Every woman and even a little girl dreams of having a beautiful fur coat. They usually prepare for such a purchase in advance, choosing the appropriate fur, color and style, and, accordingly, the price. But what to do if all the parameters are correct, even the price, but the size is not suitable or the fur coat is simply too small for the child? How to increase it? What else can be made from an old fur product? More on this and much more below.
Beautiful fur coat
Interesting ideas
Small fur coats can be enlarged in different ways, and the easiest way is to go to a studio, where all the work will be done by masters of their craft using special equipment. They will explain how to enlarge the product and select the most optimal option. For example, if a mink coat is small, then it can be:
- reshape;
- change the style, for example, make a short fur coat out of a long fur coat that is more suitable for your height;
- restore it if it was damaged during wear, for example, sew on buttons, lining, trim it, or vice versa, if the girl has become taller, lengthen the sleeves, etc.
It is worth noting that remaking a fur product in a studio is a rather expensive procedure, especially if it is a Malo Mati fur coat, but it is still much cheaper than buying a new fashionable fur coat. In addition to the usual recutting, clothes can also be decorated with additional accessories: mink or other fur, various inserts or other decorative elements.
How to change the style of a fur coat?
First you need to split it into separate elements. Using needles, pin each piece to the table and smooth it out. After this, repair the fur: sew up all the holes, remove areas with damaged fur. Cut out new parts using patterns and sew a new style of fur coat.
Photo of a fur coat: how to alter it
Fur vest from an old fur coat
This is the simplest and most popular way to remake an out-of-fashion and rather boring fur coat. Fantasy is not limited here. You can use the fur of one product or combine several types of different furs if there are other fur items in the house that require alteration.
Read more about this in the master class on how to sew a fur vest with your own hands.
Bolero jacket
This option is good because it requires very little material, even a child’s fur coat is enough. The bolero jacket is made from smooth fur or short-pile fur.
Mixed fur coat with leather inserts
To change an old fur coat into a fashionable one, you will need to rip it open and check the condition of the inside, sew up the holes, and remove pieces with frayed fur.
There are two options for sewing a mixed fur coat:
1. Prepare leather bands. Dissolve the fur into strips horizontally. Sew strips of fur and leather alternately.
2. Leather strips are used as separate inserts: on the waist, sleeves, pockets and shelves.
How to do everything yourself?
How to make a small mink coat larger with your own hands? The whole process will look like this:
- completely open the product;
- prepare paper patterns;
- lay out the patterns on a flat surface at a distance that corresponds to the new sizes;
- connect individual parts of the patterns together with strips of paper;
- sew a new fur coat using existing patterns.
If the width of the fur product increases, the total number must be divided into 4 equal parts, the size of which must be added to the front, back and sides. For example, if the width of a mink coat that has become small should increase in chest volume and waistline by 10 cm, then the front and back parts should be increased by 2.5 cm each, starting from the shoulder to the waist. In this case, it is necessary to adjust the seam lines.
How to alter an astrakhan fur coat with your own hands
Noble astrakhan fur is very fashionable today. But finished fur coats made from it, as a rule, are of the same type and are not original. In addition, astrakhan fur visually adds age.
This video will help you decide how to remake an old astrakhan fur coat:
You can avoid this and add a vintage feel by using a stylish fur boa, which is used around or instead of a stand-up collar. Another option is to combine astrakhan fur with leather or with soft cashmere stoles or scarves.
Repurposed astrakhan fur coat
Defects on the chest or sleeves
The fur coat may tear on the chest and sleeves if it has become narrow. What to do in this case? First of all, you need to tear off the lining and assess the damage. If the seams come apart evenly, they can be reconnected using a thick needle, but in case of unevenness, you will have to put a patch. You can expand a small fur coat using inserts from the same fur. You can get them either in the store, or cut off the hood or bottom of the product. It is worth noting that such work is best done with your own hands, and not with a sewing machine.
Artificial and natural
Today on sale you can find a wide selection of sheepskin coats made from artificial and natural materials. Before you start stretching something that is too small, make sure that it is made of genuine leather. Such products are heavier than artificial ones, they are noticeably warmer and more durable, which accordingly affects their cost.
An artificial sheepskin coat cannot be stretched - the thin material may burst, since its texture does not allow for deformation. With natural leather everything is different, but there are a number of restrictions for such products - it is important to pay attention to the type of leather, its thickness, type of coating, color.
How to shorten a fur coat?
Strange as it may sound, if the girl’s height has increased, then the fur product can be made shorter. This way it will look more harmonious. To do this, you need to put it on and measure the optimal length. Under no circumstances should you cut off the fur of a fur coat that has become too small with scissors or an ordinary knife, otherwise it will crumble and the edges of the cut will be uneven. It is recommended to do this using a construction knife. According to reviews, it is best to stitch new edges of a fur product using nylon threads.
How to update fur?
