Peggy Sagers: I believe a tailor is one of the most underappreciated professions in our society.

For a tailor, reputation is critical.

They must know their craft impeccably, delicately dance around the personalities of their clients, and price their work so that the customer will return repeatedly.

I feel lucky to have our returning tailor, Nataliya Desheva, here today.

I'm grateful for the knowledge and skill that she will share, and she makes us all look better, be smarter, and feel more confident.

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Peggy: The one thing we learn when we tailor clothes is how the methods were done in the first place.

So today, as we do some tailoring, which is what Nataliya is here to do for us, I notice that it kind of teaches us how things are made.

So I'm really grateful.

I went to Nataliya and I said, "Okay, this is what we need.

We need the alterations you do the most."

Nataliya Desheva: Exactly, most popular alteration we're doing.

Peggy: Yeah, that helps us all.

Nataliya: Of course, we have complicated stuff, but it's a lot of regular alteration we do every single day.

Peggy: That we do over and over.

Nataliya: Over and over, and we become better and better every time, let's say.

Peggy: So that means if we do it over and over we can grow up to be Nataliyas.

Nataliya: Exactly, more practice you have, better you become.

Peggy: Okay, and where are we going to start?

Nataliya: We can start with the man problems.

Peggy: Pants, man problems.

And yet they're not really just specific to men.

Are they really?

Nataliya: It's not specific.

Yeah, girls have this problem too, but yeah.

Peggy: Because we're gonna start with that baggy butt.

Nataliya: Yep, it's a baggy butt.

Peggy: And it's in women's as well as men.

I see women all the time in traveling at the airport.

They have this horrible excess.

Nataliya: Yeah, it's basically it's very long crotch and a little bit too much in the back of the seam.

Peggy: And you can fix this after the pants made?

Nataliya: Yes, yes.

Definitely we can do this.

Like, let's say we always double-check how low is the crotch.

We can check by putting pins like this.

Usually it's inch, inch and a half.

Like, let's say, depends-- Peggy: And does it matter where, like, are you doing it around the crotch line?

Nataliya: Yeah, I just mark the amount we need to taper.

Peggy: Okay, gotcha.

Nataliya: It doesn't matter if you do here or here.

Peggy: Can you do this at home by yourself?

Can you kind of just pinch it up and-- Nataliya: You can probably try it, but not recommend it, yeah.

Then we mark exact amount we need to taper inseam.

I just mark line right here, but tapering will be inside.

Since you're doing this on a live person, you can put your fingers inside to just mark amount right here.

Peggy: So that's a really good point.

You don't actually try to pin it exactly where you're going to take it out.

You're just going to show us how to transfer it.

Nataliya: Yeah, yeah, and just for you to remember amount you need to taper inseam and the crotch.

Peggy: All right, So we tape-- we pin it, male or female, extra?

We take the pants off-- Nataliya: Take the pants off.

Like, let's say we have already marked crotch and inseam.

Peggy: Okay, that's pretty close to what you did here.

Nataliya: Yep, our next step, like, we can always measure, let's say.

Measurements, like, it's 1 inch or 2 inches or inch and a half, and you need to mark exactly-- Peggy: Depends where you take it off.

Nataliya: Then you remove this pin right here.

Then you definitely want to see all these pins on the inseam.

Again, you can measure how many quarters or inches you mark right here, and you need to mark back only.

You never taper front.

Peggy: Okay, because that would mess up the grainline.

Nataliya: Yeah, it's going to mess up front line right here.

Usually we're fixing this only on the back part of the pants.

Mark exact line we need to taper right here.

You can remove all these pins.

Because then you need to open whole seams maybe to the knee on inseam and just a little bit right here for you to get inside, and separate front from the back.

Open pants right here, let's say, right?

Peggy: I love how you've done this for us.

But this takes a while.

Like, how long would this take?

Nataliya: It takes some time.

Especially you need to do this careful, make sure you didn't ruin fabric because it's a seam, it's a serger, straight seam.

Peggy: Because you're going to serge it all back.

