Replies

1. 
   suesew | Dec 12, 2004 06:53am | #1

   Is there anything to let out anywhere - a dart, pleat, seam allowance. You would have to take of f the waist band to the place(s) you can let out and then replace it adding on to the end of the waistband. I have also moved the zipper and the closeure over to allow for some extra room. That doesn't work to o often.. An awful lot depends on how they are originally made.

1. 
   Lisa1 | Dec 28, 2004 02:26am | #3

   Thanks for your response to my query about enlarging a waistband.  Sorry it took so long for me to say that.  There wasn't a dart or any obvious area to open.  I thought of removing the waistband and adding a triangular insert at the side seams or center back.  Would this have distorted the fit?  It's academic at this point.  I decided that I was getting in over my head and gave the job back.  Still, I'm curious to know if an insert would have worked.  Thanks.

   Lisa

1. 
   suesew | Dec 28, 2004 03:03am | #5

   A trianglar insert will throw off the grain line and the garment won't hang correctly. I've had to put them in extremely tight bridesmaid dresses when absolutely nothing else would work. I thought they always looked horrible, but they solved the immediate problem - stupid people purchasing dresses that don't have a chance of fitting them. To see what happens simply take a piece of fabric and cut a slit in it - now pull the slip apart and you wil see the effect of the potential dart.

   Edited 12/27/2004 9:06 pm ET by suesew

2. 
   SewingWriter | Dec 12, 2004 04:30pm | #2

   When I did custom sewing, this was probably the most common alteration in my workroom.  Remove the waistband.  Add an extension of fabric to the underlap area, stealing from a pocket or hem if possible.  Before letting out darts or seams, however, check the fit.  I found it was very common for the garment to have been sewn onto the original waistband with a tremendous amount of ease.  It just might fit onto the larger waistband "as is".

   A note: if the original waistband has button fastening, it's helpful to leave the waistband attached for a couple of inches so you don't have to deal with the challenge of affixing the buttonhole end back on to the garment.

   
   

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   Edited 12/12/2004 8:35 am ET by SewingWriter

1. 
   Lisa1 | Dec 28, 2004 02:41am | #4

   Thanks for your great suggestions a few weeks back re increasing a waistband.  I think I'm not quite ready to take on alterations for other people.  Too risky. 

   Lisa