I saw this challenge while exploring hive as a newbie. I not a neebler per se but as a health worker I work with suture needles. Does that qualify me? 😉 The events of a free-needle work I did about a week ago flashed through my mind and I decided to make a post with that to participate in this challenge.

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I just returned from a journey over the weekend and was arranging my stuff to prepare for the new week. It was on a Saturday afternoon and I already had a to-do list which included cleaning and arranging my room, going to the market and attending a music concert later in the evening. I already did my laundry in the morning.

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As I arranged my clothes, I saw a black cotton trouser. It is still okay, in fact it is the only plain black corporate kind of trouser I have but there is the need to adjust (increase) the length. The circumference of the leg opening of the trouser had a fine edge binding, therefore it can be adjusted without altering the trousers fineness. When it was sewn, I had to unfold the bottom part, refold it to an appropriate length then and held it with thread using needle manually. Now there is the need to further increase the length of the trouser. I contemplated taking it along to the market later in the day so I can give a seamstress to help me out but I remembered it was a seamstress (aboki tailor) who advised me to do it manually the initial time.

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Manual sewing with needle and thread actually takes time but it is one activity I love to do. I developed this love for it in my Junior Secondary School (JSS class 2) in 2007 when we had to do practical sessions on sewing skill in our home economics lessons. Because I loved it as an activity and knew I’d do it fine to my own liking, I decided to postpone my going to the market to the next day.

--- ![IMG_20210925_103252_096.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/okeke/23wqaCVgoyT2qEwd6sLavFPuQN5NEnVyupbzMG2g1UrJ29EoSRoaVGg7hRyP4jPai3y7g.jpg) *the underside of the stictch (snapped with my phone* ---

I took my time to adjust the trouser length to what I wanted. With a razor blade, I loosened the stitches I used for the initial tack. The length was now appropriate but because the edge binding was done with white thread, I had to do some folding at the bottom to make the amendment concealed. I folded the edges minimally and ensured the folding was circumferentially equal (at least to my human eyes). I had a number of medium-sized needles. With the aid of these needles, I tacked the fold. Afterwards, I made about 8 simple stitches symmetrically around the bottom of the trouser with needle and black thread. I did the same for the other trouser leg. After this, I used a lighter to burn the edges of the thread in the stitches to create a kind of smooth stitch. With this, I was done with my needlework. The trouser was now of appropriate length, one I will be comfortable in.

--- ![IMG_20210925_102952_976.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/okeke/EowDjeifDgEzts9BhZG9PNnv6AuhRAVMQuR6LdkkzxyA5ofRgQJumaPHMKVnoUds4uD.jpg) ---

I ironed the trouser and a shirt. These were the clothing I wore to the music concert I attended later in the evening. And I will be wearing the trouser subsequently and happily. Remember, I said it was my only pair of black corporate kinda trouser. I hope you enjoyed the story and I encourage you to try to stitch your clothes sometimes, especially if it is not a major needle work. Do give it a try! Casual sewing (free needling) is an interesting and relaxing activity and you can do some other things alongside with it such as listening to music and relaxing your mind like I did. It also improves the dexterity of your fingers. This is beneficial to people who use their hands for their skills like keyboardist, guitarist, surgeons etc. Thank you once more for this challenge. @needleworkmonday @crosheille @crystalize . It has given me the opportunity to share with the community this experience. Thank you for reading. I would love to know your thoughts too.

--- ![IMG_20210918_160055_502.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/okeke/23zkw2kadfUS5nWcWbWrrJucbuWkEU8KSqdohFec7wfBdLAKfZeknp3LyD4KLh2VDNQsB.jpg) *en route to the musical concert. I took a selfie then, it didn't capture the trouser I wore*😁 ---
**P.S: I didn’t take any process-pictures. I saw this challenge days after my free-needling. But I have attached a picture of the trouser after I was done. Thank you. All images were captured with my phone 📸😊** --- ![k75bsZMwYNtze9xHvT6xWCdz7q3QGD35ZKdaPpVrFksWkDKsVMpaxn2jEBV2zTYxZfqBAyqtyxtUF5Hfvs6v4SB1hKXQLzyWAkRCvXaYmco87hxtdHagVZWuvx7je1RqNnd9Qn3roFxcYhCBKyUR1YJMTuJvngRWn.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/okeke/245HsUVFeCactWyU9Aex2QeuPA8UQTuZxUezD2rVFEVMeycR96wbsnhhj9dJfVBcux8uy.png)