How to quickly take in your trousers (or pants)

Many of us are having to "tighten our belts". In my case literally  as I'm losing a lot of weight (at last). Ideally I should make some new trousers however at the speed the weight is coming off they'd be too big for me soon. So to save money I'm taking my trousers in by 2 inches.  Taking in your trousers doesn't take too long and is pretty straight forward, especially if your waistband is in two halves joined in the middle, like these.
If your waistband is in one piece then you have the chose of either removing the waistband, and then shortening it or cutting the waistband in half at the back of the trousers  If you do this then ensure you ware taking the trousers in enough to give you a seam allowance on the two halves of the waistband.




You will need
Pins
Chalk
a ruler
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Thread Snips
Seam unpicker/ripper

Step one 
Unpick the waistband around the back seam of your trousers and unpick the seam at the centre of the back of your trousers from about half way down from the wast band to the centre of the crotch seam.









Step two

Right sides together pin the sides of the back of your trousers together, mark with chalk how far you want the trousers brought in. Remember any amount you mark is only HALF of what your trousers will be brought in by. Sew  a gently curving line from where the original seam ends to the mark where you want your trousers brought in by. Your trousers have now been reduced, all that remains is reattaching the waistband after it has been shortened.

Step three
Place the waistband on top of the trousers and mark where the back seam meats the waistband. Add a seam allowance and trim the excess waistband.With right sides together sew the waistband back together.

Step four
With right sides together sew the outside of the waistband to the back of the trousers. Press and then stitch carefully on the outside of the trousers just under where the waistband meats the trousers. This stitches the inside of the waistband to the inside of the trousers.


Things to think about.
This is a very quick way to take in your trousers. However there are some things to be careful of.

Ensure the back  pockets are not sewn over.

Within the waistband of the trousers you will find either a cotton tape or petersham waistband. This is what stops the waistband stretching out. Ensure this is stitched together when you sew the two halves of the waistband together. Also if this is lose in the waistband make sure it does not twist. Otherwise your trousers an become uncomfortable.

Why we should all have a sewing box in the home.

Regular readers to this  blog will know I'm very lucky. Not only do I work for the best fabric shop in the world but I also have my own dedicated sewing room at home. This saves me a lot of time and hassle when I want to start a sewing project as I don't have to clear a table or floor space and dig around a cupboard  for sewing equipment. However, fortunate as I am, even I still have a sewing box downstairs for emergencies. I personally think everyone should have a handy little box for quick repairs, even if your such an extreme stitcher that you have a dedicated room, or if you hardly ever sew at all.

  We all know the saying "A stitch in time saves nine" trust me it's not without merit. I've put off  doing a quick repair because I was just about to leave the house. I've then  had to throw away a perfectly good garment at the end of the night. By having the basic necessities at hand you are more likely to tackle a repair as soon as you notice the lose thread or lost button. So it becomes a matter of making life as easy as possible for yourself. A simple sewing box kept in a kitchen drawer or under  the stairs can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

  There are many sorts of sewing boxes out there, from little mini kits with a small set of snips and a couple of needles to larger boxes which you can keep your sewing projects in as well as your equipment.

Commercially available sewing kits  normally contain the basics that you need for a quick repair. Many go as far as to have spare buttons as well as snips, needles and thread. These kits are perfect to keep in the glove box of your  car, or in your caravan. I even keep one in my rucksack if I'm having a day out in London, or some other "stay-cation" venue. I've only had to perform an emergency repair when out a few times, but I was very grateful for my sewing kit when I needed it. (and yes I didn't have one the first time I needed it and wasted 2 hours of my grand day out having to hold my trousers up whilst hunting high and low for a sewing shop- top tip the safety pins sold in newsagents aren't very strong).

For the home we recommend equipping your own sewing box. We sell some lovely patterned boxes with separate drawers and capartments. One advantage of these dedicated sewing boxes is they are easily recognised from other storage boxes and no-one has any excuses for putting other bits and bobs in with your sewing equipment. However an old biscuit tin will do to begin with.

I've gone through my own sewing box, and those of friends , to give you  some clue of what you may like to put in yours.

