1) You’ll need a friend to help with this… there’s just
no way to mark it yourself. If you’re starting with a
pre-manufactured suit, we’ll try to make all alterations along
pre-existing seams. If you’re starting with a Terrapin custom suit,
the suit’s been glued together, but most of the seams are not yet
sewn, so please be gentle getting it off and off. Put the suit on
over your bathing suit or dive-skin. If there are zippers on the
arms and legs, leave them open for now. Close the torso zipper(s)
and identify where the suit may be too loose. If it’s loose through
the torso, look at the armpits and decide if the majority of the
looseness is in front of the arm or behind it.
Steps (2) through (12)
are for the friend to do. When the markings and photo are finished,
pack it all up and ship it to Chris Summers, Terrapin Wetsuits, 1268
Ponderosa Dr., New Braunfels, TX 78132. Fold the suit carefully, to
avoid causing any unnecessary creasing.
2)
Based on whether most of the looseness is in the front or back,
go to that side of the wetsuit. Gather up the excess material
by pinching the vertical seams on that side of the torso. Pinch
both of the seams (left and right side, using left and right
hand, respectively), distributing the excess material evenly
between left and right. You should be able to pull the wetsuit
away from your friend’s body by only about ½ inch. Any more
than that should be marked for removal.
3)Keep the grip on
the excess wetsuit material with one hand and let the other side
go. Use the free hand to take up the yellow crayon to mark a
½”- 1” long vertical line right next to the outside of the thumb
and forefinger holding the excess wetsuit material.
4)
Repeat steps (2 – 3) moving up the seam until there is no excess
material. Continue to repeat steps (2 – 3) moving down the seam
until there is no excess material.
5)
Once you’ve marked along one of the vertical seams, do the same
for the other seam on the same side of the body (back left and
back right, for example). When you’re done, you should see two
pair of dotted lines that surround the two seams on the same
side of the suit. The pair should be roughly the same width on
either side of the seam, and the width of the space between one
pair should be roughly the same as the space between the other
pair of dotted lines.
6)
Now look at the other side of your friend’s body. Standing or
kneeling on one side of him/her, (for example the wearer’s left
side) pinch together the excess material you’ve marked on the
seam you can reach from that side (for example, the back left
seam). Holding this excess material tightly, look at the seam
on the opposite side of the body (front left seam in this
example). If the front seam is laying flat, that’s great! If
it’s standing away from the body, this area must also be marked
as in step (3).
7)
Be sure that the pair of dotted lines taper out to a point at
the top and bottom of the areas of excess material, so that the
seams can come together again smoothly,
8)
Now check the sleeve length. The sleeves should stop at the
wrist and not interfere with the wearer being able to bend
his/her hand back. If the sleeves are too long, fold them up at
the wrist and mark a line along the fold on the reverse side of
the material. If there are zippers, close them to the fold, but
leave them open below that. After marking the inside, let the
folded edge flop back down and mark the crease on the outside of
the suit. Be sure to do both arms.
9)
The suit should fit snugly next to the body. If the sleeve is
loose, gather the excess material along the seam on the
underside of the sleeve and mark it as in step (3). Be sure to
do both arms, and check all the way up to the armpits.
10)
Do the same process as steps (8 – 9) down each leg.
11)
The suit may have a collar already attached. Confirm the height
of the collar is comfortable. If it needs to be shorter, mark a
line for trimming away excess height.
12)
Take a photo of the wetsuit on the person, capturing the areas
that are the loosest, or fit poorly. Take a few notes and make
a list of all the places where alterations are needed.
