Replies

1. 
   suesew | Jul 22, 2007 08:52pm | #1

   This is a big job and probably my least favorite alteration,. I assume you have a split lapped opening with buttons like a men's suitcoat. Remove the buttons and all the stitching that holds the lapped opening together. Do not separate the lining from the sleeve. Turn the sleeve inside out. You will probably find that one of the sleeves has been sewn shut along the lining fabric on the inside. You can turn both sleeves inside out through that one opening or you can create a new opening on the sleeve that doesn't have one by opening the lining seam. There is a seam where the lining is attached to the bottom of the sleeve. This is where you are actually going to shorten both the sleeve and the lining. Smoothing the fabric right sides together, measure down and mark with a pin the distance you want to shorten the sleeve. Pin this line most of the way around the sleeve, leaving room to deal with the overlap. Sew around the sleeve on the pin line,again leaving room to deal with the lapped opening. If you are taking a lot off the sleeve, you can cut off the excess before you sew - it will be easier to get it under the machine. Now turn it right side out again and refold the lapped openings.
   Sometimes these can be hand tacked in place and sometimes you will need to go back inside and restitch the edges. Finish stitching the lining by hand or machine. Catch the hem at the seams and sew the buttons back on. You may have interfacing to deal with. Many today are bonded on and it is impossible to replace that without taking the sleeve almost entirely apart. If you are just shortening it a little (after reading this, why bother?) there may be enough interfacing still attached to be enough. Otherwise cut a separate piece and sew it in with the first seam you sew. Plain as mud?
   Pay attention as you take it apart, it will help you understand how to put it all back together again. And sometimes there is so much cut away inside that you are unable to put it back the way it originally was - especially if you should ever try lengthening a sleeve. And unfortunately you have to do this all twice. Isn't sewing fun?

1. 
   mancika | Jul 29, 2007 06:52am | #9

   Thankyou for your instructions. I will try to follow them and hope I succeed. I will let you know when I have finished.
   Mancika

2. 
   suesew | Jul 25, 2007 07:57pm | #2

   I can't help wondering why this discussion was removed from the site within a few hours. I would love to have others input.

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   Josefly | Jul 26, 2007 03:07am | #3

   This is an interesting topic, and I look forward to more on it, too.Suesew, the discussion was not removed...it has to do with the setting you choose regarding which topics are displayed each time you log in.At the top of the left-hand topics column you will see "Show Discussions..." and if it is set to "with unread messages", it will show only the messages you have not read. So if you have read all the messages thus far posted on a topic, when you log in again, that topic won't show up on the list. You can click on "all" to get all the more recent topics, read or un-read, or at least the most recent 50 messages, and to get the next 50, scroll down to the bottom of the topics column and click on "next 50"."Unread messages" is a convenient setting sometimes, saving you from having to scroll through all the topics you've completely read before. And if you've read some of the messages on a topic, but not all, when you click on the topic, you will be taken to the messages posted since you last signed in, rather than to the beginning of the thread.If there's a topic you're particularly interested in following, you can "subscribe" to that topic, and you will be notified by e-mail each time someone posts a new message there, whether it's posted to you or to anyone else. To subscribe, you click on "subscribe to this discussion" either at the top, or at the bottom of the messages (I've forgotten which :>) )Sorry if you knew all this already, but I think lots of us readers get confused about why some topics seem to "disappear".

   Edited 7/25/2007 8:16 pm ET by Josefly

1. 
   Cherrypops | Jul 26, 2007 03:32am | #4

   Hi Josefly,

   I applaud you for this great explanation.

   CherryPops

    

2. 
   suesew | Jul 26, 2007 07:54pm | #7

   Thanks for your reply about the missing messages. That will help me a lot! Sue

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   Josefly | Jul 27, 2007 03:33am | #8

   Glad if it helps.

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   mancika | Jul 26, 2007 08:31am | #5

   I have not seen a message answering my question.

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   Cherrypops | Jul 26, 2007 11:02am | #6

   Mancika,

   Please correct if i am mistaken, but didn't suesew answer your question here at  7085.2  within this discussion topic. **Clicking on the number will take you to the message**. It shows that you have not read this message. Did you not receive an email notification to let you know someone responded to your initial question?

   Cherrypops