Nataliya: Yeah, and sometimes you have topstitch right here, you need to also undo this topstitch to finish-- Peggy: Which is what you've done here.

Nataliya: This line, yeah.

And then you mark and put, like, if you need to taper inch in the crotch, we move front seam to here and mark this line right here.

Like the way it was supposed to be tapered, right?

We keep front of the pants exactly the same, we're just fixing back problem right here.

After you stitch, whole stitches, put serger, you're fixing seat.

You need to correct this part a little bit.

Peggy: So you sew the inseam first?

Nataliya: You need to do the inseam first, exactly.

Peggy: Okay, and then you sew the curve?

Nataliya: Then we correct seat.

You need to make a little curve right here.

Peggy: And that's just because it was done that way originally and you're just duplicating how it was done.

Nataliya: Basically, duplicate it, but in the smaller-- make it smaller.

Peggy: Okay, and that doesn't affect the grainlines or anything, does it?

It keeps everything the same in front of the pant.

Nataliya: Yes, keeps everything the same, just make butt looks better.

Peggy: So how long does something take you like this, typically?

Nataliya: Depends how professional you are.

It can take maybe one hour when you learn and maybe 30 minutes when you already know what you're doing.

Peggy: And 15 if you're Nataliya, right?

Nataliya: Yeah, 15 if you're Nataliya.

Peggy: I love this.

This is a really common problem.

Nataliya: This is a very common problem.

Plus, people lose weight a lot lately and it's a very popular problem to fix.

Peggy: And it's probably more prevalent in men, just 'cause men don't have a lot of butt to begin with.

I'm sorry, men's, yeah, but-- Peggy: So, going back to men's for just a minute, let's go back to look at this.

So sometimes in general, the shirt's too big.

Do you put darts in men's shirts sometimes?

Nataliya: If it's not too, too big, we can put darts to make it better shape on the waist.

It's like give little bit shape, right?

Darts.

If it's too big, you definitely need to taper sides and sleeves a little bit to make it smaller.

In some cases, you need to do sides and the darts.

Peggy: So sometimes you can come up into here and curve that seam a little bit more.

Nataliya: Basically it's the one seam, because they usually finish sleeve and sides with one seam and topstitch.

Peggy: So, the sleeve is set in first and then continuously underneath.

Nataliya: Yeah, yeah, yeah, and then they finish sides and seam.

And if you need to taper this, you need to taper right on the arm.

And you can't stop here, right?

You need to follow the line a little bit.

Again, it depends how wide-- Peggy: It's kind of like the knee.

You kind of go--taper to the knee, or taper to the elbow, probably.

Nataliya: Yeah, yeah, yeah, to make a nice line, like, a finish.

Peggy: Okay, all right, so let's talk sleeves, because this seems so--I was actually in your shop and I saw you doing this, which is what gave me this idea, because I said, "Okay, do you really do this a lot?"

And you do.

Nataliya: It's not my favorite style, but yes, we're doing this sometimes.

Peggy: It's not your favorite because it's complicated.

You shorten the sleeves.

Nataliya: We shorten the sleeves, yes.

Peggy: Okay, so let's walk me through that.

Like, I would just--I would probably take out this sleeve and shorten it up here.

Nataliya: It's a little bit complicated to shorten it from here.

It's become more narrow and it's a lot of glue right here.

When you undo the seam, you can ruin fabric.

Peggy: Glue?

Nataliya: This seam is glued.

Peggy: They actually glue these seams?

Nataliya: Yeah, they may put special tapes there, make sure it's not wrinkle after dry cleaners or after pressing.

Peggy: Oh, that's fascinating, I would never have known that.

Nataliya: To keep the seams straight, let's say.

That's why they put that-- Peggy: So you don't want to go into these seams?

Nataliya: No, very rare cases you can do it.

But again, it's hard to open because it's glued and you can ruin fabric.

That's why we always do--Peggy: See, that's why it helps to know because I would go in there and ruin the shirt and I wouldn't even know that, you know, that I was heading in the wrong direction.

But I would shy away from how much work this is.

