Thoughts on tailoring as craft, the skills behind alterations, and why handwork still matters. Tailoring is one of the oldest crafts. For centuries, skilled hands have cut, shaped, and stitched fabric into garments that fit particular bodies. This knowledge passes from one generation to the next, refined over time. In an age of automation, craft work can seem anachronistic. But there are things that hands do better than machines. Understanding how fabric will behave when alte