no more saggy jeans {easy waistband fix}
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 05:00AM 
It took me a while to jump on the skinny jeans bandwagon. I'm just not sure they actually look good on me, seeing as it's been a reaaaaally long time since my pants size saw single digits. But I love the look of skinnies with boots, so I finally decided to break down and buy a pair ('cuz I look how I look, and that's just fine, right?). PROBLEM: Due to a generous backside, skinny jeans that fit fine in the waist are way too tight in the hips and thighs, and skinny jeans that fit in the hips and thighs are too big in the waist. The smaller ones are uncomfortable and the larger ones look and feel like they are about to fall off, which makes for a saggy backside. Plus the back waistband gapes away from my body. Ick and ick. Anyone else ever had this problem?
Here's the easy solution: buy the larger (more comfortable) pair and slip a little elastic into the waistband in the back of the jeans. I know, we're supposed to hate elastic waist pants, but I've reached the point in life where elastic's ok if it means I can get through a day without constantly tugging the waist of my jeans back up. Plus, I never tuck shirts into jeans anyway, so no one's ever going to know the elastic's there.
It's super, super easy. And so very worth it. All you need is 10 inches of so of 1 inch elastic and two colors of thread - one that matches your jeans, and one that matches the topstitching on your jeans. (And a denim or heavyweight needle! Never try to sew on jeans without one unless you like breaking things.)
Start by grabbing a seam ripper and unpicking the lower line of stitching on your jean's waistband in the areas shown below:
Thread a safety pin through one end of your elastic...
...and thread the elastic up into the waistband and back down the other unpicked spot, like you see below. Try on your jeans and pull the elastic to tighten until the back of the jeans sit flat against you and the waist feels comfy (remember to sit down to make sure you aren't pulling it too tight).
Once the elastic is as tight as you'd like, sew a line up and down three or four times at each end to secure the elastic. Use the thread that matches your jeans for this. As you can see in the photo below, you can barely see the stitching, and it's even less noticeable once the jeans are on.
Once the elastic is secure, you can trim of the excess of each side, switch out to the thread that matches the topstitching you unpicked, and sew back over that part to close the waistband back up. If you look really closely you'll probably be able to tell that your stitching is a little smaller than the rest of the topstitching, but no one else will every notice.
Now my skinny jeans stay where they're supposed to! Here's to fall weather and boot season!
Linking to some of these parties:
Monday: Skip to My Lou | Brassy Apple | Craft-o-Maniac
Tuesday: Tip Junkie | Ladybug Blessings | Sugar Bee Crafts | The Blackberry Vine | Hope Studios | Funky Polkadot Giraffe | Not JUST a Housewife | Homework Today's Assignment: Be Inspired | Shwin and Shwin
Wednesday: Handy Man, Crafty Woman | Southern Lovely | Sew Much Ado | SNAP | Someday Crafts | The NY Melrose Family | Printabelle
Thursday: Somewhat Simple | House of Hepworths | Momnivore's Dilemma | The Shabby Creek Cottage | Yesterday on Tuesday | Fireflies and Jellybeans | The Taylor House
Friday: Chic on a Shoestring Decorating | The Shabby Nest | Stuff and Nonsense | Naptime Crafters | It's a Hodgepodge Life | At The Picket Fence | 504 Main | Blissful Bucket List
Weekend: Tatertots and Jello
Reader Comments (15)
What a wonderful solution! Thank you! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Good fix, my daughters could use this tip, too!
They look great!
~Jamie
Thanks for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday over at Sugar Bee Crafts - you were featured today! Most viewed link!!- Mandy, www.SugarBeeCrafts.com
So easy, even I can do it.
Thanks for the clearly explained directions!
There is nothing more frustrating than BAGGY PANTS! Great tutorial:) Thanks for linking up To Whimsy Wednesday!
Kelly,
Smart! School {House}
You did a great job with this. I have a link party on Wednesdays, and I would love it if you would link this and any other posts. It is called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party. It runs from Wednesday to Sundays.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/10/almond-sugar-body-scrub-and-wednesdays.html
I hope to see you there. I am your newest follower, and I would love for your to follow me also. Have a great Day.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
www.adornedfromabove.com
Thanks for this great tutorial. Much easier than the method I was gearing up to try. Now I'll do this. I'm switching from pregnancy pants back to regular and, well, things fit just a little differently after baby!
What a great idea. Looking forward to seeing you at MDC :)
Brilliant idea! I'm ready to try out skinny jeans now with just a bit of tweaking. Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
oooo...this is great. I have the exact same problem with "skinny" jeans!! I will have to try this out!
OMG! We are jeans sisters! I JUST bought my first pair of jeans since I was a TEEN. I'm 62! I've gone from a size 28/30 to a size 18 so far (still going) and - like you - if the jeans go past my legs & butt, they WILL be big in the waist! Sigh. I wish I'd read this BEFORE I made my own belt loops & bought a belt. Your way is EASIER! Thanks for the tutorial. Next jeans? I'll do it YOUR way! Smiles! Kai
I love this!
I'd love to have you link up at my Weekend party!
http://westernwarmth.blogspot.com/2012/10/weekend-warmth-5.html
Wow - great idea. And I think the jeans looks great in the pics. Who cares about being single digits?
I personally just say no to crack, which is what I always get with skinny jeans! I may have to try this; they are so much easier with boots! Thanks!