converting a jacket

[massmanute]

I picked up a couple of jackets from the local thrift store. One is light-to-medium gray with a tight weave and very large patch pockets. The other is a dark gray loose weave (woolen?) with conventional pockets. Both are long... much longer than would normally fit me, but there is method to my madness.

I figure the length is actually going to make them easier to shorten. Here is why. The pockets on the dark gray jacket are so low that they will be completely cut off, and there will be no need to figure out how to move them. The person altering the jacket could just create new ones in an appropriate place rather than worrying about a left over pocket slits that may be in the wrong place.

The other reason is the buttons. Because the lower button is so low it will be easy to make the cutout around the lower button and button hole without making a too-aggressive cutout.

The remaining button will be in a rather low spot, but I prefer low placement on a jacket anyway, so that should be OK.

The light gray has large patch pockets, so they will be easy to remove, cut down, and reattached at an appropriate spot. The lower button will be handled the same way as the first jacket.

Of course, there will need to be some alterations, mainly shortening the sleeves, and maybe doing a little fine tuning of the body profile.

Any thoughts on this scheme?

[madmacs]

Sounds like a plan to me...

[DreamHazard]

I did something very similar with a black 3-button jacket, it worked very well for me, so go for it!

[flyrod6057]

Search the forum; there have been a number of posts regarding what you're attempting.

Here's a good one: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-jacket-30726/

[massmanute]

I talked to a seamstress who does alterations (actually, my wife talked to her), and she thought the job was to hard and didn't want to do it. I would rather have someone competent do it then do it myself. Any thoughts professional vs. do-it-yourself?

[Tartan Hiker]

My first thought is that she must not be much of a seamstress if she thinks this is too hard.

Puruse the threads here and do it yourself. Honestly, it isn't all that difficult, and if you do totally botch it, you're out, what? a $5 contribution to a local charity?

[madmacs]

Get some pins.. pin it to see what it lools like... If it looks ok, then the only other thimg you have to worry about is the stitching, and most if that is hidden...

Sleeves usually require you turning the sleeve inside out and looking for the stitchimg that has been redone... rip it and the sleeve suddenly becomes easy...

$100 is probably 3 or 4 hrs of a seamstress... You know what it's supposed to look like... So youre halfway there...

Start with the patch pocket one... And even if you screw up you'll learn a lot... Worst comes to the worst, as was said youre out $5 and some time...

Oh... and plan to sew by hand not a machine...

[massmanute]

I could learn something new by doing it myself.