Can working sleeve buttonholes be made non-functional?

[merkur]

..

 

[vitaminc]

i think it could but then u would have to reweave the fabrics to get rid of the holes?

better to adjust the sleeve length from the shoulders.

 

[lee_44106]

Originally Posted by vitaminc

i think it could but then u would have to reweave the fabrics to get rid of the holes?

better to adjust the sleeve length from the shoulders.



An even better idea:

DO NOT BUY A JACKET WITH WORKING SLEEVE-BUTTONS IF THE LENGTH IS NOT RIGHT FOR YOU.


Shortening a jacket from the shoulder is MAJOR surgery.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by lee_44106

An even better idea:

DO NOT BUY A JACKET WITH WORKING SLEEVE-BUTTONS IF THE LENGTH IS NOT RIGHT FOR YOU.


Shortening a jacket from the shoulder is MAJOR surgery.
+1

Working buttons add a nice touch that I like, but if the sleeve length is not correct, getting an adjustment can be a major hassle, and not all tailors in stores are willing to do the alteration.

 

[Journeyman]

Originally Posted by merkur

Can working sleeve buttonholes be made non-functional?

You could sew them shut, but it would be pretty much impossible to get rid of all traces of them, so there would not be any point.

There are tailors around (a couple here in Brisbane, for example) that will adjust a sleeve at the shoulder, but it's not a simple procedure and will set you back at least AU$120 at my tailor.

 

[orthofrancis]

I think you could just sew them shut, but why?

 

[Eccentric]

Are you trying to get the sleaves shortened or do you just have something against working button holes?

 

[merkur]

..

 

[alliswell]

Find a tailor who'll shorten the coat from the shoulder and give him the $100 it'll cost. Or donate the coat.

 

[Journeyman]

Originally Posted by merkur

More of a sleeve shortening question.

Well, as I said above, sewing up the buttonholes won't get rid of them, so there's no point.

You can shorten a coat at the sleevehead, but tailors will only generally shorten by about 1.5 inches (3.7cm) at the most as otherwise there is a chance that the sleeve will not fit into the sleevehead properly (as sleeves start to taper a little as they move down towards the cuff).

Also, if your jacket has pattern-matching at the shoulder, that will probably be destroyed if you shorten the sleeve at the shoulder.

 

[texas_jack]

Shortening the sleeves at the shoulder is the only real option. It's expensive and should only be done by a real tailor. Otherwise, donate it.

 

[literasyme]

Serious question: why does everyone always seem to assume that sleeves need to be shortened? I've noticed this in a couple of related threads. Are long arms so exceptional? I usually find sleeves too short (can absolutely not wear Rs in RL, not because I have a long torso, but because their sleeves are ridiculously short) -- and I don't mean by general-public standards.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by literasyme

Serious question: why does everyone always seem to assume that sleeves need to be shortened? I've noticed this in a couple of related threads. Are long arms so exceptional? I usually find sleeves too short (can absolutely not wear Rs in RL, not because I have a long torso, but because their sleeves are ridiculously short) -- and I don't mean by general-public standards.
I'm curious about this, too, as I've noticed a lot of concerns about being able to shorten sleeves. Admittedly, my arms are disproportionately long, so I always find sleeves much too short. Similar to literasyme, RL jackets have sleeves that are much too short for me. The collars never fit me correctly, either.

 

[vitaminc]

Originally Posted by literasyme

Serious question: why does everyone always seem to assume that sleeves need to be shortened? I've noticed this in a couple of related threads. Are long arms so exceptional? I usually find sleeves too short (can absolutely not wear Rs in RL, not because I have a long torso, but because their sleeves are ridiculously short) -- and I don't mean by general-public standards.

You have the causal relationship wrong. Those who needs to ask sleeve shortening questions typically have shorter than normal arms.

 

[grimslade]

It's a fair question, but I think most ready to wear suit jackets/sportcoats have sleeves that are, by design, too long for the average person of that size. Because it's easier to shorten them than lengthen them.