But you don't shy away from that.

Nataliya: This takes time, let's say, to open first.

Sometimes it's very narrow stitches.

You need to be careful to open them all.

Peggy: Okay, so let's talk-- let's show us how we do this shortened sleeve.

You've done all the work for us.

We just get to see the fun part.

Nataliya: Yeah, it's the fun part.

Okay, let's say if you need to shorten sleeve 2 inches, right?

You mark the line, like, 2 inches shorter.

Oops, I'm sorry.

Peggy: No, no, I'll get out of your way, sorry.

Nataliya: Yeah, you do 2 inches shorter right here.

Peggy: And sometimes it's not on both sleeves.

You're just shortening-- Nataliya: Sometimes it's happened when you need to shorten just the one sleeve.

Peggy: Do you charge them the same price or half price?

Nataliya: Half plus.

Peggy: Got it.

Half plus, okay.

Yeah.

So, let's go back to that other sleeve for just a minute because I've seen, honestly, tailors who just cut it off here.

Nataliya: Yeah, it's happened sometimes, but it's-- Peggy: But then the placket is too short, and then the button-- Nataliya: Placket become too short, and button is too low.

Yeah, it looks like--you definitely see it's been cut.

Peggy: But how do you move the buttonhole up?

Nataliya: Buttonhole, it's--you don't need to move, you just open all this detail right here.

Peggy: Oh, it's part of the placket.

Nataliya: It's a part of the placket, exactly.

Usually it's not a problem to move it.

Basically what you need to do, you just need to open all these details.

It's a small thing inside, right here is the button.

You need to remove button, open cuffs-- Peggy: I want you to go back to the-- Nataliya: And remember you have pleats here.

Remember which way it was folded.

Peggy: But you at least have the one sleeve to pattern yourself to do the other.

Nataliya: No.

Peggy: Do you do both at the same time?

Nataliya: I do both at the same time.

Only one secret I have, I always, when I open all part from left sleeve, I put pin all together.

Peggy: To the left sleeve.

Nataliya: Make sure it's the-- Peggy: So you don't go mix them up?

Nataliya: Exactly, because it's a left and right.

It's different.

Peggy: But I want you to go back.

How many years you've been doing this?

Nataliya: Twenty-six.

Peggy: I want you to go back the first time you ever did a sleeve.

Nataliya: It's take me forever.

Peggy: Okay, that's what I want to go to.

When you did that, did you know how to do this or did you have to figure it out?

Nataliya: Yes, I learned this in college, design college, yeah.

We've been learning this.

Of course, when you learn, it's one thing.

When you try to do it yourself, it's absolutely different, right?

Yeah.

But practicing, every time it's become faster and better, let's say.

Peggy: Okay, so I've taken this apart.

I've got my original pieces, this is the top, here's the inside.

Exactly what you said.

I have to cut this higher, don't I?

Nataliya: Yes, when you cut 2 inches off from here, you need to raise up this line to 2 inches.

Same like it was before.

And you can cut this triangles right here like this, yeah.

And cut it, and then you can always check where it was, front or back.

First you need to do this part, the smaller one, then this one, and stitched like this.

Put it back, everything.

Peggy: And then you just put the cuff back on.

Nataliya: And put cuff back and remember about-- Peggy: And you didn't even take the button holes and buttons off.

Nataliya: No, button holes, it's fine, and button is fine.

It's never on your way when you stitch it back.

Peggy: That's amazing to me.

I mean, when I was in your shop watching, you just did that like it was nothing to you.

Nataliya: It's nothing to me.

When you practice a lot, yeah.

Peggy: It's the right way to do it, too.

Nataliya: It's the right way to do it.

Like, if it's--if you need to shorten just a half inch, yes, you can cut a little bit right here and without messing up with all this.

But it's never the case, half inch, it's too long, right?

It's like 2 inches too long, inch and a half too long, it's always--it's better to move all these details up.

Peggy: And then talk to me about thread.

Is that a difficult thing to match back to the original?

Nataliya: Usually we don't have any problem with this, but it's happened.

