Turn them inside out and place them on top of the wide pants. So why do most of us expect to find jeans that fit us perfectly off the rack, with no nips and tucks required? Often the needles will say denim on the box as well. You can keep pining down the leg to achieve a straight leg. Women with an hourglass figure (small waist, curvy hips), often find it a challenge to find jeans that fit perfectly, without gapping at the waist. Typically, the tailor will have you try on the jeans, then pin them along the inseams (the line of stitching running down the inner leg). Wash new jeans a few times before having them tailored. "I have a number of pants that need to be narrowed and this how-to article provides a good step-by-step explanation. Taking in the Sides of the Jeans 1 Put your jeans on inside out and pinch the waist at the sides until it fits. This is a good method to hem your jeans when you're not sure exactly how long you want jeans to be. You can try to mark the fabric yourself, but keep in mind that you will still need to pinch it while you mark it to get the best results. Baggy-ness never looked good on me, yet I still embraced it throughout junior high and high school. She has been contributing to craft articles on wikiHow since 2007. Most tailors will be happy to do it either way, but if you want to be sure that the taper is exactly as you want it, be sure to direct how it is pinned. Pinch and pin up along your hips stopping at the waistband, we’ll do that part later. Before you take a new pair of jeans in for alterations, always wash them a couple of times first. For example, if you want the tapering to begin around your knee, then pinch the fabric on the inside and outside of your knee to find the best place to create a new seam. Tapering trousers yourself is an easy way to improve the fit of your pants and save some money in the process! Here's how you can taper jeans for a more streamlined leg look. 3. Luckily I … By using our site, you agree to our. Pin your trouser's along the line you marked and stitch along the lines. It's often easier — and less expensive — to either wear a belt or find a pair of jeans that suits your body better. Just remove stitches where you want to take in the seam. Lois Wade has 45 years of experience in crafts including sewing, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, drawing, and paper crafts. What kind of needle would I use for the machine, since the jeans I'm trying to taper are made of a thick fabric? Yes. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 523,172 times. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The jeans will then be turned inside out and sewn to create a more slender ("tapered") leg opening. Once they're on, pinch the seams until you're satisfied with the fit and then mark the line with some tailor's chalk. If you don’t have any jeans as a guide, you can mark a straight edge from the knee down on both the inside and outside seams (inner and outer seams of the pant legs). Remove the top stitching Notice that on the inside leg of almost all jeans is a top stitch that runs all the way down from the crotch. When skinny jeans were just starting to become popular, I was hesitant to take the plunge and spend the money to buy a new pair, but I still wanted to try out the trend. Since it doesn't give you a finished hem look, though, it's better as a short-term solution — as when you're borrowing a pair of jeans from a friend and will need to return them. However, if the denim is very thick, then you may want to use a heavy-duty needle. ~ jeans/trousers - no more than 2" off of the back. Make sure to remove the pins as you go. This article has been viewed 523,172 times. If the length is perfect ", "It was awesome, as I didn't know how it's done. Hem your jeans for a clean finish and the perfect length. Insert these pins perpendicular to the edge of the fabric. Use a sharp pair of scissors and cut straight along the lines. You will just need to figure where to taper the pants, cut and pin the fabric, and then sew a new seam. Turn right side out and give your new seat seam a nice press. Make sure that your sewing machine is set to the recommended tension and stitch length for using the straight stitch. How do I taper trouser legs so they don't fall on the back of them? Make sure to choose a pair of tapered trousers that fit you well. