Oct. 3rd, 2006

My Big Purple Coat needs a bit of an overhaul.

1. The lining is all ripped to shreds at the bottom where it's been worn with Evil Vel-cro Boots. Oops. And it has some tears further up and I think is coming undone in one armpit seam as well. My level of sewing ability is not up to replacing the lining in a coat.

2. The hem has come down. I can probably fix this myself but I don't want to do it before the lining is replaced, and if someone is replacing the lining they may as well do the hem too.

3. The cuffs are very worn and pilly. I wish to put satin, or maybe silk velvet, cloth over them to make them look and feel new and comfortable again. It's possible I could do this myself, but Round Tuits are few and far between.

4. A button needs replacing but I think the spare is still intact. I can certainly do this myself.

5. It needs dry-cleaning (and then airing so I don't die of chemicals).

I'm not sure whether to take it to a combined alterations/dry-cleaning place and get 1-5 done for a fee, or whether to send it to a friend who can do sewing (anyone interested?) to get the lining replaced and do the other bits and pieces myself and then have it cleaned professionally. I have to do something. Or I have to get a new coat. Which is tempting as it's a beautiful coat, but it isn't strictly needed. Not sure; it is tempting to get the new one for "smart" and then use the purple one for "every day" since I've been using the purple one for "every day" for the past few winters.

Do any of you have any idea how much it will cost to ahve the lining replaced, including cost of material? Rough estimates are fine, unless you're offering to do the work, in which case let me know how much you want and when you can do it. Just, if it's going to cost loads to have the alterations done, I'll get the new coat (I get 15% student discount) and repair the purple one myself at my leisure, but if it's going to be cheep then I'll get someone else to do it. In fact there's even the argument that I should get a new coat whilst I'm a student, because I don't have to start wearing it right away and it will be cheaper than waiting until I'm not a student and having to deal with inflation and no longer having a discount, but I'm not sure my current finances will justify that.

I've had nothing dry-cleaned or professionally altered since moving to London six and a half years ago so I have no idea what is reasonable or even where to start with this.

I need a coat by November.

How lovely!

Oct. 3rd, 2006 05:21 pm
I am sitting in the Pembury Tavern with a cup of tea, a pint of water, and a wifi connection.

This is civilisation... and I'll probably even get some work done, because there isn't any horrible background music.

I so want a MacBook. Can't go on borrowing this machine indefinitely!
Is this real?

I'm getting pretty close to just giving up and boycotting goods made in the US. Except that all the manufacturing that actually makes profit there is done by 8-year-old girls in Thailand anyway, and there are some things I won't do without that I probably can't buy without some US involvement.

I don't boycott lightly or often; I figure it's better use of time and energy to focus on the good than to focus on the bad.

My brain is feeling very fragile. Brainhacking today was difficult and upsetting; I think reasonable progress was made but right now my brain is in the "OW STOP POKING ME" stage.

I think I shall buy a bowl of chips. Yes. Chips here are good, and potato products make everything better.

schedule-y stuff )

I've just been brought a bowl of chips. This place is heaven.

Profile

The Wild Ewt of the Plains of Canada

September 2013

S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
29 30     

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Feb. 4th, 2026 06:40 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios