Chicken bald back

[Olly]

I'm in the happy position of needing to take in some of my clothes. These aren't expensive items, or I would take them to a professional, but they are fairly new trousers and skirts that I'd quite like to keep on wearing. Can anyone recommend a book - or a website/YouTube tutorial - on this?

 

I've Googled this, and most of the tutorials seem to be along the lines of 'just cut down the side seams and stitch it all together again', no mention of waistbands, altering the fit and so on. I'm a fairly competent sewer and used to make my own clothes many years ago, so I can probably work it out, but I would like a bit of guidance before I start hacking into my favourite skirt.

[The Dogmother]

I haven't seen the items, but you'd really need to detach the waistband first before you take in any seams or darts.

[Snowy]

I'm afraid anything with a waistband does involved removing the waistband first. Once thats done, it is quite simple to just take them in down the existing seams, or add extra darts at the waist, then reattach waistband.

Tops are a bit more difficult, but it depends where you need to take them in.If you can leave the bust size and just nip in the waist line with darts, you are in luck!

[Olly]

I didn't explain myself very well, did I! I'm quite prepared to take off the waistband, that's why I wasn't impressed with the 'tutorials' suggesting you just cut the side seams and stitch it all together again. I know it's not that simple, and I'm looking for something that will advise on how to make it all fit - if you take one bit in, you often have to alter something else - and the waistband would need shortening as well.

 

I've booked myself on a course now with The Thrifty Stitcher anyway. I can make stuff to a pattern, but altering something that's already been cut and made up is a bit different.

[Snowy]

And I didn't read it very well, sorry!

I'm a bit of a 'try it and see' kind of stitcher. I'd take it apart and keep tweaking the seams all round until it fits. Definitely one of those situations where a tailors dummy would be useful!

[The Dogmother]

Definitely one of those situations where a tailors dummy would be useful!

 

Yep, very hard to do on yourself.

[bluekarin]

And I didn't read it very well, sorry!

I'm a bit of a 'try it and see' kind of stitcher. I'd take it apart and keep tweaking the seams all round until it fits. Definitely one of those situations where a tailors dummy would be useful!

 

That is how I tend to alter clothing. If you have a pair of trousers that fit you perfectly, you can use them as a template to make sure you are getting your hip positioning in the right place and the waist size is correct. Good luck!