Sewers, do I need a tailor? - YouLookFab Forum

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Sewers, do I need a tailor?

Freckles

Veteran

Due to insane allergy issues I have been borrowing a few of my son's gear shirts. When I got dressed this morning I noticed that this chosen shirt is really flattering on me. It has raglan sleeves which have always been wonderful on me but nearly impossible to find in non baseball shirt fabrications. It is also a bamboo gear material so soft and drapey, just my kind of fabric.
So if I went to a tailor with the shirt and some fabric would she have to take the shirt apart to make me one?
I was thinking of trying to find some bamboo modal or soft something and get some basic t-shirts made.
Good idea or bad?
Is a tailor the best place to get this done?
What would I look for in a fabric?
Tia Freckles

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from Laurinda

Peri

Veteran

I have no idea, but can't wait to hear the answer. Hopefully Diane G will chime in...if not, message her and ask her to!

I have a pair of pants I'd love to get duplicated if I could ever find a seamstress. And I had the same question...would such person have to take apart the original pair.

barbaraq

As a seamtress, I would think it would be pretty simple to copy your son's raglan T without taking it apart. Trying to find good-quality fabric is another issue. Hopefully, you have some quality fabric stores where you live.

Pants are another issue. Getting the right crotch curve can be tricky. But again, a good tailor could probably do this. Would be way more time consuming, though.

MuseumGal

Veteran

I'd go to etsy

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=.....;ref=auto4

rabbit

Veteran

Seconding MuseumGal. Also getting something in custom color and fit made online might work well for simple garments. Etsy is a good place to start.

jennifer

Veteran

One way to copy a garment is to use the blue painters tape and fill in the piece from one seam to the other then put it on paper and draw a one inch seam allowance around the edge . So shirt front piece ,back piece, sleeve piece( s),cuffs and collar most likely. Then the dressmaker can likely use that as a pattern to sew up new ones.

jennifer

Veteran

I think that Threadbangers on YouTube may have a video tutorial.

Freckles

Veteran

Thank you so very much for your wisdom ladies.
Peri I've never used this tailor before but when asked if she could copy a pair of my pants she said she would have to take them apart.
Barbaraq good to know I wasn't out in left field. I hadn't thought of the fabric. I looked them up and all the ones I used to know no longer exist. Will see if my gf's know of any.
Museumgal and Rabbit thanks, I've never looked there before. It's just that this shirt is almost perfect...
Jennifer I am not a sewer. Do you mean you lay the shirt flat and put blue painters tape along all the seams for one piece (front, back, sleeves), one at a time seperately. You then take the shirt away and where the pieces of tape intersect is the pattern? Took a peek at Threadbangers but will need to do a more detailed search. Thanks.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

A garment can be copied without taking it apart. I'm not sure a tailor would be the one to do it. When I think of tailoring, I think of alterations, i.e., altering existing garments. I would look for custom sewing, which might lead you to different people who have the skills you're looking for.
A raglan sleeved tee is one of the easiest garments to make. Do you sew at all or have any interest in learning? If you find a pattern that looks like the tees you like best, and you find someone to teach you to sew, you could be making your own tees very soon. Good modal and bamboo fabrics are pretty easy to find online, if not in brick and mortar stores in your area.

Freckles

Veteran

Thank you Firecracker. Sewing is very stressful for me and I tend not to finish garments even if all that means is sewing on one button. How can one tell online if a fabric is "good" or not?
So where does one find a custom sewer? Haven't seen any adds in the community newspaper.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

If you find someone who does custom sewing, they will know of sources for fabric. I would Google/search "custom sewing" and your location. I just did it for Seattle, where I live, and came up with a few businesses that have descriptions that sound like they would do your project. You could also check with tailors and ask if they do custom sewing of clothes.
Buying fabric online is admittedly tricky. I go to businesses owned by people whose taste in good quality fabric I trust and who are good at describing the fabrics. A couple that you might check out: http://www.marcytilton.com or http://www.emmaonesock.com .They are in the US, but I'm pretty sure Emma Onesock ships to Canada.

Freckles

Veteran

Thanks Firecracker! Will try out these strategies.

jennifer

Veteran

I meant to lay the garment out flat then outline the seam of the pattern piece you are copying with the painters tape. Then fill in the whole section with the tape so you have a solid shirt front etc. This way you won't distort the shape you are trying to copy . Then you put it onto paper and trace a one inch seam allowance around all sides of the piece. Ready to wear clothes are usually made with a serger machine that trims off this extra during the sewing process.

Freckles

Veteran

Brilliant Jennifer! Thank you so very much for explaining this method to me. Sounds relatively simple just time consuming. That I can do.

Laurinda

Veteran

Here is a web page with visuals: Draft your Own Raglan Tee Pattern

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