I think it’s a fact that stretch jeans are here to stay for a while. Although they are very comfortable to wear, a common problem I have found is that the waist is often too loose. Here’s a tutorial to show you the quickest way I have found to take in the waist of jeans.
Perfect for quick fixes and changing bodies
I discovered this trick from a friend many years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. My girlfriend, a true Fancy Nancy, is a master at making do and finding creative design solutions that always look beautiful. Also pregnant at the time, she came up with the brilliant ideas to buy a pair of jeans two sizes larger and take them in at the waist and inseam so she could wear them during her pregnancy, as well as during the postpartum period. I thought her idea was ingenious and decided to try it for myself. Since then, I have used this quick method to take in the waist with darts on countless occasions.
Now if you bring a pair of jeans into an alterations shop for them to take in the waist, they will most likely unpick the waistband and back seam so that the adjustment looks invisible. Although their method has a much nicer finish, it is quite a bit more time consuming. This is why I like the quick method as it only takes a fraction of the time and does not require any unpicking of seams, except perhaps for a label patch in the back if in the way. It’s a great hack if you are pressed for time or if you just want to have a temporary adjustment. So perfect for the maternity stage, or in the case of my daughter’s jeans that you will see below, that period in between childhood and adulthood were adult clothes don’t fit quite right yet.
The secret to this quick fix is adding a series of darts from the waist down to the hips. I love using darts for many purposes as it’s a good way to shape fabric around the body. If you want to get more practice in sewing the perfect dart, check out my Curved Knee Patch pattern and tutorial for adults and kids in my Etsy shop. It’s a wonderful project to embellish and repair an old pair of jeans.
Supplies Needed to take in waist of jeans
- Seam ripper
- Pins
- Washable marker or fabric chalk
- Ruler
- Cotton thread
- Sewing Machine
- Thread cutters
Step 1: Pin excess fabric
With jeans on, pin excess fabric in the back of the body at waist and continue pinning down to make a dart where the jeans fit nicely.
Step 2: Measure darts
Measure total width of darts at waist and length of where each dart finishes. Mark measurements on a piece of paper.
If darts are less than 1/2” in width each, you can sew darts next to the side seam on the back side of the jeans. If the darts are more than 1/2” in width each, it’s best to sew them in the center back or to divide the excess material into 4 darts: two darts next to the side seams and two in between the back belt loops.
The following tutorial will show you how to adjust the waist with 4 darts. If sewing only 2 darts at the side seams, skip to step 4 and ignore the center darts.
Step 3: Mark darts
Flip jeans inside out. For this alteration, the excess fabric is 4” so I will be sewing 4 darts: 2 x 1/2” darts near the side seams and 2 x 1 1/2” darts at the back. I’m making the side darts smaller so it fits between the side seam and the belt loop. If the loop is too close to the side seam, you can also remove it. With a washable marker or fabric chalk, mark the with of the darts at the waist next to the side seam and half way between the center back and side belt loops. Mark the length of the dart on the jeans and trace lines from the bottom of the waist to the length mark. These line will be your sewing guide.
Step 4: Unpick patch at back
Very often, jeans have a brand patch at the back. Because it’s exactly where we will be sewing a dart, it’s best to unpick the patch with a seam ripper. Don’t get rid of the patch! You can either sew it back in place or keep it to cover up a hole in the future.
Step 5: Sew darts
Choose a cotton thread in a similar color as your jeans. Fold fabric at the waistline making sure marks are face to face. You can use pins to make sure the lines are overlapping. Sew seam to the end of the darts.
Step 6: Press center darts
For a crisp look, press the seams flat with excess fabric pressed towards the center back.
Final look
So 15 years later, this quick trick that helped me take in the waist of my jeans while my baby was growing inside me is now used to adjust the clothes of this same not-quite-a-baby-anymore. It’s a good thing she isn’t growing as fast as she once did. Thank you Fancy Nancy for sharing your tip with me. Now it’s my turn to share it with the world.
Happy Mending!