preparing for winter

[ewt]

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.

Comments

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I think you'd do best if you can find someone in your friends network who can do the repairs. Are you in a LETS?

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

I am, but the last post in london_lets was from me, over a year ago.

MEthinks we need more members maybe.

[fjm.livejournal.com]

I can't price it, but I had my leather coat re-lined in a shop off Brick Lane and I don't remember flinching at the price.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I have to act as local currency treasurer in mine...

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Sorry, my queue goes back until 2007 and I'm not skipping anything further over the first few people in it except my own minor repairs.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. :)

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

Take it into an aterations and repairs place and get a quote - not a dry cleaner with a price list and a clueless assistant, some place where you'll talk to whoever does the actual work.

[nuala.livejournal.com]

I enquired at my local dry cleaners about replacing the lining in a velvet blazer that I'd bought used for a tenner. They wanted £45 to replace the lining. They told me they'd have to remove the lining, make a pattern, etc etc yada yada. I'd recommend shopping for quotes before making a decision.