We just found closest color to match.

Peggy: Okay, So it's not really a big issue.

Nataliya: It's not really a big issue.

When you have a whole bunch of threads in your shop, yeah.

Peggy: You don't try to sew with see-through thread or anything in that manner at all.

Nataliya: No, no, not like this, yeah.

Peggy: All right, let's talk about the shirt just for a minute.

On these sides, when you talked about this--because now that you've said this about the glue, we can really almost feel it in there, can't you?

Nataliya: You can feel it in this one, yeah.

We can open little seam right here, it's easy to open.

And I can show you how it's look from inside.

You see, we so lucky it's a chain stitch.

Peggy: Just amazing to watch your fingers, how they work.

We could learn a lot by just watching.

Nataliya: Yeah.

You see, you can barely open this one.

Its just the glue, special tape inside with the glue.

If it's so hard to open, what I'm usually doing, I put little steam on the seam, and it's a little bit easy to open.

It's melted and it's easy to open.

Peggy: You can't open that, that's amazing.

So, but--you're rarely, you're not trying to ever open, you're just trying to, like, when we were showing there.

So talk to me about where you'd start here.

You would take it out of the armhole because the whole armhole could be smaller.

Nataliya: Let's say if we need to taper, like, again, 1 inch right here, you can go here 1 inch too, but depends on the man's arm.

Peggy: Armhole size.

Nataliya: Yes, arm and biceps.

Sometimes we can--we need to stop right here.

This way you need to open this glue.

Peggy: You can almost see the shape of the arm, can't you?

It really does taper.

Nataliya: Here it's not a problem.

You can cut and leave just a half inch for the seam.

This way you don't need to mess with this glue.

But right here, you need to mess it.

Peggy: And then according to what you pinned it is how far down you would go.

Nataliya: Depends how tight person want to have the shirt.

Peggy: So this is actually a really simple-- Nataliya: Yeah, this is very simple.

It's much simpler than shortening sleeve, let's say.

Peggy: But does it shorten the sleeve a little bit when you take it up here?

Nataliya: No, no, no.

Peggy: I guess it doesn't.

It doesn't have any impact.

But boy, I can see where I would just have ruined that whole shirt.

If I tried to take it in through that seam right there, it wouldn't have worked.

Nataliya: And glue here much more than on the sides.

You basically can't open the seam.

It's a special technique of manufacturer-- Peggy: Right, so now that I listen to you, it seems way easier to do this than it does to do it all that.

Nataliya: Yeah, but practice a lot.

Peggy: Even though this did not seem like the easy way to go.

All right, love that.

So that--and again, that's women's too.

Nataliya: It's exactly same, yeah.

This women's stuff, yeah.

But women's blouses, they never glue it.

Peggy: They do not.

Nataliya: They do not, yeah.

And rare they have topstitch on the top.

Usually, it's just a straight seam inside and a serger, that's it.

Peggy: And darts in men's in the back?

Nataliya: Darts, yes.

Not in the front, back only.

Peggy: But women can do front, do you put darts on it?

Nataliya: Women can do fronts too, because they have--if they want to shape it right here, they can put darts on the front.

Peggy: Okay, I love this.

All right, so let's go back to this dress.

Nataliya: All right, let's talk about this beautiful dress.

Peggy: Love this little dress.

What goes wrong with a little dress like this?

Nataliya: Very popular problem is the strap.

Usually it's too long, and let's make it lower armhole.

Peggy: I can see that.

It's almost-- Nataliya: People like to raise up just a little bit to tighten it up a little bit, make sure it doesn't show bra too much.

Peggy: So the straps are just not right.

Nataliya: Yeah, let's say strap is too long and to raise up straps we fix a problem on their arms and it's better shape right here.

Peggy: So that strap fix does a lot.

Nataliya: A lot.

It's a balanced waist and-- Peggy: And people will come in and just say, I need my strap shortened or you figure that out in the process?

Nataliya: Some people know exactly what they want.

Some people say, "Can you help me?"

And of course, I help them.

But yeah, it's visible when it's too long, too low in the armhole, like you see right here, it's visible.

Peggy: Okay, so let's talk straps.

Nataliya: Yeah, let's talk about straps.

Peggy: Is there an easy way to do straps?

Nataliya: Yeah, It's always easy way and right way.

Peggy: After 26 years it's easy for you.

Nataliya: Easy way and right way.

Peggy: It's all easy for you.

Nataliya: Okay, let's say we have beautiful dress and it's a little bit too long.

Easy way, we can mark amount right on the seam right here, right on the back, not front.

Peggy: And you do that--when you're actually trying it on them, you actually do that then?

Nataliya: When I try it on, I always mark, like, amount maybe on the needle or mark it on the back of the dress.

Peggy: And then you transfer it?

Nataliya: And then transfer it to the back hook.

Peggy: Is that a secret?

How come you do that?

I'm just curious.

Nataliya: Back is less visible, let's say.

Because if you put a lot of fabric right here, it's more visible.

That's why I recommend to shorten straps on the back only.

In some cases, you need to shorten from the front, but it's very rare.

Most of the time it's the back.

Peggy: And this is so pretty.

It just has to be right or else it's gonna just not-- Nataliya: Exactly, or it's going to show everything.

Peggy: You say that so well.

Nataliya: Easy way to do, you can fold amount you needed, put topstitch or stitch right here.

Fold it, press it, and finish by hand this part.

Like, you basically attach this part to the-- Peggy: Don't cut that off?

Nataliya: No, if it's a small amount, you don't need to cut.

You just keep it like a fold right here.

Yeah, and you see it looks exactly-- Peggy: I've actually seen dresses in the store--do they ever come like that, that you can take them out to lengthen them?

Nataliya: Yeah.

Peggy: It seems like I've seen-- Nataliya: And it's a good idea if, like, a person gives this dress to somebody else who has longer torso, they can always open the seams and let out all the strap.

Peggy: So it's almost, like, adjustable but higher class.

Nataliya: Yes, Exactly.

This is an easy way to do it.

You just fold it, stitch it, and finish it by hand inside, right?

More complicated way to do it, of course, is to open whole seams, whole topstitches on the inside, and, like, mark the amount you needed to shorten.

Peggy: Same thing, keep the amount the same.

Because those straps are important.

Nataliya: And hide this all inside, but this--you need to put all stitches back.

Peggy: Got it.

Do you ever have customers who say, I--did they have a preference?

Do they know enough that they have a preference as to which way?

Nataliya: No, no, no.

Peggy: So you completely-- Nataliya: Usually, I make decisions which way is best for this dress.

Because sometimes very complicated fabric, if you open the stitches right here, it becomes holes.

You don't want to mess with this.

Peggy: Is this woven fabrics or something like that?

Nataliya: Yes, yes, exactly.

Or stretchy fabric, which is easy to break after stitches, right?

And if you open this part, it's a holes.

That's why this is more clean for this.

Peggy: This is easier.

This is--got it.

All right, so this is something that I'd love everybody to see.

Because it's so common where you buy jeans and they're just 50 million miles too long.

But they have this wonderful-- Nataliya: This is like the most popular problem.

Because lately they do all pants, all jeans, too long, even for tall people.

Peggy: Do they just do that to make money on how-- Nataliya: I don't know, maybe they have a lot of extra fabric.

Peggy: But the way it's dyed down here, you really want to duplicate that.

Can you show us?

Nataliya: Yes, exactly.

Especially when you have jeans like this, when you have all this faded part, right?

People love to have this back because it looks like it's never been cut.

Peggy: Yeah, the thing about it is if you just roll it up and cut it and hem it, it looks so hemmed.

Nataliya: Yes, exactly.

Let's say this is regular hem, right?

You can't see anything right here.

Peggy: Yes, that looks like my hem.

Yeah, I don't-- Nataliya: This is the original hem.

It's already done.

You can see it was done before, right?

It's cut.

Peggy: So much better.

It just looks-- Nataliya: Yes, exactly.

And I can show you easy way to do this.

Peggy: Easy way?

