the WB facing.
7. On the CB pant seam, draw in the new stitching line, taking in 3/4" at the waist, tapering to nothing deep into the seat. Note: the more you need to take out at the waist, the lower into the seat you will have to go to achieve a smooth taper.
   
8. Trim and re-finish the CB pant seam. It is not necessary to re-do the flat-felling. I simply serge and press to the side, then topstitch a "mock flat felled" seam. Again, it's best to use thick topstitching thread in a color as close to the jeans' gold that you can get. Use a longer stitch length to match that on the jeans.
   
9. Re-join WB to its facing
10. Re-attach WB to pants
11. Replace WB topstitching and belt loop.

Taking in Jeans at Center Back Waist - 1

A common problem with RTW pants is that they are rather straight through hips and waist. For women with a significant difference b/w waist and hip circumference (and that is a LOT of us), when we buy pants that fit hips, buttocks, and thighs, the waists are much too big. Ridiculously, actually.

I'll focus on jeans here but the same principles apply to pants. Although, since pants are lighter weight and looser fitting, you must be sure to first pin in changes to the CB and CB waist to make sure you are not inadvertently creating baggy-butt-syndrome. In trousers and slacks, sometimes it is better to make changes at the side seams and/or darts rather than the center back alone.

For jeans, there are a couple ways to take in the center back. Today I'll go over one method and tomorrow the other. (I do have work to do after all!) With either method, I find that 2" is about the maximum you can take out without causing problems. Try them on and make a pinch in the back to see how much you need to take in.

Note: any time you hem or otherwise alter jeans, you will have a much more professional result if you use heavy topstitching thread. It needn't be "jeans thread" but it should be heavy, perhaps buttonhole twist or topstitching thread, or even upholstery thread. Use topstitching thread in the needle only and regular thread in the bobbin. Also, with jeans of course you need a very heavy needle. 100/16 at least, maybe even 120/18.

Easing Method

WB = waistband
CB = center back

When the problem seems to be the waistband exclusively, and/or if the CB seam of the jeans are embellished or is very thick, I take in the CB WB only and ease the top of the back jeans to it.

1. Release the entire back WB, completely removing the CB belt loop and releasing the others from the pant ends only.
   
2. Release the CB upper WB topstitching for about 2" to either side of the CB
3. Separate the WB from its facing by ripping the stitching at the top b/w them.
   
4. Take in both WB pieces at CB. There may not be a CB seam in the WB. That's OK, you will create one and it'll be hidden behind the CB belt loop. If you need to take in 2", stitch 1" from a fold at the CB of each WB piece.
5. Trim seam allowances and press open
6. Stitch WB facing back to WB at top
7. You now have a WB that is 2" shorter than the top of the pants back. You have to ease in the excess pant material. This is why you released the WB all the way to the side seams.
8. To ease the pants back in you can run gathering threads along the top, or do what I do and pretty much just push and pull and pin it into place inside the WB.
9. Baste the WB well, over the eased pants top, with pins or hand-basting.
   
10. Stitch the WB in place, from the outside, using topstitching thread. Or, you may wish to stitch first with regular thread and then go back over it with toptitching thread once you're sure it's come out right.
11. Restitch all topstitching with jeans thread
12. Replace belt loops (the one you removed completely is down there by your feet somewhere...guaranteed!)
    

Now your jeans will snug up to your lower back and you needn't worry about the view back there!

Common Alterations

The most common fitting alterations I perform are these:

• Hems - pants, skirts, dresses, coats and sleeves are too long.
  

• Taking up shoulders - garment armholes are too long or garment bodice is too long from shoulder to bust, shoulder to waist, or both.

• Taking in side seams under the arms of strapless and sleeveless dresses and tops.

• Taking in side seams or center back seams at waist - garments are too big in the waist when they are purchased to fit full bust, hips, and/or thighs.

• Taking in side seams along thighs when garment is purchased for a bigger waist and is too large in the hip and thighs.
  

Fitting alterations can truly take a garment from frumpy to flattering. Just ask!

Update on Running Prom Fabric

I had also posted of my encounters with the running prom gown fabric on our PACC discuss list. Turns out it's very prevalent this year, even in relatively expensive gowns (over $500.)

