Altering Sweaters...

[desi_de_lu_lu]

I am seriously debating taking in a sweater or two...they seem to be floating on me. Anyone had good results doing this? The sweater is not hand-knit.

I have never tried this, any suggestions welcome.

Desi

 

[deadpandiva]

The newest Issue of Adorne has intructions for this. They use a big mens sweater and cut it tunic style though. I wanted to try this just to see if it works. I think it would work well since the sweater is not hand knit and has sewn seems anyway.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

I am afraid of taking scissors to it, since I am a klutz and I will end up with a cartoon like ball of unraveled thread, or somthing like that. I thought I could get away with darts, but there is too much to take in.

I need my own personal seamstress... sigh.

 

[ShortClara]

This is interesting - I pass on many many fab sweaters b/c they are too large, and I just don't have the type of body to carry a baggy sweater well. I'd love to have a knowledgeable person give us the secret!

 

[KittyT]

Here is a place that will take in the sides of a sweater for you for between $30 and $60. Here is what they say on their website:


"Taking-in can be done to alter the sides of the garment, or fullness of the sleeves, or even to reduce the fullness of a collar. Pinning out the excess is the best way to indicate the alteration. Taking-in is usually done by serging the seams and produces very good results."

There is also a bunch of material on sweater alterations at http://ask.metafilter.com/53643/can-i-alter-a-sweater.

 

[Helen Troy]

Yup, I've done it a couple of times. It's easy and it works, as long as the sweather has sewn seems in the sides. It also works on t-shirts and similar items.

1)Put the sweater on inside-out.

2)Use pins to take it in in the sides as much at you want. At each side you need at least one needle at your natural waist, (assuming that is where you want the sweater to be at its narrowest,) and one at the starting point for what you are going to take in. (Somwhere between your waist and your armpit.)

Then you add more needles, "tracing" the new desired silhouette of the sweater.

Look in a mirror to make sure the sweater sits nice and straight on you.

3)Take the sweater off. (This is actually the hardest part, trying to wiggle out of a sweater full of pins!) Straighten any small kinks and folds without distroying the new silhouette-line. Don't worry if it's not similar on both sides, chanses are, you are not either! That's the beauty of customising clothes, you can make them fit your body perfectly,

4)With an elastic seem on the machine, sew the new side-seems as close to the needles as possible.

5)Remove the needles and cut away the excess fabric, leaving normal seem allowance.

6)Overlock the seem allowance.

7)Reverce the sweater, press the seems and hey, presto: New and form-fitting sweater.

You should probably try this on a sweater you don't love that much first time, but once you get the hang of it it's quite easy.

Hope it was usefull. If it's anything I didn't explain well enough, please ask. I struggle enough writing detailed sewing-instructuions as it is, and it's even worse when I can't use my own language!

 

[The Shirt]

I cannot wait to try this. Thank you for the instructions Helen Troy. I have a few that I don't wear much as they are boxier than I'd like.

 

[PolkaDotMeggie]

Helen, That is exactly what I did when I resized my swimming suit. Because the back had elastic running from side to side and was worn out, I would risk loosing the faux puckering of fabric, so I simply had my mother-in-law pin me up and I made a new seam. I did, however, leave the original seam in case mine were to fail on me. It does not look bulky with the extra fabric still attached.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Yup, I've done it a couple of times. It's easy and it works, as long as the sweather has sewn seems in the sides. It also works on t-shirts and similar items.

1)Put the sweater on inside-out.

2)Use pins to take it in in the sides as much at you want. At each side you need at least one needle at your natural waist, (assuming that is where you want the sweater to be at its narrowest,) and one at the starting point for what you are going to take in. (Somwhere between your waist and your armpit.)

Then you add more needles, "tracing" the new desired silhouette of the sweater.

Look in a mirror to make sure the sweater sits nice and straight on you.

3)Take the sweater off. (This is actually the hardest part, trying to wiggle out of a sweater full of pins!) Straighten any small kinks and folds without distroying the new silhouette-line. Don't worry if it's not similar on both sides, chanses are, you are not either! That's the beauty of customising clothes, you can make them fit your body perfectly,

4)With an elastic seem on the machine, sew the new side-seems as close to the needles as possible.

5)Remove the needles and cut away the excess fabric, leaving normal seem allowance.

6)Overlock the seem allowance.

7)Reverce the sweater, press the seems and hey, presto: New and form-fitting sweater.

You should probably try this on a sweater you don't love that much first time, but once you get the hang of it it's quite easy.

Hope it was usefull. If it's anything I didn't explain well enough, please ask. I struggle enough writing detailed sewing-instructuions as it is, and it's even worse when I can't use my own language!

Thanks so much, I want to try this since I have a few sweaters I can't part with, but are too bulky. Maybe I should post before and after pics!

desi

 

[AllaboutEve]

I would probably add a line of stay-stitching before I cut anything, near to the edge of the seam allowance so that you can cut it off at the end just incase you have any mad unexpected unravelling.

I don't know how stable a garment would be after cutting it vertically like this, if it's a horizontal alteration i.e lengthening or shortening then you can add a "safety line" beyond which your knit won't unravel, but if it's a machine knit it should be a tight knitted enough to withstand it.

I would always hand wash a garment like this after I had altered it to be on the safe side.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Is this vintage Christmas sweater too small?

Ladies, I normally do not wear vintage clothing, but found this fabulous vintage Christmas sweater at an estate sale this morning. It belonged to a lady in her 80's. I'm guessing it's 1940's or 50's.

Here is the thing- I don't know if it's too small! What I mean is, I know vintage fits differently. The sweater is snug and it sits at my waist. I know the fit back then was form-fitting, but I don't know if it's too short.

Is this a proper vintage fit???

 

[deadpandiva]

The rise in the skirts and pants would have been higher so I would say the length is fine. I can't say if it is tight or not as I like my tops to fit snuggly.

 

[RetroBabydoll]

It looks like it fits as long as it isn't too uncomfortable and tight for you. Really cute.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Thanks. I would wear jeans/slacks with a higher rise with it. It feels comfortable, not too tight, just...snug. I love this sweater and didn't want to look foolish if the fit is all wrong.

 

[rubyredlocks]

Cuuuuuttte,sweater!and yes that's a proper fit.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

(Oh, it and this other fabulous sweater were FREE! ) I also got a 1950's Christmas apron for $1 (it's in the wash, I'll post a pic soon).

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Cuuuuuttte,sweater!and yes that's a proper fit.

Oh goody and thanks!

 

[goldwyn girl]

Looks fine to me and it's lovely.

 

[Ada Veen]

I think it looks lovely. I want one!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Thanks! Now I want to start wearing vintage sweaters more often! I like that I was able to meet the former owner. She and her husband were very sweet people. I let her know they are going to a good home.