How to Take in the Waist of Jeans With Darts

Maybe your favorite pair of jeans has gotten hopelessly stretched out or you've found a great bargain on jeans but the waist is just a bit too big. Or, maybe your body shape just doesn't match the shape of the jeans in the waist. Not a problem. Altering a pair of jeans to take in the waist is not difficult and will save you money if you do it yourself.

Instructions

1

Determine how much you need to take in the waistband. Try on the pants and mark where the waistband needs to be taken in with tailor's chalk.

2

Use the seam ripper to detach the top of the center back belt loop from the pants. The lower end of the belt loop should be attached below the waistband and will not be affected by the alteration.

3

Use the seam ripper to remove the waistband from the back of the jeans. You won't be making any changes in the front of the pants, so there's no need to remove the entire waistband.

4

Shorten the length of the waistband using the chalk marks from Step 1 as your guide. Take in the waistband by sewing a center seam that removes the excess. Cut out the extra seam allowance and press what remains to the side. Tack in place.

5

Pin two darts that run from the waist to the top of the yoke. The darts will be symmetrically distanced on each side of the center back seam. To determine how much to take in with each dart, remember how much you decided to take in the waistband in Step 1. Suppose you want to take it in 1 1/2 inches. Divide that number in half to determine how much you will take in with the darts. In this case, each of your two darts will take in 3/4 inches of fabric. Press the darts flat.

6

Reattach the waistband matching the original manufacturing stitching on the right side of the fabric so that the alteration is unnoticeable.

7

Reattach the top of the belt loop. This will also cover up the center-back seam in the waistband.

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