Do you have a problem finding jeans that fit just right in the seat, but then gap at the waist? Ugh! No worries – there’s a pretty simple fix for this!
After taking measurements to see how much to shorten the waistband, I seam ripped the top of the center belt-loop, so that it was no longer sewn to the waistband, and left the bottom of the loop attached to the jeans. Then I seam ripped the waistband at the back only, leaving the front and sides attached to the jeans. Next, I shortened the waistband exactly in the middle, sewing right sides together, trimming away the excess, and refolding the waistband along the original lines.
I like to use jeans thread from Gutermann. This multi-pack has a range of colors so you can work with different denim washes and stitch styles. Gutermann is one of my favorite brands of thread because of it doesn’t break easily and is high quality. Does thread matter? ABSOLUTELY! We could have a post dedicated just to threads – but poor quality thread can leave gunk in your machine, gumming it up; and cause poor stitches or skipped stitches. Plus it’s such a headache when your thread breaks frequently during project time.
I sewed two darts into the back of the jeans, each centered above the back pocket. These darts remove the extra material in the jeans, so they will lie flat against her back hips. After pressing the darts, I sewed the waistband back onto the jeans, and attached the belt loop. You can’t even see the seam in the waistband, because the belt loop covers it up. 😉
My Bernina 790+ sewed through these jeans like butter! It’s a workhorse. Jeans get very bulky to sew through in some places, so be sure to use a jeans needle appropriate for your sewing machine and sew slowly at the thickest points. You might even just turn the handwheel manually at the bulkiest spots. Your machine will still pierce the fabric without risk of breaking the needle. Although I didn’t need to do it myself, I’ve also heard the tip of hammering your jeans seams before the final sewing. This flattens out the bulk, making it easier to sew through.
Now she has a perfect fit in the hips and the waist! No more waist gap, and her jeans are still comfortable to wear. Yay!
Quick links in this post:
Schmetz Jeans Needle
Gutermann Jeans Thread Multipack
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