Repair question, WWYD?

[carla rey]

Hi all!

I got this 1930s velvet beauty as a freebie with another purchase. One sleeve is complete and the other has torn halfway down. I could either A. take at least 6 inches from the hem to construct a new sleeve using the existing sleeve as a pattern and make a bunch of self buttons to match, or B. cut both sleeves down to short sleeves and use the remaining buttons down the front continuing the line a the neck.

Thanks!

 

[pastperfect2]

Or,you could remove both sleeves, finish off the armholes and let it be an evening dress? That way,it's less labor, you haven't made any permanent changes, and you sell it with the separate sleeves available and let the new owner have options?

Personally, I would not cut off the length. I think it will give the dress odd proportions.

 

[yumyumvintage]

Make it a sleeveless dress would be good or you could shorten sleeves and extend both sleeves with a creme colored material.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

Hmmm. I agree that shortening might not be the best way to go. Also, the velvet on the bottom of the skirt might not "lay right" as far as the velvet pile goes. If the sleeves and skirt parts are not both cut in the same direction, i.e. bias/straight/upside down etc, the light will often reflect differently on the pile surface and it might not look correct.

This has happened to me when doing restorations, so I wanted to mention it.

Do the sleeves have some sort of band or cuff effect at the elbow? It looks that way on the sleeve that is torn?

It is a gorgeous chocolate color!

 

[sewingmachinegirl]

Carla- I would follow Hollis's suggestion, it would make a lovely evening dress.

 

[Pinkcoke]

personally if the nap (direction) of the velvet allows for it I would take a paper pattern of the lower sleeve piece and see if this could be taken from the underside of the collar (it may have to be done in two pieces, allowing an extra 3/4" on each at the longer edge for a vertical seam to join)
The collar could be removed, the underside/facing velvet removed and replaced with something of a similar weight, and this velvet used to replicate the lower sleeve and covered buttons.
I appreciate this may be more work than you want to do