Tailor Alterations and Repairs 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a 'Hong Kong seam finish' in alterations?
- To bind raw seam edges with a strip of fabric for a clean, durable finish (Correct answer)
- To press open seams in wool
- To topstitch the edge of altered seams
- To reinforce weakened seam lines
Correct answer: To bind raw seam edges with a strip of fabric for a clean, durable finish
A Hong Kong seam finish wraps each raw seam allowance edge individually with a narrow bias-cut fabric strip, creating a clean, couture-quality interior finish.
Question 2: How do you fix a jacket where the back hem is longer than the front hem?
- Release and re-hang the jacket, leveling the hem from the floor up (Correct answer)
- Cut the back hem shorter to match the front
- Add extra fabric to the front hem to match
- Press the back hem up without altering the cut
Correct answer: Release and re-hang the jacket, leveling the hem from the floor up
The jacket must be hung on a dress form or worn by the client so the hem can be re-measured from the floor up and marked at an even level before re-hemming.
Question 3: When shortening a jacket sleeve, where is the alteration made for the best result?
- At the cuff hem, preserving the sleeve head and any buttons (Correct answer)
- At the sleeve cap near the shoulder seam
- In the middle of the sleeve by taking a horizontal tuck
- At the underarm seam only
Correct answer: At the cuff hem, preserving the sleeve head and any buttons
Shortening a jacket sleeve from the cuff end preserves the original sleeve cap and button details, giving the cleanest result.
Question 4: What alteration is required when a client gains weight and the trouser seat pulls across the buttocks?
- Let out the back seat seam and possibly the side seams (Correct answer)
- Let out the waistband only
- Lower the crotch seam
- Add a gusset at the inseam
Correct answer: Let out the back seat seam and possibly the side seams
When the seat pulls across the buttocks, the back seat seam needs to be let out as much as the seam allowance permits, and the side seams may also need to be eased.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a 'bartack' in garment construction and repair?
- To reinforce stress points such as pocket corners and belt loop ends (Correct answer)
- To create decorative stitching along hems
- To mark the center back of a garment
- To attach interfacing to fabric edges
Correct answer: To reinforce stress points such as pocket corners and belt loop ends
A bartack is a short, dense zigzag stitch used to reinforce high-stress points like pocket corners, zipper ends, and belt loops, preventing tearing.
Question 6: When a moth hole appears in a wool jacket, what is the most invisible repair method for a small hole?
- Reweaving new threads into the damaged area (Correct answer)
- Ironing a fusible patch over the hole
- Stitching a visible patch from the inside
- Cutting around the hole and seaming it closed
Correct answer: Reweaving new threads into the damaged area
Reweaving is the most invisible repair for small moth holes in wool, as it reconstructs the original fabric pattern by hand-weaving matching threads back into the hole.
Tailor Alterations and Repairs 2
What is the purpose of a 'Hong Kong seam finish' in alterations?