altering sleeve length with stitching?

[luo6232]

Hi guys, I recently purchased a navy borrelli blazer that is simply beautiful, however the sleeves are are about half an inch too long. I was taking it to get it tailored when my tailor told me that she would have to take the stitching by the buttons out and resew the buttons further upward to shorten the sleeve and not have it look like the buttons are right at the edge. However once she does that then she cannot resew the button stitching. Now how do you guys feel about this, should I go ahead and shorten it and take out the stitching or should I just leave it to be a tad long? I personally enjoy the look of the buttonhole, but im not sure if this detail is worth having my sleeves be too long.

 

[Aldehyde]

I've been told by my tailor they use a special machine to put the faux buttonhole stitching onto the sleeve, so after shortening you can either forgo the stitching, or have real buttonholes made.

I'd be interested to hear if my tailor was correct.

But definitely shorten the sleeves.

 

[JamesX]

It looks far better to have proper length sleeves and no button holes (faux or working). Than to have sleeves that are half an inch too long and button holes (faux or working). If you are very much attached to the button holes you can see if she can shorten the sleeve at the shoulder. Which is MUCH riskier and requires far more skill. There was a thread about it 3 days or so ago, but I couldn't find it on a quick search. NVM.. Found it http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=249280

 

[acecow]

Nobody cares about fake button holes, because it's so hard to notice them and they aren't required by any sartorial rule. Let her do it.

Alternatively, if you really want the fake stitching (I usually do), you can find a tailor that has a machine for it; it will be only slightly more expensive.

 

[Grenadier]

Can she take it in at the shoulder?

 

[luo6232]

Thanks guys for the quick responses, I did not know any tailors had a machine that can resew the stitching?!?! Unfortunately I live in Oklahoma and its probably gonna be hard to find a tailor with one of those. And she maybe able but I am not willing to take the risk of doing it from the shoulder.

 

[acecow]

Originally Posted by luo6232

Thanks guys for the quick responses, I did not know any tailors had a machine that can resew the stitching?!?! Unfortunately I live in Oklahoma and its probably gonna be hard to find a tailor with one of those. And she maybe able but I am not willing to take the risk of doing it from the shoulder.

Since those aren't working button-holes, don't shorten from the shoulder! Also, don't let her do the fake button stitching unless she knows what she's doing and has a machine for it. I once had an incompetent tailor do it by hand and the result was horrendous. I considered it a lesson learned.

 

[luo6232]

Thanks guys for all the help, I decided to go back and get the sleeves done without the stitching.

 

[JamesX]

If you ever visit places like NY, you can have the stitches put in then.

 

[Todd6060]

If the sleeve has 4 buttons now could you just remove the bottom one and keep the other 3 where they are?

 

[East Oakland]

Originally Posted by Todd6060

If the sleeve has 4 buttons now could you just remove the bottom one and keep the other 3 where they are?

+1

I did this on a blazer that originally had four buttons on each sleeve. It allowed me to shorten the sleeves 1/2 inch.

 

[bewing77]

I don't see how this could be a problem at all. Most, if not all modern sewing machines have a button hole feature and it takes no special magic machine to do it on a jacket sleeve. Of course, it looks better if they are hand sewn if the tailor knows what he/she is doing.