HI everyone,
I trust your weekend was nice… or perhaps it was HOT! If so, I hope you stayed cool!
My time since we last met has been busy! What did you expect? We had some friends come in and Saturday I spent the afternoon visiting!
I apologize to anyone who hasn’t received their doll swimsuits yet. I spoke with my mail clerk in the Post Office Friday, and she said they have been bundling things and shipping them in bulk and not doing it every single day… UGH! But she assured me they would get there soon.
We spoke with Rebecca and Karn this evening and when I got off the phone and looked at the clock it was 9:15… and I didn’t have a clue what I was going to write about today. I even asked my hubby if he had anything good on his phone from pictures he may have taken, and he didn’t. So, I had to come up with something quick.
I walked into my sewing room and saw a plaid shirt my hubby had been wanting me to cut the sleeves off of, and decided if I took pictures as I did it, he could get his shirt fixed and I could have a post… not necessarily the most exciting post ever, but maybe it’s just what you wanted to know how to do… well, follow along and see if you’re ready to tackle it!
Here is the shirt needing short sleeves. My hubby has really long arms and it’s hard to find shirts that fit him… but sometimes I see a really pretty (maybe handsome) shirt and decide to get it, knowing I can always cut off the sleeves if they aren’t long enough. That’s what happened with this pretty blue and red plaid shirt… it fit perfectly, but the sleeves were too short. I told him, “I KNOW a seamstress that might be able to help!” *wink* *wink*
He’s going to look nice in these bright colors!
I took another shirt of his that has the right sleeve length and laid it on top of the blue and red shirt to mark where to cut the sleeves. (I actually have a paper template I made of the sleeve length he likes, but I could NOT find it anywhere in my sewing room!) Just make sure when you lay your new shirt on the one to be shortened, that you line up the armhole seams and then add extra length for the hem. I added about 1 3/4″. Smooth out the sleeve of the shirt and cut it off parallel to the sleeve hem of the shirt you are using for a guide.
Now take that piece and lay it on top of the other long sleeve, making sure you lay it the exact opposite direction… with the buttons facing up. Like this…
Then matching up the cuff seams, cut the other sleeve the same length as the already cut piece…
Now here is the only tricky part of shortening the sleeves. Because the sleeves taper from the widest part up high where men’s muscles are, and then go down to the narrow cuff area, it doesn’t work to just cut off the sleeves and hem them straight across. If you fold the bottom of the cut off sleeve area back upon itself, it will look like this… because of the tapering…
Here’s a closeup of it… Because the sleeves aren’t like straight leg pants, and get smaller as they go down to the wrist area, there is a little bit less fabric if you wanted to turn it back up and hem it. So you have to find a little fabric.
Your sleeve will most likely be double stitched like this…
You can get that little bit of extra length by opening up about 1/2″ of this underarm seam… Just use a seam ripper and open it up a bit.
You can slightly pull it apart with your fingers and see how you have just enough fabric to make up that little bit of extra length you’ll need to make your sleeve lay nice and flat.
I had a hard time doing this because I was using my phone in my hand and trying to spread it apart with my one hand.
Just press that little “V” of extra fabric you’ve gained with your iron and then press up about 1/4″ all around the newly cut off sleeve.
The “V” area won’t be that noticeable now, but it will give you extra fabric when you go to stitching the hem.
After turning the 1/4″ under, use something to mark where you want your hem to be. I used a little cardstock card about 3/4″ wide and pressed with a hot iron, all the way around the sleeve. (So it’s 1/4″ pressed under, then 3/4″ pressed again to make it nice and neat inside.)
It will look something like this from the inside.
Now take it to your sewing machine and stitch evenly around the sleeve hem. Start at the underarm seam and as you get all the way around the sleeve, give it just little tug and that “V” area where you gained the extra fabric, will be just enough to keep it from puckering. If you didn’t open up that seam just a bit, there wouldn’t be enough fabric to go smoothly all the way around the hem of your sleeve and you’d have puckers or folds.
