Can the sleeves be shorten on a cashmere sweater?

[lsquare]

I just got a new charcoal grey sweater, but the sleeves are a bit too long. I'm just wondering if a tailor will be able to shorten it and if it'll be cheap?

 

[bengal-stripe]

Not really, good knitwear is not cut and sewn but knitted into the required shape. If the sweater is new and had been kept on hangers in the store (never a good idea, knitwear should be stored flat), it is possible the sleeves have stretched somewhat. Washing or even just wetting the sweater might get the sleeves back to their intended length. No guaranties.

Just fold the ribbed cuff back, that's a classic way to wear sweaters.

 

[lsquare]

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

Not really, good knitwear is not cut and sewn but knitted into the required shape. If the sweater is new and had been kept on hangers in the store (never a good idea, knitwear should be stored flat), it is possible the sleeves have stretched somewhat. Washing or even just wetting the sweater might get the sleeves back to their intended length. No guaranties.

Just fold the ribbed cuff back, that's a classic way to wear sweaters.

What do you mean by fold it back? Like fold it "inside-out"? Wouldn't that stretch the width of the cuffs?

 

[j]

Sweaters can be shrunk to some degree by washing and/or drying them, and by blocking which is a process where the sweater is allowed to dry in a certain position/shape. If you don't know what you're doing (it's easy to screw it up) a knitwear alterations place may be able to help you.

Another option if you want to pay a lot of money is where they will detach the sleeves and then reattach them using complicated techniques, and it's usually done under a big magnifying glass or even a microscope depending on the gauge of the knit. For almost all situations, this is not worth the price.

 

[j]

Sweaters can be shrunk to some degree by washing and/or drying them, and by blocking which is a process where the sweater is allowed to dry in a certain position/shape. If you don't know what you're doing (it's easy to screw it up) a knitwear alterations place may be able to help you.

Another option if you want to pay a lot of money is where they will detach the sleeves and then reattach them using complicated techniques, and it's usually done under a big magnifying glass or even a microscope depending on the gauge of the knit. For almost all situations, this is not worth the price.