Hello friends! I was an apprentice for an alterationist over this past summer and have been eager to showcase what I learned. When I started reading and asking questions on styleforum the first thing I learned was that fit is everything. I don't have excess funds at my disposal. So I bought a used sewing machine on craigslist.org for $40 and went to work learning to make any Thrift Shop find look as best as possible. Since starting out, I have learned how to alter shits and pants. Below is my latest alteration and the most significant change in size I have ever done on a shirt. Thanks for indulging me!
The shirt. A Land's End Oxford Cotton White/Blue striped shirt. $4.00
Shirt ironed and laid flat to pin.
I start by marking the shoulders using a template I've made from another shirt with shoulders I found comfortable.
Next I use another template made from a shirt I found to be an ideal fit. I match this template up with the marks I've made at the shoulders. Next (not pictured) I use a third template on the arms. The strip cut out of the middle of this template is to act as a "window" so that I can align the template using the front placket of the shirt.
The finished product!
You can tell I haven't switched shirts (perhaps I should have had an audience member write their name on the torso in permanent marker before I started) because there is clearly a large amount of fabric remaining at the shoulder blades. I have been working on this for about 14 months and now shirts take me about an hour or hour and a half. It is my Sunday night project leaving me with a new shirt for school each week. You can't rush a long process. I learned that on this site. Thanks!
Edited by Billbeme - 9/26/11 at 10:22am
Well done sir. This is exactly what I need to do with my latest thrift store finds (a blue jcrew oxford size M and a glen plaid nautica dress shirt, 15 1/2 collar).