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. ", "Excellent instructions for kinesthetic and visual learning methods. What you CAN Alter in a Pair of Jeans You can easily take in a bigger waist, remove excess length and baggy legs to make your jeans flatter your body. Take the jeans off, flatten them so that the seams are on the outer edges and pin each leg closed along the line you have drawn. While it's important to shop for jeans that generally fit your figure well — especially in certain, hard-to-alter areas, such as around the hips — there's plenty you can do to customize an almost-perfect pair of denim, and create a made to measure look, in jeans. BEFORE I’m LOVIN’ the skinnies, and hatin’ the baggy. Will the methods in the article work with any type of pants? Put the jeans back on to check the fit. This will make it easier to create a seam line after removing the pants. "I thought trousers were taken in from the inside leg, so glad I watch the clip. … This process will work to taper any type of pants. While this can add cost to your alterations, this will ensure your jean hems look right — and can be much less difficult than having a tailor reproduce the right thread, stitching method, original spacing between the stitches, and so on. To wash jeans the right way, turn them inside out and launder them in cold water on the delicate setting of your machine, then hang to dry. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. If they are too tight, adjust the pins. The extra fabric on your tailored jeans may be cut away, or just sewn inside if there's not too much of it. Keep the pants turned inside out and use a seam ripper to cut the stitches along the areas you want to taper. Turning the pants inside out also exposes the old seam and this will make it easier to remove the stitches, cut the fabric, and sew the new seam. How to make jeans smaller or just skinnies! Make sure the pins are vertical (parallel to the seam). Be sure to bring or wear the shoes you'll wear most often with the jeans, so you can get the right length. Is the outside or inside of the leg tapered? While it's best to shop for jeans made to fit your figure, an experienced tailor can alter a waistband to nip it in a bit. Also it’s likely you’re going to have to take the waistband off the pants and shorten it to get the waistband to a size zero. If you have invested in designer jeans, which are often recognizable by the unique fading or stitching on their hems, you will definitely want to hem your jeans using this method. Remove the bottom hem from both pant legs with a seam ripper. It's easy for an experienced sewer, you just need to weigh the cost and time expenditure vs a new pair of jeans. I'm pretty certain I can do now. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. You'll want to have a good sense that the service provider is aware of current denim styling, too, so you get a fashionable end result that you'll feel good about wearing. The jeans will then be turned inside out and sewn to create a more slender ("tapered") leg opening. You can also ask friends for recommendations, ask about alteration services at your dry cleaning shop, or look up tailors or seamstresses on your favorite search engine or app that offers reviews. Pinch in more for skinny jeans, less for a boot cut. There is a solution! This article was co-authored by Lois Wade. (Going from flare to skinny, for instance, isn't worth the money it will cost to pull that off — you're better off buying a new pair). The tailor essentially cuts off the hem from the pre-faded jeans, shortens the leg to the appropriate length and reattaches the hem to the new length. Follow the instructions listed in the article above. Otherwise, a tailor or seamstress will need to take the flare out of both sides and recreate the same style of original stitching. If you'd rather not cut your jeans, you can ask a tailor to do an "inside hem". Hammer at that yoke/seat seam intersection again. Once the bottoms are folded, take the jeans off. If you're buying a new pair of jeans that will need some altering, ask where you shop. The production of jeans is among the most polluting in the whole fashion industry, so there's a good reason to hang on to your jeans … Align the crotch and center the legs so there is equal fabric on both sides. You'll be surprised at how doing so can make a pair of almost-perfect jeans conform better to your body, and create a made to measure jeans look. You don't have to remove all of the stitches if you are not tapering the whole leg. Make sure the seam is evenly on the edge (of both pairs) and take your chalk down the side of your pants, starting about mid-thigh, mirroring the line of the skinnies. 2. You can find tailors and seamstresses online. The 5 gentle neck stretches you NEED to reduce pain. Backstitching will strengthen the ends of your stitches. Make sure to line up the side seams of the jeans, then use sewing pins to pin the hem in place. I adjusted my saggy boyfriend jeans … The extra fabric on your tailored jeans may be cut away, or just sewn inside if … Plus, find out when it's better to buy a new pair of jeans, instead of spending your money trying to alter a too-challenging pair. With a yardstick, draw a straight vertical line, using the pins as your guide, showing where the new seam will be. