Making Pants SMALLER

Since I've lost weight, MY PANTS ARE TOO BIG..!!

You know what a cheapskate I am. And the truth is, I almost never pay more than $2.38 for a pair of pants to begin with.

So, now, after wearing those size 2x and 3x pants for many years -- you'd think I'd be fine with THROWING THEM OUT -- right??

But you would be wrong...

BECAUSE I SEW. And fixing, hemming, mending and altering clothes is just about my favorite thing in the world to do.

And it is shocking to me how, every time I have this conversation, one of my accomplished sewing friends will say, "I'd never bother to alter pants. That's waaay too much trouble."

Seriously??

Here's the thing. Somebody else ALREADY DID MOST OF THE WORK, PEOPLE! You can very quickly turn a size 3X pair of pants into a size 18....without altering the pockets, or the hem, or the elastic waistband. Because ALL OF THE REDUCTION takes place at the inner pants seam of the pants.

1. Take a pair of your now-too-big pants and turn them them inside out, then drop one leg into the other -- exposing the front and back crotch curve.  Lay flat.

2. Do the exact same thing with a pair of smaller pants that FITS YOU.

3. Lay the smaller pants on top of your fat pants, matching the outside seams (where the side pockets live). THAT SEAM will not be touched during this alteration.

see where I'm going with this??

4. Mark if you want...but I just cut away with a scissors. Start at the bottom of the pant leg and cut up (one layer at a time). At the hem, I was cutting away about 1 inch of fabric...by the time I got up to the crotch curve, I was cutting off a full 2" of fabric.

5. Do the same thing with the two front crotch curves...and then, the two back crotch curves.

6. At this point, you will have two separate pants pieces.

7. Sew up both inside leg seams.

7. Turn one pant piece inside out, and insert the other pant piece, so the right sides are together....then, sew the crotch seam...front to back.

(tip: start to sew at the waistband at the back seam...sew about 5" or so -- then do the same thing at the waistband at the FRONT seam...sew about 5"...then, pin the crotch curves together, gently pulling to fit. You DON'T want to start at the back, sew all the way around to the front...you may end up with a glaring, crooked seam in the front of your new pants.)

I swear -- it took me longer to WRITE THIS BLOG POST than it took me to alter two pair of pants. The first pair was a miss...(I cut away too much fabric, and the pants are so tight, the pockets bulge.) But the second pair is perfect.

Hey -- I just saved another $2.38...(I'm saving up to take Lilly to Hamilton!)

No -- wait -- it's better than that!! If I bought a new pair of Lands End pants, it would cost me $29. So if I alter five more pair...HECK -- I'M ALMOST THERE!!