Modifying The Waist Of Denim Shorts?

This tutorial teaches how to take in the waist of jeans by hand without a sewing machine. To start, use tailor’s wax as a marker and connect the lines with a V shape. Sew the jeans starting at the top of the denim just beside the belt loop. Pull the thread through all the way from the top and tie the thread. Repeat this process.

To make denim shorts fit better, cut along the side seams and turn the shorts inside out. Try on and pin at the waist where the shorts feel comfortable on you. Cut the waistline to the desired size.

Shortening too-long jeans is the easiest alteration you can make to denim pants. A tailor or seamstress can shorten them by cutting off some fabric and steaming them. Stretch the jeans over an ironing board or the back of a chair, steaming the waistband until they feel damp. Stretch them bit by bit to the desired size and wear them in the desired size.

Taking in the waist of jeans and pants is probably the most requested alteration in our studio. Upsizing the waist is another option that can be done by Levi’s® tailor Sabrina Wharton-Brown. Various alterations can be made to jeans, including taking in, letting out, shortening and lengthening, cropping, turning into shorts, fixing zippers, and mending holes.

To make the waist smaller, unpick the waistband, sew an equal amount of extra seam from each side seam, line up the waistband with the body of the shorts, and stitch together. This tutorial is just a few steps and teaches you how to take in the waist of jeans without a sewing machine.