Here is my sleeve done… pressed and laying flat.
Here are both sleeves finished…
A close up…
Oh my, he’s going to look handsome in this!!! :o)
(This probably would have been easier to understand if I had used a solid colored shirt… but all my hubby likes is plaid… so there you have it!)
I’ll see you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
You alter long sleeves into short ones just the way I do, Jeanne! I did that for one or two of Ron’s shirts, I think. Not because his arms were too long, but because either the sleeves were too long or the elbows were worn out and he thought he’d get a little more use out of the shirt if I shortened the sleeves (this last was a Pendleton wool shirt).
Daniel is still in the hospital; his pneumonia is caused by MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), it turns out, and he is now in isolation. We’re supposed to put on gowns and gloves to go in to see him. I don’t, because the gowns are so big, I would be tripping over the hems! Like I told the nurse–you do Not want me falling–I have a bad knee, a bad back, and osteoporosis! And, of course, they never have gloves that fit me–I can fold the fingers over on the ones they have. So, no, no gowning up, but I am a good hand-washer, so am hoping I can avert any problems that way.
Also, as I wrote at the end of Friday’s post, on Saturday: SARAH IS HOME!! She is doing amazingly well, and so appreciates everyone’s prayers on her behalf, so I am passing along her thanks. She still has some pain, of course, but is managing it with just Tylenol. We had a nice long talk on the phone last night.
I also found out that on Saturday, Ron’s sister’s husband passed away. He had been in failing health for quite some time, so it was not unexpected.
Sometimes, when it rains, it pours!
Thank you for the updates Charlotte.
You were the epic seamstress!
Your family is in my prayers, daily.
Hi, checking in after a couple of health issues but fine now. I’ve been following the blog but not commenting. I’m seconding all the good wishes for Charlotte’s Sarah and David. Love the picture of Jeanne and George at the wedding! Plaid shirts sure are the right choice for George. Excellent tutorial on shortening sleeves. Very tricky on that small detail on hems. Glad to be back and up to date.
So sorry to hear about Ron’s sister’s husband. Prayers for the family. Great news about Sarah. The fact that she can handle the pain with just Tylenol is great. David does not handle pain well and even Tylenol with Codeine wasn’t helping him. He needed something stronger which is regulated. So I was glad when his pain subsided because he was at the limit of what could be prescribed for him.
I’ve heard about MRSA and will be praying for Daniel that he recovers soon. I’ve known a couple people with a family member who has had this lately. They recovered but it took longer than usual.
Oh, Charlotte, I’m so sorry to hear about Daniel. I didn’t have time to read through the comments on Friday so I missed it. MRSA is nothing to mess with. I pray he recovers soon.
Such good news that Sarah is doing so well and is home.
Also very sorry to hear of Ron’s sister’s husband passing.
Glad to hear that Sarah is doing so well, but sorry about Daniel. Must be so hard for him to be in the hospital. Hopefully, he will recover quickly. And now your sister in law’s husband. So sorry to hear that. Take care of yourself, please.
Oh, Charlotte, Daniel’s sickness sound’s scary, I know you are being careful. What do they say about the recovery time? Prayers going up! I am so glad to hear that Sarah is home! I hope she will be pain free soon.
Jeanne, I did receive the swimsuit that I won for Sara, and sent you a picture of her wearing it. She and I love it! The St. Louis PO is not the best! Packages go from one distribution center to another other, then back and forth, out of the state and back before I ever get them! They sure do need to get more efficient than all the passing packages from one place to another!
Well, that is wonderful that you can fix George’s shirts and give them a second life! The only things I have ever sewn. for Michael, were a couple of robes. You can’t believe how expensive men’s robes are, and they only wear them an hour or two a day! Who needs a $90.00 robe for that? Since they aren’t really “fitted” they are easy to make and always fit!
