[sewing] Since the LJ hivemind was so helpful with my last question ...

[cupcake_goth]

Soooo, anyone know if it is possible to remove a fastener that has been, for all intents and purposes, riveted onto a garment without damaging that garment?

I have a Lip Service jacket that I love the lines of, except that the single oversized hook & eye fastener is about half an inch too high on the front of the jacket. That half an inch is a small, but crucial, difference in terms of how flattering the jacket could look.

Unfortunately, that oversized hook & eye is pretty much riveted on. On the inside of the jacket, each part of the fastener is secured by two flat metal disks that go through the fabric and into other flat metal disks on the front. Is there any way I can remove these without ripping holes in the jacket? Or should I accept that this particular fastener cannot be moved, and I just need to sew two sets of my own oversized hook & eye fasteners in a row below the original one?

Comments

[wyldekyttin.livejournal.com]

A housemate disliked the rivets. It was a Tripp brand coat, but she wanted something with a hole through the center to add things through. She found a flat head screwdriver inserted between the disk and fabric, typically on the back side, and given a twist to pop the disks apart made them come out with little damage, though there will be a small hole in the fabric.

[semy-of-pearls.livejournal.com]

It should be possible to remove the offending item via the rivet points. You will need something to cut through the rivets, preferably above the dome, or find a way to pry off the ring that helps keep the item on. Check your tool supplies!

[winneganfake.livejournal.com]

In my own case, it's usually some heavy-gauge wire cutters to do the trick of taking the rivet apart, though rivet removal always leaves a hole behind- perhaps just another rivet through the same hole, once the hook-and-eye's been removed?