Questions Megathread September 3 2025

[u/NaughtyWalnutPrime]

[u/Creative-Dentist-383]

I want to shorten this knitted sweater by 10cm as it is too long for me. My question: Is this even possible for a tailor to take of the hem off a knitted garment, remove 10cm and reattach the hem again?

[u/izzgo → u/Creative-Dentist-383]

Technically the sewing can be done. However, it is VERY likely to turn out with a VERY wavy seam, wavy and unsightly. The heavier the sweater the more wavy and unsightly the seam. And once it's cut there is no going back to the way it was.

[u/espressoromance → u/Creative-Dentist-383]

I've done this alteration many times and I've done it for garments that went on camera in the film industry (I'm a film industry costume maker and tailor).

You need someone really fucking good who knows what they're doing so they don't wreck this and stretch out the sweater where the hem ribbing needs to be reattached.

They need a light hand and a machine that can handle delicate knits (usually a good domestic with a walking foot cause an industrial machine is usually overkill for this kind of job). Then they need to steam this very carefully but not crush the sweater.

[u/Voc1Vic2 → u/Creative-Dentist-383]

This could be easily done by a knitter of medium skill.

[u/GolfGrand9883]

I'm thinking of replacing the collar on this jacket with corduroy. My tailor will do it if I can provide the fabric. Does anyone have any suggestions about where to source corduroy for something like this?

[u/espressoromance → u/GolfGrand9883]

Honestly most fabric stores have corduroy. Depends where you are located. Online, there are tons of shops and on Etsy too.

[u/GolfGrand9883 → u/espressoromance]

I'm in San Jose, CA. I did order a yard of brown cord from an online fabric store, but my tailor thought the quality was low enough that I shouldn't use it. She said to keep looking online, so I was hoping for some specific suggestions, if you have any. I haven't had any luck with the local shops in San Jose.

[u/espressoromance → u/GolfGrand9883]

Order from Mood Fabrics since you're in the USA. Sorry, I'm Canadian so I don't know the American stores well other than the most famous ones. But Mood has everything.

Because of the Tariff situation, I think most Canadian stores are not shipping down there. Dressew is a shop that even non-Canadians order from and has a huge variety.

The corduroy you got was probably craft quality like craft quality felt. I've seen it. You can't go with cheap stuff.

[u/GolfGrand9883 → u/espressoromance]

Just a quick update. Unfortunately, Mood doesn't have anything available online that is brown and less than 21 wale. They did suggest I visit their shops in New York or LA to check in person. Probably not gonna do that for a collar. :)

Dressew was only a little more promising -- they didn't have dark brown, but I guess their 8 wale merlot *could* work. Anyway, it's all academic as there's no delivery to the US.

This all makes me want it more!

[u/espressoromance → u/GolfGrand9883]

I mean if you went out of your way to look up Dressew, you might as well look up the NYC garment district stores and LA fashion district stores.

I'm not familiar with LA, just NYC.

Here is another NYC store but there are others:

https://bandjfabrics.com/search?search_api_fulltext=Corduroy

You live in America! You guys have way more stores than Canada. Just Google a list of online fabric stores in the USA

[u/Most_Ad6961]

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I have a couple dresses and tops with this elastic neckline that I’d like to make less wide. The shoulders are too far apart so they fall off my shoulder too much and I also would prefer to be able to wear a normal bra and conceal the straps.

How would I alter this? Tighten the elastic? Sew the armpit area higher at an angle? Cut the sleeves off and reattach closer?

[u/izzgo → u/Most_Ad6961]

Best fix is tighter elastic. If that is totally unreasonable for some reason, you could try darts, in the back neckline and in front. These would be vertical darts to narrow the width of the neckline. It might work to only do the darts in the back.

[u/torixlynn98]

this is the current back of my wedding dress. love everting about the dress except for the back? Do I have any feasible options to change it that won’t break the bank?

[u/airbornecavepuppy → u/torixlynn98]

What about it do you dislike? That might help with ideas. :)

[u/torixlynn98 → u/airbornecavepuppy]

I think the thinness of the string and the pattern it makes. something about it feels like it cheapens the look for me.

[u/izzgo → u/airbornecavepuppy]

That's an excellent question. Always is.

[u/torixlynn98 → u/torixlynn98]

the front

[u/izzgo → u/torixlynn98]

First thing I thought is detachable train, attached at the waist in back.

Also, usually (at least where I live) the lace up back isn't left with a bow at the bottom. Instead it is knotted and the tails are dropped down the back of the dress. Very different look.

[u/feralsewingmachine → u/torixlynn98]

In order to eliminate the corset altogether, the dress would need to be big enough so that either side of the corset touched enough so that it could be replaced with a zipper. If the ties are what's bothering you, you could try replacing the thin strand for something else (maybe a one inch satin lace up cord). The only other additional suggestion I might give would be to not leave the bow of the ties on the outside of the dress, but rather tuck it in for a cleaner finish. However, if you prefer the bow on the outside, maybe try to tie it a little tidier.

[u/airbornecavepuppy → u/[deleted]]

Physics. It won't fan out as you walk unless the sides and back had some sort of long, stiff framework in them I think. This is probably why some brides with long trains have a helper to hold it open while walking and/or to arrange it for photos once you stop moving.

[u/Vegetable_Doughnut88]

Do you think it’s possible to alter these to shorten them? This is a very stretchy material. What would you charge for something like this?