Oh my, Charlotte, your family is certainly having the “pours when it rains” time! Prayers for everyone!
Well, we had a break yesterday! It was supposed to rain all day and the rain quit just in time. Eight ladies from MDCC arrived with 2 cars and a huge van to my neighbor Kaye’s house. (She lives 3 doors from me.) She had piles of boxes that were sent there by MDCC and others that are coming and weren’t able to carry their stuff, mostly sellers at MDCC. Also we arrived at Kaye’s with our truck half full of my boxes for the “Helper” room, I really cleaned a lot of my doll stuff out that I have collected for over 20 years! Thank goodness my stuff fit in the van with the others so we didn’t have to drive to Savannah with it in the truck. Peyton will drive Kaye and me to MDCC tomorrow.
I promise to take lots of photos, and tell you when and where MDCC will be next year.
We had 4 inches of rain on Saturday!
Sissy I received the pictures of your gingham fabric but will wait until you return from MDCC to get back with you on it. Looking forward to seeing pictures from your fun adventure.
Ok, Barbara, will be great to see what you would like,
hugs,
Sissy
So glad the items for the convention are on their way. Wow, you and your friend were so helpful with all of that. Have a great time and we’ll be looking forward to pics. 🙂
Happy Monday dear ones 🙂
I did leave a comment last Friday… pretty late in the day. My excuse for tardiness was that I had too many tabs open… on my laptop and also in my head. – my day just started in a different pattern.
I hope everyone had a delightful week-end.
It was soooo nice last week, weather wise, and now it is getting uncomfortable again. This entire week is promising us temps in the 90’s.
Fortunately, I have been spending most of my time from one air conditioned space to another.
Jeanne, your shirt surgery is terrific. I am sure hubby was pleased with the short sleeves. Will you make skirts from the left overs?
Time is just flying, I can’t believe some kids are going back to school already.
Love to all of you
Your summer sounds like mine. Going from one A/C space to another. Unfortunately, it means getting into a hot car because every time I go to another A/C space I leave the A/C of my car and when I get back the car is hot again. I like it when hubby is along and I run in by myself. Then I can just get back in a cool car when I’m done. Is it Fall yet?
I think the shirt surgery is a perfect title, from Rosemary. That shirt is going to be great for George. And, I too, hope you were able to save those sleeves because that fabric would be perfect to make something for fall for one of Jeanne’s girls or even shorts for one of the boys. Love plaid.
It is interesting that so many of men’s short sleeved shirts now being offered have shrunken sleeve length. Other person was looking at shirts at Kohl’s the other day and could not find any that didn’t have that extra short, short sleeved feature. He doesn’t like it at all. I told him it as the style, but he isn’t buying it. Maybe they are trying to save money by shortening sleeves an inch or two on short sleeved shirts? Not a clue here. Oh, and other person is a plaid lover too. The closet is full of plaids interspersed with a few floral Hawaiian prints as well. 🙂
Here, I’ve been able to get back to weeding and other person is still trying to get the old screws out of the upper deck boards that we are replacing. Yesterday, I walked out the slider and found a couple of boards missing completely. Whoa, it’s a long way down there. Kind of gives me the creeps seeing it. I would say that it is about 10ft down to the ground below. So, I did pull a couple of chairs around the area so I can be aware of the danger. 🙂 Miss Clumsy here.
This morning, around 6:00AM, I heard the familiar cat fight growls. Windows were open to let in cool air so it seemed pretty intense. Got up and opened the front door. There was Charlotte, from next door, on the mat awaiting breakfast, I presume, and not too far away was Callie Cat who is normally in the backyard. Apparently, she decided to cat around and found Charlotte on the porch way too early. Crawled back into bed, but it was almost time to get up then anyway. Got up and fed both cats, front door and slider door. Cats, what can you do?
