Hemming is one of the most common alterations. Hems are usually for making a garment shorter. If there is enough fabric, sometimes the hem can be made longer. If you do not specify they should out the same hem into the garment that you brought it in with.
Types of Hems:
1.Topstitched hem: This is the most common hem. This hem is on the top of the fabric like the hem on jeans, most skirts and shirts.
2. Blind hem: A hem that you cannot see on the right side of your garment. This is a fantastic hem for slacks, dresses, men’s dress pants, and all formal wear like prom and wedding dresses.
3. Cuff: Cuffed slacks are common for most suits. A cuff is an extra layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment covering the arms. In US usage the word may also refer to the end of the leg of a pair of trousers.
Take in or let out is another common alteration in garments. The process of making a garment either fit closer to your body (take in) or letting out the fabric in area's that are too tight (let out). An alterations specialist will remove the original seam allowance stitching of the garment and recreate a deeper or more shallow seam allowance where the garment is too big/small.
Another alteration that is common is taking up the shoulders seams. It’s not a well-known alteration, so if you see puckering or extra fabric around the bust or armholes, you can bring up the shoulders, making the garment fit closer to your body and not billow.
Mending is when you have rips, missing buttons, burn holes, etc. Mending your clothes is a great way to extend the life of your garments. Instead of pitching a garment for a busted seam, you can sew it back together, allowing you to extend the time you get to wear your outfit.
You can always take a class at Sew Dayton to learn how to mend and alter your clothing. We love to help make you look and feel great. Sometimes all that takes is bringing in a garment a little here and there to make your clothing fit you, instead of always trying to change your body to fit the clothing.
Till next month, have fun by getting those cloths out that you have been meaning to fix and get to it. Spring is just around the corner.
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