not so much. (Note the size 18 months pants dragging on the floor!) Aside from needing another button, it needed to be taken in somehow. I figured why not turn it into a peacoat to avoid a major alteration on a $4 jacket?! Here's how I did it:
After removing the old buttons, I used a pen to mark where the new buttons would go. (Since I was making a peacoat there would need be two columns of (4) buttons on each side of the coat. I used the coat's original button holes for the closure, but instead of the coat buttoning closed right at the ends, the two sides of the coat would now overlap by about 4 inches.)
Using a needle and thread, I hand sewed the buttons into place with just a few stitches. NOTE: This was only to keep the buttons in place before I machine sewed them!!!!
Even the most basic sewing machines come with the attachments you need to button sew. You may think hand sewing buttons isn't a big deal, but when you are sewing on more than 4, it gets annoying! I attached my darning plate (white plastic piece that snaps in place over the feed dogs) and my button foot (holds button in place during sewing)
I pressed down the button foot with my button in position and set my machine to a zig zig stitch (NOTE: the zig zag should be set according to the width between the button holes that you are sewing!)
I always test my needle position by carefully turning the balance wheel to make sure the needle makes a straight shot through the button holes. Even if the needle barely nicks the button during sewing it could chip your needle or your button, so reposition your button so that the needle doesn't touch it at all. (1. The needle passes through the left button hole smoothly. 2. The needle passes through the right button hole smoothly.)
After checking the needle, I used my pedal to sew about 10 stitches across. I tied off and cut the strings that remained on both the top and underside of the jacket. Then I repeated the sewing process for the other two button holes. (Be sure to check needle positioning every time!)
Since I changed the jacket into a peacoat I didn't have to alter the body of the jacket any further. The sleeves however, were too long and slightly too big. I used a seam ripper to carefully remove the hem at the wrist.
What I like about doing that is being able to see the "guts" of the garment. Here, I took note of the method they used to finish the sleeves: a small hem, a crisp fold, and a single stitch.
(Not shown) I took in the sleeve about a 1/2" by running a single stitch from the armpit of the jacket, down the sleeve to the wrist.
Since the sleeve length was perfect when I cuffed it right at the hem, I only had to cut the length down by an inch. Using the same method I took note of- a small hem, a crisp fold, a single stitch- I finished the cuffs. Notice that the jacket is right side in. Normally, when I'm hemming things, I sew with the "wrong side" up. Technically, I still did here, but since it is a sleeve and my presser foot had to be inside of it, it made sense to keep the jacket right side out for this part :)
Here is the result!!! I was nervous about the black buttons, but I'm really happy with how it turned out.