One member wondered if it could be interlock. She was absolutely right! (There is always someone in PACC with the answer.) I was in JoAnn's today, so I thought I'd check the knits to see if I could find it. Sure enough, I found something almost identical, a 100% poly interlock. JoAnn's has it in their Jet Set line. When I pulled the cut edge it did indeed start running. Though I don't think it ran quite as readily as the prom dress fabric.

I don't know very much about knits (though Emma One Sock and Gorgeous Things seem determined to change that.) I have a nice reference though, Sewing With Knits by Connie Long. She recommends placing the fabric so the edge with the most tendency to run is at the area of least stress, the hem, usually. Makes sense.

By the way, Taunton sewing books are exceptional. I especially like the Sewing Library and the Focus on Fabric series.

I also saw, at JoAnn's, the synthetic, drapey mesh that I've seen on prom gowns lately (encrusted with beads.) They have it as a "swimsuit lining" and it looks like "power mesh."

I want to give a call to the same client with the running prom gown and ask her permission to post the saga of the slinky prom gown (older daughter, different prom.) I've got pics of that one. I'll let you know...

Happy Mother's Day

Prom Dress Fabric Running

Just a quick post to warn any of you that are doing alterations on formal wear this spring. There is a "new" fabric, very popular now that is surprisingly fragile.

This is a polyester knit fabric. Not a jersey, b/c it looks like knit stitches on both sides. It's very drapey, slinky. The thing to look out for is that it runs from any cut edge. I mean, it runs fast and furious! So if you cut it, be careful not to stretch those edges until they are finished. (I reinforced some with a tiny zigzag stitch before hemming.)

If you do get a run, stop it fast with fabric glue. I wouldn't trust just Fray Check on this stuff.

Fortunately for me, the first dress I encountered with this fabric needed about 4" taken off the hem. It was a machine roll hemmed so I used the cut off fabric to set up my machine. It was then that I discovered the running.

In the same week, I had two other dresses with the same fabric, and thank goodness I knew enough to be careful, especially with the dress that required extensive manipulation in the tight spaces of the bodice during the sewing.

**Edited to post picture (all I have left of the last dress):

Inside a Prom Gown

There's more than meets the eye.

I have never had anyone complain about my charge for a prom gown alteration. I am very lucky to have a great group of clients that respect my work.

Still, I thought you might find it interesting to know a bit more about what's involved in this common alteration, taking in the bust area at the sides.

There may be some or all of these hidden factors effecting the alteration:

~The lining is usually understitched to all the layers except the fashion fabric, an additional row of stitching to remove (and, usually, replace.)

~The lining is often tacked to the fashion fabric to keep things from shifting around during wear. This must be removed then replaced after the alteration is made.

~At the joining of the fashion fabric and lining under the arm there is usually interfacing, and/or stay tape. Each is likely to be sewn on with a separate line of stitching that must be removed. Both must be included in the alteration.

~ In addition to taking in the fashion fabric, the lining must also be taken in. I suppose the lining could be left bigger than the fashion fabric. But one of the functions of a lining is to support the outer fabric....to take the brunt of the stress.

~There may be underlining. (An extra layer of supporting fabric behind the fashion fabric.) Actually, I can't recall ever encountering underlining in a prom gown alteration, but it's used very often in bridal, custom clothing and couture, so I'm wouldn't be surprised.

~Often there is boning. It must be removed and re-inserted into the altered seam.

~Seam allowances may need to be re-finished.

~Hanging ribbons must be removed and replaced. (There is a purpose for those annoying things, they alleviate some of the stress on the garment when it's hanging.)

~Beads, flounces, overlays or other trims have to be removed and replaced. Design details like ruching also make things more complicated.

~Sometimes if there is an empire seam or certain kinds of facings, the inside of the bodice is very difficult to get to in the first place. Uninvolved seams must be released just to get access to the problem area.

~Many formal wear fabrics require very special treatment - Special needles and delicate pressing techniques to avoid damage.

~Bias cuts make things quite tricky as well.

Note to clients: Sometimes it is difficult to tell just what's inside a prom gown until I get to taking it apart. And it is unrealistic to examine it that closely at your fitting appointment. If I do find, when I sit down with the dress, that the work is going to be significantly more than I've estimated, I will call you before proceeding.