Tailoring jeans waist helps to make your pants fit perfectly.
One of quick ways to learn how to take in the waist of jeans is to watch a good beginner sewing tutorial. An instructional video is incredibly helpful especially, if you’re doing this alteration for the first time. Because it provides better visual to help make informed decision, and to prepare yourself to have the right tools on hand.
After you get down the measurements of your pants’ waist and you mark in the needed adjustment on your garment, then the next step is to actually determine how to do it, as there are few different ways of getting it done.
So, how to take in the waist of jeans?
Below are few examples how to permanently remove or temporarily hide the excess fabric of pants waist.
Just to name a few of them.
- altering jeans waist at center back seam
- adding an elastic band into the jean waistband – easy method
- adding dart at side seams of the pants with ladder stitch
- taking in jeans at the side seams
- creating two darts at the back of the jeans waistband
Ask yourself a question:
Do I want to permanently alter the waist of my jeans, or am I looking for temporary solution?
Beneath, I will cover the first 3 methods on how to take in the waist of jeans. Please keep in mind, that besides these 3 methods, there are many different ways to do this alterations. But I will limit myself to only three because this blog post would be too long.
In addition, I will share my best tips to get the best results, and to create that beautiful professional look you’re looking for.
First Sewing Method
altering jeans waist at center back seam
Skill level: intermediate
Useful Tools that I use and Professional Tailors like to use:
- sewing thread for denim
- sewing pin
- safety pins
- seam ripper
- measuring tape or ruler
- heavy duty / denim needle for sewing machine
- fabric pen or chalk to make chalk marks
- sewing machine
- scissors
I also have a DETAILED video, that explains in depth this take in waist alteration.
Why tailor your jeans?
Because- Tailoring makes your jeans fit perfectly
A timeline photos of downsizing the jean waist with step by step info, as you can see it below, is great idea to look over, to understand this technical process faster.
- First step in tailoring clothes is to mark in the fitting, by either pining the excess fabric with pins, or mark it with chalk
- Second, find yourself a flat surface to work on
- Third, unpick the stitching and remove the back belt loop and inner labels (if any)
- Next, chalk mark a spot about 6″ down the center back seat seam or to be in between the back packets, close to the middle of them .
- Then, unpick the center back waistband seams, both seams that are located at the bottom and the top of the waistband – to separate the band from the pants.
- Next, unpick and remove stitching from the flat felled seam, that is connecting the two legs together at the center back seat.
- Once you have unpicked waistband, then reinforce/copy your waist most accurate measurements, to see it well when you sew it later. Mark the cut line in the middle and the sewing lines on the side. Each sewing line is to be equal distance from the cutting line.
- Cut the waistband at the marked spot – in the center middle
- Now, inside of the jeans, chalk mark the new sewing line, remember that, this will be the actual seam of the center. It will be visible on the right side of the jeans. TIP: Do not make this line too pointy and too straight as you connect it to the existing one. Mark the sewing line slightly curvy to accommodate your curves.
- Allign the marks on new center line and straight stitch the seam on sewing machine
- Trim any excess material and leave seam allowance, not to be smaller than 1/2 inch (unless otherwise)
- Secure the raw edges of the back of your jeans with zigzag stitch or overlock it on serger machine
- You can now press the new seam with iron to prep the area for double stitch
- Now, top stitch the new seam with denim thread, starting at the original seam (middle of the seat) and sew it upwards.
- Next is to connect the waistband at the marked new stitching line. Afterwards you can trim extra fabric and leave about half an inch of seam allowance or so, on each side and hide it inside the waist band.
- Once you have the waistband sewn together, next step is to connect it with the rest of the pants. Fasten the two temporarily with basting stitch, ensure the inner waistband is nicely tucked in.
- If you need to reapply any labels, now it the time to do so.
- Now you need to top stitch the center back of the waistband in the place where the rest of the topstitching was removed and is now missing. Start on the right sides, in the place of the original thread trace lines. Sew straight line. The easiest way to do this, is to follow the old holes needle line.
- At long last, it’s time to re-sew the belt loop. Do this with strong stitching. It can be done with the zig-zag or regular straight stitch but, remember to reinforce it and use smaller size stitches.
- And finally, clean your garment off of any loose threads to make it neat and clean, and to look like a professional good tailor worked on them.
NOW, give yourself a high five for completing this complicated take in waist of jeans alteration!
You did AWESOME job!
How to take in the waist of jeans, you ask?
Second Sewing Method:
add an elastic band to the jean waistband
Skill level: beginner
Useful Tools and Sewing Supply that I use:
- elastic about 3/4″ (NOT to be wider than the actual waistband)
- safety pin
- sewing thread
- sewing needle
- scissors
Start by measuring the needed elastic.
To do this, wrap the elastic around your waist (DO NOT STRETCH IT)
Once you do this, make the elastic smaller than your actual waist by taking away about 3 inches and cut the elastic.
Next, cut very small two openings in the inner side of the waistband. One slit close to the button area, and the second one close to the buttonhole.
Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and while you’re holding the other end of the elastic, feed it through one of the holes, and pass it all around until you have it out through the other hole.
So, now you take your threaded needle with a knot at the end and insert it through the elastic and the fabric to join these two together.
Do this with a tight whip stitch. When you finish sewing, then secure the stitch with a knot.
And that is it! Your DONE! You just took in the waist of jeans in no time.
Suppppper easy fix!
How to take in the waist of jeans the quick way?
Third Sewing Method
adding dart at side seams of the pants with ladder stitch
Skill level: beginner
Useful Tools and Sewing Supply that I use:
- chalk or marker
- sewing thread – possibly embroidery one because it is stronger
- sewing needle
- scissors
This sewing method is beginner friendly and it can be done in a mater of minutes.
Take the measurements of your waist and see how much you need to take in the waist.
Divide the “take in” amount into two and after that mark it on each of the side seams of the waistband.
You start by chalk marking a triangle at the side of the waist, starting at the metal studs and go up to the top of the waistband.
That tip of the triangle is the bottom of the dart by the stud.
Now, you need to insert the threaded needle with the knot at the end from wrong side of the jeans to the right side.
Finally you can start stitching from the bottom up, so that means from the metal stud up. Or from top of the waistband down.
Whatever works best for you.
As you stitch you will make the invisible ladder stitch.
Once you reach the finishing point pull the thread all the way as you join the two seams together. And finally make a knot at the end of the stitch to secure it.
By now, your pants should be done and ready to be worn!
Here is a very useful sewing tutorial to follow along.
When you have a busy schedule then the last thing you might want to do is something like this very complicated tightening jeans waist alteration. But don’t be discourage, it is not that complicated as it seams. This is that extra special sewing skill that will get your jeans the perfect fit that you want.
Learning how to take in the waist of jeans doesn’t have to be time consuming. Once again, there are few different ways to do this alteration, so research, to see what is the best way for you, that works for your needs. Do you want a permanently alter the waist or are you looking for temporary sewing solution?
This video might be helpful for any of you that struggle with starting a hand stitch and later finishing of a sewing stitch with a properly done sewing knot.
Do you still worry how to take in waist of jeans? I hope by now you don’t worry, you just know.
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