Good morning! I have some long-sleeved blouses of my own to shorten the sleeves on before I can wear them again and your how-to steps will be helpful with this task! I live in Texas now and the weather is usually super-hot…just plain hot or very warm and I don’t like the feel or heat of long-sleeves on my arms! I haven’t kept any sweaters either due to itchiness of them and they are too hot to wear….if I’m chilly then I grab a wrap-shawl. I have kept a long-sleeved dressy red blouse that I tend to wear at Christmas time!
Jeanne….I tried emailing you the before & after photos of the previously-owned Kimberly Doll wearing the new outfit I made for her, but my emails bounce back to me with notes about incorrect address or unable to send. I tried two different email addresses for you that are in my cell phone list, and neither worked. Could you send me your email address again so I might try sending again?
I have been working on a complete wardrobe for a Siblie doll for my Great-granddaughter’s Birthday in early September. I made the closet already, using one of those decorative paper-covered boxes…standing on end so the lid is now the closet “door”….and my daughter found the nicest 4 inch, gold-metal doll hangers from Temu, in a package of ten. (Wish we had ordered more before tariff’s caused them to raise prices on their items) The 12 in. Siblie doll clothes use very little fabric, but I would rather sew for the 14 in. Ruby Red dolls! It was fun going thru my fabrics and choosing the tiniest coordinating prints to create the outfits….and find I am on a “tight” sewing schedule in order to complete the wardrobe in time! Also made a bed for the Siblie Doll and that needs the bedding yet. Found the cutest little puppy-dog figurine in the miniature section at the Daiso store, and plan to include this along with a dog bed. Still plan to try making slippers and some shoes for the doll to go with the clothes but that will be a challenge since her feet are smaller than the RR dolls. As a child, I loved playing with the doll accessories that either came with doll outfits or those that my mother made for me…so I am hoping this doll and her wardrobe will bring joy to my Great granddaughter.
I am planning on taking photos of the Siblie doll in her outfits with the coordinating accessories, and her closet when completed (Closer to the end of August?!). I would like to send them to you if you wanted to post them…and if they will go thru to your email address!
I would love to see the Siblie’s wardrobe and accessories when you are finished. Your idea of the box lid being a closet door is great.
I look forward to seeing your wonderful things you are making for your great granddaughter! How old is she?
Can’t wait to see the Siblie wardrobe, bed, and clothes. What a great present for your great grand. 🙂
It seems men do like those plaid shirts. David has a closet full of them and they are really pretty. I have not had to shorten any sleeves though. He does not have long arms and in addition most of his shirts are short sleeved anyway. Living in SE Texas he wouldn’t get much wear out of long-sleeved ones. He has a few long-sleeved shirts for the minimal number of days it’s actually cold here. Love the tutorial on shortening the sleeves. I hadn’t thought of taking the stitches out of the seam like you did.
I received my Kish Riley last week. I think she is called Ballet Recital Riley (I got her on eBay and she had no box). I had never seen her in person and was shocked at how tiny she actually is. Very petite. Now I know why the pattern I bought for her doesn’t fit any of my other small dolls. My Mini Maru Hispanic doll arrived today. She is lovely. I ordered Mini Maru Luna first but still have not heard a thing about her delivery date. I am running out of room in my sewing room and there are no dolls I want to part with. What is a dolly mama to do? Get therapy for dolly fever? Hmmm. I told David the new storage room would be perfect for my growing doll collection. That got an immediate thumbs down. And I so had hopes of turning it into a She Shed.
Good luck on trying to eliminate any dolls. Around here, they keep accumulating. 🙂 Any space for shelves around the upper walls in your new and improved laundry room? 🙂
Hmmm…. Hadn’t thought of that but there really isn’t much wall space to do that. The roof slopes toward the outside wall so only one wall is actually 8 ft. high. The house we lived in before this one we put shelves around the tops of the walls in the kid’s rooms for things like stuffed animals. That worked great. I can’t do that in my sewing room though because so much of the furniture takes up the height of he wall and one wall is windows..