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From: mifi601
Date: 03-11-2006, 08:24 PM (1 of 9)
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I have had a really frustrating experience today - I found a pair of Marc Jacobs pants that looked amazing in the front - the back was a disaster. I have no hips, a long crotch and a flat behind ... so I ususally wear men's pants but still the behind sags or worse rides up into a wedgie. The cost of thrift store bought pants is too good to really go into making my own, but I really would love to be able to alter them so they also look good. Once I had a pair altered by an Italian tailor that came out beautifully. I would love to know what he did. I tried to take in pants but usually the behind looks horrible and the crotch is too deep. I am so glad I found this forum. Maybe you can help me to finally know some tips and tricks - I have been sewing all my life but the pattern part is still a mystery to me. E.g. why if I have less behind doe the pants ride up into a wedgie - shouldn't it be the other way around? does it mean I need to take away fabric somewhere or are the pants beyond alteration? if they sag where do I take the fabric away - the waist only helps a little bit .. Looking forward to your input 
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User: mifi601
Member since: 03-11-2006 Total posts: 3 |
From: sewinglady4u
Date: 03-11-2006, 09:35 PM (2 of 9)
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Hi, yes, I think you can alter your pants to fit your body style. If the crotch is too long in the back, pinch up the excess on your seat to see how much needs to be taken out. It usually doesn't need to be more than 2 inches. When you see how much you need to take off, then you open the entire crotch up from one knee to the other, and mark your new seam on the back crotch. Then just taper down each leg keeping the original front crotch seam. Sometimes all you have to do too is take some excess out of your seat if your crotch isn't hanging too long. There's also a technique where you can open the side seams down to the knees, and take in just the back sides. This really helps if you have a flat hiney. We do it for men all the time in the shop I work in. We also do a lot of crotch jobs for men and women. It's just a matter of trying the pants on and pinning where you think the problem is. Then comes the fun part of tearing them apart and sewing them back together. I wish I could show ya, I'm better at showing than explaining. Maybe someone else will explain better. But I really do think you can make your pants fit to a "T". Pam |
User: sewinglady4u
Member since: 10-07-2005 Total posts: 18 |
From: mifi601
Date: 03-12-2006, 12:59 AM (3 of 9)
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Pam - thank you for your advice, I wish you could show as well I have blotched pants several times by trying to reduce the circumference only by taking in the backseam - with horrible results. I guess I was trying to do it the easy way - or is there a way just doing that without having to take apart pretty much the whole upper part of the pants? |
User: mifi601
Member since: 03-11-2006 Total posts: 3 |
From: Sancin
Date: 03-12-2006, 02:34 AM (4 of 9)
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What do you do if the pants are too long in the front crotch?
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: sewinglady4u
Date: 03-12-2006, 06:12 PM (5 of 9)
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Hi again, front crotch, same thing. Open the seam up and pull up only the front crotch to where you need it and then sew the seam back up keeping your original back crotch seam line. Sometimes the front crotch is just "poofy" and not too long, and then we just sew in that seam a little to take it in. That only works on pants that don't have front closures though. Unfortunately, there isn't really an easier way to alter the back only on pants without taking them apart unless you're only working with the seat. If you use a nice sharp single edge razor blade, you can have seams open pretty quick. Take it slow at first, and once you get a feel for it, you can rip them babies open fairly fast. And if there's a chain stitch in there, you got it made.  Just don't open up your side seams any closer than 2 or 3 inches from the waist band or you run into trouble trying to get the seam closed back up easily.Pam |
User: sewinglady4u
Member since: 10-07-2005 Total posts: 18 |
From: mifi601
Date: 03-12-2006, 06:21 PM (6 of 9)
| Pam, what do you mean by 'only the seat'? |
User: mifi601
Member since: 03-11-2006 Total posts: 3 |
From: Sancin
Date: 03-13-2006, 04:09 AM (7 of 9)
Many thanks, Pam - I will try it. Does this work when only a little shortening needed? I am a big lady, but am a petite and RTW so hard to find any clothing in plus size petite. I have taken a pattern off one pair of pants I did find that fit very nicely. I can usually make adjustments in other garments I sew. But sometimes one needs a pair of pants in a hurry or one can't find fabric or time to make pants (or anything else, for that matter) 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895
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From: sewinglady4u
Date: 03-13-2006, 06:46 PM (8 of 9)
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"Only the seat" is the center back seam of your pants. Yes, pulling the crotch up works whether you only need to take out 1/4" or 2". If you only need to take up a little bit, then you won't have to open the seam up as much to taper it out. Pam |
User: sewinglady4u
Member since: 10-07-2005 Total posts: 18 |
From: snipnstitch
Date: 10-10-2006, 01:08 PM (9 of 9)
| I just found this forum.. and hope you can help me... I have 2 pair of pants that need the crotch length altered.. one is a pair of mens pants.. these I took out the inner seams to the knee... and since the seat of the pants was too baggy too kept the front crotch length and slid the front of th epants in about an inch on the back crotch seam and tapered the seam to the knee... i tlooks a little "bunchy" just after sewing but I think once pressed all should be ok... I have a pair of kids pants where the crotch hangs about an inch to inch and a half too low... I know I could remove the waist band and remove excess from the top edge but this brings the back pockets a bit high.. is there another way to alter these pants to make them fit better? |
User: snipnstitch
Member since: 10-10-2006 Total posts: 7 |
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