You promise it's easy?

Nataliya: Yeah.

Yes, exactly.

Peggy: Okay, there's a hammer here, I'm a little nervous.

Nataliya: No, it's okay.

Don't be scared.

It's a friendly one.

See, it's a pink color.

Peggy: Oh, there you go.

A pink hammer.

Nataliya: It's for girls, yeah.

Let's say you mark exact length you need it, right?

On the pants.

For original trim backs, it's a little bit different than regular hem.

For original trim back, you need to cut on the finish line.

Like you mark, finish line.

Peggy: So that would be the finished line.

Nataliya: Finished line, yes.

And you need to cut right on the finish line, right here.

For regular hem, you leave, say, 1 inch or inch and a quarter to finish hem, to fold it.

For original hem, you cut right on the finish line.

Since you're gonna attach this part back, it's gonna become line you needed.

Then, you need to cut a little bit.

Peggy: I sit here as I watch you do this.

Don't answer this-- Nataliya: Maybe quarter of an inch.

Peggy: Do you ever cut off and just make a mistake?

Nataliya: Nobody's perfect, but I'm-- Peggy: What do you do to the custom-- Nataliya: After 26 years, you basically-- Peggy: You are perfect.

Nataliya: Pretty comfortable.

Peggy: Nobody's perfect, but you're close, right?

Nataliya: Yeah, yeah, I'm close to this one.

You see, when you cut extra fabric, you don't need it.

Like, you got your original trim back.

Of course, you need to open all these topstitches right here.

Let me see, I have sample already open.

Like, you open all these topstitches, you have clean things right here.

Sorry, it's still stitching-- Peggy: So you take the original stitching out?

Like, the gold-- Nataliya: Yes, we take the original stitching out, exactly.

You open it out, let me open right here.

And we have our original hem back right here.

We need to attach--remember, just do right, front, and back.

Because usually on the pants, back is wider.

Just make sure you don't mistake them.

Peggy: All these funny areas you can make a mistake in.

Nataliya: You can definitely see inseam stitches right here.

Usually they put topstitch on inseam on the jeans, but that not necessary-- Peggy: Okay, so you put those together.

And you're gonna stitch exactly where the topstitching goes, aren't you?

Nataliya: No, I'm gonna stitch first stitch right under the topstitch.

Used to be, right like this.

You definitely see this line right here.

Yeah, and I put stitch right under this line because when you open this, you definitely see black faded and stuff.

And you can put your new topstitch on the old line.

Peggy: Oh, that's what you're doing, I see.

Nataliya: Because some people do mistakes, they put first stitch in the line right here and then you miss some from here.

Peggy: Oh, and this curls around.

Did you think this up?

Because this comes around like that, that becomes the hem and you stitch it right in.

Nataliya: It's like a tape you put around the seam, right?

But you put the original hem.

And when you stitch it first stitch you put it all on press well.

Let's say, because sides and inseam stitches will be a little bit thicker.

That's why you needed this one, you can always make them a little bit flat like this, to use your power.

Peggy: That's awesome.

Nataliya, I cannot say thank you enough.

You're sharing all your greatest secrets with us.

We really appreciate it.

Nataliya: I really appreciate it you have me again.

Peggy: Thank you.

Nataliya: Thank you.

Peggy: Thank you, Nataliya.

Sewing in a zipper may seem like a daunting task for someone just learning to sew.

While it will take some patience and practice, learning how to do it is worth your time and effort.

There is nothing better than having an expert to show us some tricks.

Next time, we'll have Ella Pritsker show us how it's done.

Join us next time on "Fit 2 Stitch."

♪♪♪ announcer: "Fit 2 Stitch" is made possible by Kai Scissors.

♪♪♪ Reliable Corporation.

♪♪♪ Plano Sewing Center.

♪♪♪ Elliott Berman Textiles.

♪♪♪ Benno's Buttons.

♪♪♪ And Clutch Nails.

♪♪♪ To order a four-DVD set of "Fit 2 Stitch" Series 13, please visit our website at fit2stitch.com.