Share a hobby you’ve picked up recently — what got you into it?

Lately, with DIY sewing, I’ve repaired three jumper sleeves’ length. Aside from this, half-chest, shoulder width, and body length matter. Minus a sewing machine, you save $25+ at home. Sleeves too long? Tailors cut and sew. Like copy-paste but dearer. Remove the cuff, trim the sleeve, before reattaching. ’60 dollars, please.’

The unlikely tailor

When I was younger than today, I hated sewing. Taxing, I never had the patience. In Sydney, tailors shortened my jeans and pants. 25 bucks as per above, so the price was rising. The cost adds up.

I own many branded and unbranded jumpers. I have five winter sweaters. My other tops are 3 rugby shirts, three LS henleys, three LS tees, many crew necks, a turtleneck, an LS polo but no v-necks. I use light and dark sweaters for summer, spring, and fall. I’ve got too much blue-coloured tops in my wardrobe. Green is well-represented. Two blacks and two reds. One biege. Quite a few stripes.

Tackling it ourselves was practical. I’ve repaired two striped henleys, as per the photos. They’re both Country Road branded, without ribbed cuffs. The longstanding blue striped one is pure cotton. The green, a cotton/linen blend, is prone to wrinkles. The latter, in a regular fit, works as a summer pullover on a tee. The third item is the cotton-cashmere jumper.

The Exercise

I cut the excess fabric with a heavy-duty scissors. Get the right estimate. Too long makes the job pointless. Too short and it’s Muggsy Bogues territory.

You have options here. For me, catch stitches worked. Not invisible like back stitches, but sturdy. It withstands the agitation of machine washing. I sewed the hem with black thread for the blue henley. White thread for the green linen. No veteran, it took some time. In the end, I finished it. The sleeves were the right length. Near the base of my thumb but on my wrist bone with arms stretched before me. Like hemming pants, you leave a seam allowance.

Not flawless, just as Harry Potter engraving Dobby’s tomb. Hermione wold’ve done a better job. The stitches, visible, aren’t straight. Sufficient for a rookie. Sewing machines matter: pros always offer cleaner results.

Cotton-cash

After this, I moved on to my third project. Two years ago, I bought this medium 85/15 cotton-cashmere jumper online. The H&M knitwear is in a light mole colour. Slim fit and plain, it makes me thinner. The cuffs weren’t tough. I worked on it a few times, getting it right on my third try. The sleeves, slightly long, but workable. I sewed the cuffs inward. As per the photo, I used white thread.

Assess your handiwork when dining. Do you still have to push up those sleeves? When you’re out and about: do they feel awkward? Those tailors will raise the cost for a premium brand like Gant, Lacoste, or Polo Ralph Lauren. The garment fit, more than the brand name, is of consequence.

Learning through osmosis

I’m an autodidact ‘tailor’. I learned the ways of the sleeves through YouTube. You don’t need a college certificate to shorten sleeves. Just a thirst for knowledge, two hands, a pairs of eyes, utter determination, some inconspicuous polyester thread, a needle, and half a brain. As an old song once held, ‘There’s a time to rend and a time to sew.’

This ain’t quantum physics or space exploration. You’re not designing a website from scratch. Or discovering a new fruit near Mount Kilimanjaro. Not an archeologist rescuing a skeleton from Wagga Wagga. Or producing ‘Stranger Things.’

Life is new things and experience, growth and exploration. Fresh hobbies broadens our horizons. Once you’ve wrapped up your creation, there’s a sense of fulfilment. Just like cooking a meal or driving a car. Small things make a big difference. You may not be the first in your family to sew. You may be behind the curve amongst many. Constantly comparing yourself to others won’t give you satisfying returns. Work with what you’ve got, hone skills, and maximise time. Learning is for the daring.