Replies

1. 
   NansiM | Jun 28, 2002 02:07pm | #1

   Gracie,

   Are the shorts elastic waist of fitted with a waistband?  Also How much are we taking them in?  Abit more description would help here.

1. 
   gracie969 | Jun 29, 2002 04:29am | #2

   the shorts I want to take in  are a non elastic  non stretch the waist I would best descrie as like the waist you find on jeans but are of a lighter material.  I need to take in a total of 1"  I was wanting to do 1/2" on each side.  I thought it would be easy but looking at the shorts I can't see a way to do this and leaving the shorts still desent looking.  Any suggestions would be great . thank You

1. 
   NansiM | Jun 30, 2002 06:16am | #4

   Can you pinch the inch at center back?  If so, i rip out the waistband in this area 2"-3" on either side of the c. Back seam.  open out the waistband and take it in the desired amount.  Sometimes I slit open the fold created when you do this and press the seam flat.  If the fabric's not that bulky, simply press to one side.  Take in the c. back seam to match tapering down to the original seamline about 4"-6" below the waistband.  Reattach the waisband and you're good to go.

      the elastic inserted into the waisrband is sometimes a good idea - again, IF the fabric is not too bulky.  I open up the waistband where it was stitched down at each side seam enough to insert elastic, draw it thru to the other side and anchor in place by straight stiching thru the waistband and the elastic inside.  Then go back and pull the elastic as tight as you want and anchor at that side seam and close up the openings.  The anchor stitching should look like a continuation of the side seam up thru the waistband.

      Hope these weren't too late to help--busy weekend!

2. 
   lindamaries | Jun 29, 2002 04:50pm | #3

   Hi...I'll take a stab at this

   I'm guessing that all you want to do is make the waistband about 1" shorter in circumference. I'm not going to say anything about the

   butt, belly, and leg part (I'm so technical!!!)

   You could do many things. You could take the whole waistband completely off, shorten it buy the 1" by cutting the buttonhole or snap area off and then (allow for the overlap and underlap) fold in half and then in half again marking with a pin on the folds. Each segment then is 1/4th the whole circumference. Match the pins/folds with the center back seam, the two side seams and the center front seam. You will have to either ease (slight gather) the body of the shorts between the pins/folds or make darts. Make a new buttonhole.

   If your body is not really equal---meaning the back side seam to side seam distance is smaller than the front side seam to side seam distance...Just put the waist band around and mark on it where your body's side seams are. The 1/4 sections will be not all equal, but on your body they will look balanced.

   You could also put in elastic panels...one in the back of the waist band, and if needed two on each side of the front. This is a bit tricky if the original waistband is attached with just the one sewing like they do in Ready to Wear clothes. Because when you take the attachment stitching off in the sections to slip in the elastic, you may as well take the whole waistband off, then.

   You could make a seam area in the waistband for shortening underneath belt loops.