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How to shorten trouser



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 26th 03, 04:24 AM
Neil A.
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Default How to shorten trouser

Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job... but
I would like to know how I can do it myself or buy some machine (maybe
a hand held sewing gizmos) that might help me do that?

thank you!
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  #2  
Old November 26th 03, 11:00 AM
Trishty
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On 25 Nov 2003 19:24:41 -0800, Neil A. wrote:

Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job...



If you want help on an international forum like this, next time, I'd leave
the word 'Korean' out of your diatribe.

Trish
  #3  
Old November 26th 03, 03:04 PM
RLK
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"Neil A." wrote in message
m...
Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job... but
I would like to know how I can do it myself or buy some machine (maybe
a hand held sewing gizmos) that might help me do that?



So I gather you have bought your trousers in to them before? If you were not
happy, you could have pointed the faults with them and have them fix the
problem and do business elsewhere next time. However, $16 for trousers seem
reasonable. Before I learned to sew, I paid $20 for a dress hem in the city.

Measure your inseam and take that measure, or a pair of a similar well
fitting trousers and measure that. You will need to give at least an inch
hem allowance to double fold your hem. I use the sewing machine only for
denims, sweatpants. For dress pants, khaki and corduroy, use handstitching.
Make sure to line up the seam edges.

(As a person of Asian descent, I found the words "rip-off" and "Korean" in
the same phrase a bit irking.)


  #4  
Old November 26th 03, 06:03 PM
Sally Holmes
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Default

Neil A. wrote:
Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job... but
I would like to know how I can do it myself or buy some machine (maybe
a hand held sewing gizmos) that might help me do that?


The hand-held sewing machine whereof you speak is called a needle. You'll
need a packet of them, and some decent-quality thread to match your trousers
(Gutterman or Mettler are good brands) plus a packet of pins, a ruler and
some scissors.

Turn the hem of the trousers to the inside by the amount you need to shorten
them and stitch round using hem stitch or herringbone stitch, seen he
http://www.alternative-windows.com/stitches.htm. You could put
"how to sew" hem
into Google and come up with diagrams.

Do NOT buy "a hand held sewing gizmo" as they're useless or worse. A good
sewing machine will set you back anything from $10 (from a charity shop, if
you know what you're looking for) to £2000.

The Korean place has made the investment in sewing machine, thread, pins etc
and they know how to shorten trousers. That's why they charge $16. If you
think it's a rip-off, think about how long it'll take you to learn how to
hem and how long to actually do it, and multiply that by your rate of pay.
Add the write-down on a sewing machine and other equipment, thread, taxes,
electricity and rent for the premises and $16 might seem quite reasonable.

And, as Trish says, remarks that can be perceived as racist can alienate a
lot of people. Not a smart thing to do when you're asking for help.

Sally H


  #5  
Old November 26th 03, 10:45 PM
Penny S
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Default

Trishty murmured while asleep:
On 25 Nov 2003 19:24:41 -0800, Neil A. wrote:

Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job...



If you want help on an international forum like this, next time, I'd
leave the word 'Korean' out of your diatribe.

Trish


and in a forum where a good percentage of posters make their living by
sewing, I'd be careful about calling a $16 trouser hem a "rip-off".

Penny S


  #6  
Old November 27th 03, 04:53 AM
CW
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Default

He probably said Korean because it is owned and/or operated by a Korean.
That being the case, I don't think calling it Russian would have been to
accurate.

"Trishty" wrote in message
...
On 25 Nov 2003 19:24:41 -0800, Neil A. wrote:

Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job...



If you want help on an international forum like this, next time, I'd leave
the word 'Korean' out of your diatribe.

Trish



  #8  
Old December 6th 03, 05:31 PM
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Default


How to

Top posted for various and sundry reasons, all of which are irritating
to some of you picky-poos.
Let's recap:
Sewing is not a mandatory female sport any longer.
Few people know how to sew; fewer know how to alter clothing; even
fewer are willing to take up tailoring or alterations as a business.
Service industries are increasingly run by minorities and/or immigrants;
(I'll note here that they are willing to do the work which many affluent
people scorn.) it is wise to get to know these folks, and, if their work
isn't up to standard, to help them become familiar with the quality one
expects.
The alternative is to either find a trained tailor, and pay a
well-deserved premium, or to buy proper equipment, and learn to alter
your own clothing.
Let's look at a very modest investment for finishing garments.
Sewing machine, industrial straight stitch, used, $500.00 (US) and up.
New, $1,000.00 and up. Stand-by machine/s, necessary when one is in the
shop for repairs. Cost of repairs/maintenance.
Serger for seam/edge finishing, likewise, $500.00 and up for home
models.
Industrial Blindstitch machine, just bought mine, it was advertised
for $450.00.
Notions: in-stock, the tailor can have a huge investment. I have well
over $3,000.00 worth of threads alone, and this is buying them at 50%
off regular retail prices. Then there's snaps, buttons, interfacings,
elastics, heel guards, velcro, zippers... the list is endless.
Education: OJT, or design/sewing/tailoring courses, continual outlay
for technical books. (Recent purchase: $180.00 for drapery business
info.)
Nowhere in this have I mentioned store rent, utilities, taxes,
employee salaries, bookkeeper/CPA, and a myriad of necessary expenses,
which eat a huge chunk of that $16.00.
HTH, $16.00 sounds reasonable, IMHO.
Cea
---
(Penny=A0S)
Trishty murmured while asleep:
---
On 25 Nov 2003 19:24:41 -0800, Neil A. wrote:
Can anyone explain to me or point to a website which shows how to
shorten trousers. I can give $16 to the local rip-off korean
laundry/altering shop who use a machine and do a butchering job...
If you want help on an international forum like this, next time, I'd
leave the word 'Korean' out of your diatribe.
Trish
and in a forum where a good percentage of posters make their living by
sewing, I'd be careful about calling a $16 trouser hem a "rip-off".
Penny S

 




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