It often happens that a small mink coat becomes unsuitable for wear also due to the poor type of fur. This can happen due to it getting wet and sticking together. To correct this problem, the fur needs to be slightly moistened with a solution of glycerin and warm water. This must be done both from the inside and outside of the product. If a fur coat has lost its shine, it can be renewed using special solutions, most of which, according to experts, are also made on the basis of glycerin.
Photos of fur coats before and after
See the photo to see how you can change a fur coat into a fashionable style. The options below demonstrate that unwanted items can sometimes be transformed into original handmade items. No one else will have these!
Fur color
If natural fur is very dirty, it should be cleaned before coloring, since the dye does not penetrate well into the contaminated hair structure. To do this, take an alkaline solution.
Solution composition:
- 2-3 tsp. salt;
- 1 tsp. ammonia;
- 1 tsp. detergent;
- 2 tsp. baking soda;
- 1 liter of water.
When coloring, the underbelly should be treated with glycerin or a rich cream should be applied to avoid it from drying out.
Fur pelts are usually dyed darker colors. When dyeing a lighter color, you will first need to lighten your hair using hydrogen peroxide.
Fur is dyed by placing the skin on a wooden board and securing it with pins or small nails. Use ordinary hair dye for this. Before the procedure, the fur can be slightly wetted to make it easier to distribute the paint. Exposure time - according to the instructions on the package. We wash off the paint without removing the skin from the board in the shower, then dry it and lift the fur with a hairdryer. It will take the most time to dry the flesh.
Processing natural fur - stretching the material
Now it’s worth addressing the question of how to stretch the skin or process previously prepared fur. To do this, you need to moisten the skin. It is better to do this with a brush or spray bottle. Water quality plays an important role here. It is better if it is distilled, without various impurities of metals, chlorine and other elements.
After this procedure, the skin should lie for about 30 minutes. The exact curing time depends on the thickness and elasticity of the material. It is very important not to allow excess moisture - the fur must remain dry!
Stretching the skins can begin at the moment when the skin is almost dry. Editing should be done in the direction of the pile. The skin is straightened and pinned to the board with nails or safety pins. When stretching, try not to damage the structure of the skin and hair. If the pile is long, then such material is attached with the fur facing up, and if it is short or of medium length, then the fur is attached to the board.
The material should be stretched strictly in a certain sequence: first prick the bottom of the product, then the middle, then evenly stretch it to the left and right from the center and diagonally from the bottom up to the edges. After finishing stretching, leave the product to dry completely. On average, this time is about a day. Then remove the skin and leave it for at least 2 hours to cure. It should be noted here that the more the wet material is stretched, the more it will shrink. Having finished talking about how to stretch the skin, you can proceed to other processing methods.
Tanning hides
During the drying process and other procedures, the hide is subjected to mechanical processing, as a result of which the material becomes brittle and hard. Tanning helps strengthen the structure of the skin of mink, otter, raccoon, marten and other animals, which occurs due to the penetration of tanning substances into the skin, which bind protein fibers. After this procedure, the skin remains plastic and soft, and its resistance to decay and the influence of high temperatures increases. The material also withstands repeated exposure to water, painting and subsequent drying.
Tanning can be done either using chemicals or natural tanning agents of vegetable origin.
Let's consider one of the tanning methods. To do this, you will need a half-liter jar of oak bark, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. Fill it with two cans of water and bring to a boil, then boil for 10-15 minutes and leave to infuse for a day. Then the broth is filtered and applied cold with a brush to the skin from the inner side and dried on spacers. During the drying process, knead slightly.
This was one of the stages of how to stretch the skin at home.
How to suture at home
It's not difficult to do this. You can ask for recommendations from professionals, and also watch training videos on the Internet.
If the short fur coat is too big for you in volume, it can be sewn in on the sides and shoulders. Then the mink beauty will fit your figure perfectly.
When performing this procedure, you need to take into account the cut of the model. By changing its lines, you can achieve a perfect fit of the item to the figure of its owner.
So a short fur coat of a classic cut and a loose-fitting model can be reduced by size if you change the side seam and armhole line of the product. Look at the following photo: it shows a diagram of the work.
In other styles, in addition to these two operations, changes in the cut of the collar and hems may also be necessary.
If you have sewing supplies available, then you can safely get to work.
Mink is the best gift
Many representatives of the fair sex dream about a mink coat. This is truly a very chic and expensive product. However, it is even more valuable if it is presented by a loved one.
Today, stores offer a huge selection of mink fur coats in different color shades, so choosing the most beautiful one in your opinion is not so difficult. But for a man who decided to please his beloved woman with such a gift, it is important not to make a mistake with the size.
But what if the size he chooses doesn’t suit you? For example, a short fur coat is a little wide at the sides or at the shoulders. Then you will need to sew the product in so that it fits you properly.
You can go to a fur studio, where a specialist will quickly fix your problem. But if you have cutting and sewing skills, you can easily sew a mink coat at home. You just need to do it correctly so that the gift will last you a long time.