Scissors- There are many different sizes available. For your sewing box I'd recommend a small pair of embroidery snips in a case, and then a medium sized pair of scissors. I'd also recommend making a case for your scissors, a simple project to stop the blades damaging anything in the box (or your hand) Until you make a case for them though use some elastic bands to keep them shut closed.

Sewing Needles -get a pack that are in a plastic case. You get many different sorts of needle in one handy pack, and the pack will stop them getting damaged and stop you from getting a nasty injury if you are rummaging around in your sewing box. Keeping a few needles in sponge  or in a pin cushion is not advisable as they often come lose and roam around your box.

Pins- Handy for keeping a tear in fabric closed whilst you stitch it up. Again I'd advise the pins that come in a small box, or use a metal tin to keep your pins in. I prefer glass headed pins as they are easier to find if I drop them.

Magnet- handy for finding lost pins and needles, but also I use a magnet as an emergency pin cushion.

Selection of thread- Black, White and your favourite colour.

Buttons- I keep all the spare buttons that come with my  clothes in a special jar in my sewing box. However I also keep a few black, white and other colours in different sizes for emergency repairs.

Tape Measure - I've tried guessing how much I need to bring something in before, or using thumb spaces to judge how much of a hem to remove. It never ends well. A tape measure means you will only have to sew and cut once.

Chalk or Fabric Marker  -I'm a big fan of old fashioned triangular tailors chalk in my sewing room. However it's brittle and messy if left alone in a sewing box. We sell a handy pack of four rectangles in different colours in their own case, or a convenient chalk pencil.

Thimbles- Even though I have leather like man hands I can still get stabbed whilst sewing. Thimbles not only save you from pain, but also stop blood ruining your sewing.

Instant Hemming Tape or Wundaweb- an iron on tape  for fixing hems on trousers, skirts dresses and coats. Perfect if you are in a rush but still want to look immaculate.

Ball Point Snag Repair Needle- An excellent tool for repair woven and knits. Helps stops your things from unravelling.

Darning Needles easily threaded needles for repairing  wool fabrics.

I think these cover most repair and small project jobs that I can imagine. However if you've found any other tools useful in the past please post them in the comments below, maybe even include pictures of your sewing boxes.

Trouble Shooting Your Sewing Machine

We all have trouble with our sewing machines from time to time. Sometimes our seams are very weak, other times stitches are being skipped. Here are a few simple things to check before running to get your machine repaired.

Problem:
Fabric is not being fed through the machine.

Check to see if the "dogs" (the feeder grips) are engaged. Many times I've used my machine for free hand embroidery or sewing on a button and had to lower the dogs. I've then forgot to raise them and wondered why my machine wasn't feeding through fabric.

Problem:
Thread bunching under the fabric, weak seams or uneven seams.

When your computer is acting up your first instinct to turn it off and on again. Re threading is the equivalent for a sewing machine.

If re-threading doesn't help double check your tensions. I filmed a quick example of how incorrect tension can effect your sewing. This also means you can finally put a voice to the blog :)

Problem:
Skipped stitches, fabric  getting damaged, thread still snapping despite tensions checked.

When we start sewing the books always say "new job new sewing needle" and yet so many people never actually use a fresh needle. Needles work out at around 50p, a fraction of the cost of the fabric, thread, interfacing, buttons that we use on a sewing project. I've actually served someone in the shop who refused to sew denim because she would have to change her sewing needle, something she had not done since buying her machine 4 years ago!

  A blunt needle can cause skipped stitches and damage the fabric as you sew. An old needle can also bend slightly this can actually damage your machine! The picture shows the footplate of my sewing machine where a bent needle actually shipped away some of the footplate itself. This was left jagged and would snag fabric as it passed over. A little attention with a needle file helped solve this, but it taught me the lesson of the damage a bent needle can do.

It is also important to use the correct size needle and the correct type of needle for the task at hand. Your sewing machine manual will have a chart showing you which size and style the recommend for each fabric.

Keeping you machine in good running order is always advisable. You tend to be unable to oil modern machines (again, check your manual  but your machine will run better and for longer if you pop off the foot plate and clean the fluff out every few months.