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Doing more can change the pocket positioning and front shaping of the jeans, not to mention making it necessary to alter the hips as well, to maintain the proper line. They’re perfect for all body shapes and enhance the appearance of your legs length, which is always a good thing. My legs don't look straight in trousers. Sometimes one side of the leg will have a regular seam. Use an 80/12 size needle as these are specifically designed for denim and other thick fabrics. Do try and determine if a tailor has experience in altering denim fabric in particular, as tailoring denim can involve special stitching techniques and sewing equipment. That helped out a lot! Decide whether you want the tailor to choose the tapering style without your input or whether you want to pre-select the amount to be tapered yourself by pinning it before taking the trousers to the tailor (or just ask the tailor to pin it your way while you’re wearing the pants at the tailor’s). wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. It’s a lot easier to see step-by-step instructions with images to do this successfully, so we suggest you check out: Yes, a tailor is well equipped to taper pant legs. Step 2. Then draw a straight line with a black pen. What kind of needle do I use for the sewing machine to taper jeans? Try your jeans on and mark the length you’d like, and then adding for hem allowance (I used 1″), trim the original hem off. Try using a denim thread for a strong, durable option. Many women have no hesitation about taking a pair of wool trousers to the tailor for alterations, in order to get a customized fit. To learn how to remove pleats or creases from old seams and cuffs, read on! A universal needle should work. ", "Thank you for the step by step instructions!". Just use a seam ripper or an awl to take the stitches out. Just a word of caution, though — there are some things it's not easy, or worth your money, to have altered when it comes to denim. Ironing to remove jeans of all wrinkles can help … Finally, cut off any excess fabric and re-hem your trousers so they're the same length on both sides. This will help the tailor mark the jeans at the right length, so you'll be happy with the result of your tailored jeans. Original hem: An original hem is mostly used when jeans are already pre-faded. Find a pair of pants with a width you like to use as a pattern. You can ask your tailor to give you an "original hem" (also called a "European hem"), which involves removing the original hems of the jeans and re-attaching them after the excess fabric is cut from the legs. If the fabric won't lay flat, you may need to iron it. You can certainly adjust the legs though, on both types as well, to narrow the hips or to skinny a boot cut. ", "I didn't know to turn the pants over to start. How do I taper trouser legs step by step? Working from the inside of the pants, insert the point of the seam ripper underneath a stitch. Take off the jeans and lay them pin side up on a flat surface. To learn how to remove pleats or creases from old seams and cuffs, read on! A pair of jeans should already fit you well in these areas: If jeans sit too high or low on the waist, don't cling to your hips (or squeeze you too tightly), or don't fit properly at the crotch, it's best to leave that pair on the rack and keep shopping for a generally better-fitting pair. Most of the time, except for jeans, you want to resize the sides, for proper symmetry and drape. Tapered trousers are stylish and they can make an outfit look much more polished. ", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKCFxJAohxo&feature=youtu.be&t=1m16s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKCFxJAohxo&feature=youtu.be&t=2m14s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKCFxJAohxo&feature=youtu.be&t=3m11s, पेंट पर सिलाई करके टेपर्ड ट्राउजर्स (Tapered trousers) बनाएँ, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. However, many other fit issues — including a too-long length, a pair of jeans that gaps slightly at the waist, or overly baggy legs — can be addressed by taking them to a tailor to take in (or remove) excess fabric. You’ll be topstitching through twelve or so layers this time. Awesome Jean Shortening Technique: This instructable is to show you how to shorten your jeans without changing the look of the jeans. Next, take off your trousers and use a seam ripper to undo the stitching on the cuffs and seams. You can, of course, turn your jeans into skinny jeans by taking them in even more. Step 1 How to Downsize Jeans Without Sewing While wearing the jeans, pinch the excess fabric at the center of the backside of the waistband. Make sure that you install new needle before you get started to ensure that it is sharp. Iron your jeans first to make … For example, if the lines are 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) from the edges at the bottom of the trousers on 1 leg, they should be the same on the other leg. Putting your jeans through a few wash cycles will ensure they're not going to shrink further, so the tailor is working with their "final" shape and length. I'll show you how I downsize my jeans, resizing the waist to be smaller and slimming the legs. 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