Happy #NeedleWorkMonday everyone!
Just before my sewing machine went into a coma, I was happy that I managed to get this work done - altering the length of one of my favourite pair of pants. It was a quick and easy project but I have been putting it off for a year or so - one of those mood related projects - no mood, no sew.
The pants was at knee length and I wanted to make it up to the ankle, to be worn for more formal occasions. The knee length was a bit outdoor-sy which I liked but I can't really wear it anytime.
This pants is one of my favourites because I loved how it fits on my waist, hip and thighs - important criterias of a good pair of pants. And what do we do when we like a good fitting pants? We buy multiples of it because it is not easy to find a good fitting pants! Which is why, I have another one in black, and for that pair, I will keep it at knee length :P.
First, I measured the length of fabric needed to be added to the pants - about 10 inches with seam allowance:
I was having a "swell" time (more like dilemma) trying to choose the fabric - do I want to go bold and funky or plain and boring? But the main question was, would I wear the pants again or how often would I wear the pants again with the chosen fabric? This part took quite some time and a lot of thinking. I had to imagine every option and what would it feel like wearing them. Not easy! This part was tougher than the actual sewing. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
I went with plain and boring - the closest colour possible to match the pants - because at least I will be happy to wear it anytime, anywhere which was the main reason for this alteration :D
I measured and cut out 2 pieces of fabric for each side of the pants...
... aligned it to the pants to ensure fit:
Then, I brought it to the machine and joined the edges of each piece of fabric first to create the "tube" that will be attached to the pants:
Once the edges were nicely sewn together...
I took them to the ironing board and pressed the seams flat:
I did the same for both pieces:
I aligned it back to the pants to ensure that they still fits after the ironing - extras are better than less - this part can make your heart drop if suddenly the fabric pieces are shorter than the width required:
My pants had a slit for the knee...
...which I chose to sew them close. I like this slit a lot but for this case, they have to be sacrificed.
Then, I pinned the fabric to the pants. I pinned in such a way that after I sew them together, I would be able to fold the fabric to the bottom to hide the raw edges:
I sewed following the original seam of the pants:
And flipped the fabric over:
The raw edges of the fabric has been hidden in between the pants and fabric piece:
Last but not least, I hemmed the other end of the fabric that had been sewn to the pants (which has now become part of the pants) and left a little hole, in case I wanted to add an elastic for the ankle:
My pants now at a longer length. Simple kedimple :)
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Here's wishing everyone a good week ahead and
Happy #NeedleWorkMonday! Take care everyone!
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I honestly have no idea why you do not sew your own clothes from scratch (or are you secretly? 😄) Altering was so much more complicated than sewing a new pair. ANd I am amazed how well this elongation worked, I would have never had such an idea, very clever. And I fully understand the problem of fabric decision. You know me, I would have used the bold and funky and then would have never worn the trousers 😂😂😂
As coincidence works, I ordered some jeans from H&M some weeks ago and they arrived yesterday and what a failure... I wanted jeans with no or less stretch, a wide fit and a low or mid rise waist and I was so happy to be able to find such a combination online... but now that they arrived 😱😱😱😱 The ones with the low fit are either too low or strangely like a high waist jeans. And all have a gap at my back... of 6 jeans 2 kind of fit, but none is really to my liking - hate buying trousers!
(@shanibeer ... these are actual no/low stretch jeans from hm, if you are interested)
Haha nooooo! I tried to sew a blouse once with a normal round neckline and the neckline turned out horrible. I haven’t gotten back to it since 😅 Aahh as long as the alteration is a simple straight line, not curve like a neckline, I am good :) Something that we can easily add or subtract mathematically. Hehe.
Oh dear, can you return the jeans? Thats one thing I dislike about buying garments online, when the sizes and cutting don’t fit and so far, my success rate had been like 20%. I always go for online shops that accepts returns or exchanges without question or hassle.
You know, I am a huge fan of sewing with stretch fabric...:-D woven is also for me difficult (as you can see at my blouses neckline, which has a too small collar :-DD)
Yes I can give the jeans back, I never order if I cannot return as I am not good in estimating the fit of trousers for me. But you will laugh, I am alreday pondering to keep one of the jeans :-DDD (my friend will take anothe one and my mother is now trying on the third :-D)
Great you managed it. Hope you can get your machine repaired soon. With us all shops are open again. 💕
Thanks @wakeupkitty! Looking at next week for the shop to be open 🙏🏻
I hope it is now. Strange how people's behaviour suddenly changed. They all bump into me amd no longer care. 💕