Take In Loose Trousers Through the Seat and Legs

What you will learn

• Understanding which seam changes what
• Marking on the body
• Tapering a long seam

Materials and tools

• Trousers
• Seam ripper
• Pins
• Chalk
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine with needle suited to the fabric
• Iron and board
• Hand-sewing needle for basting

Before you start

• Put the trousers on inside out and pin the excess where it bunches.

1. Understand what each seam does. The centre back seam, which curves through the seat, adjusts the seat and waist. The outside seam, also called the outseam, runs from the waist to the hem on the outer leg and adjusts the hip and thigh. The inseam, on the inner leg, adjusts the thigh and calf.
2. Wear the trousers inside out. Pinch loose fabric where it bunches and pin it. If fabric pools under the seat, the centre back seam needs adjusting. If the legs are baggy, use the outside seams.
3. Take the trousers off and measure the pinned amounts. For the centre back seam, take in no more than 1/2 in (12 mm) on each side, or 1 in (2.5 cm) in total. For outseams, take in up to 3/4 in (19 mm) per seam.
4. Mark the new seam line with chalk. Start at the old seam, move in by the amount you need at the widest point and taper back to the old seam over 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm). A seam that changes direction abruptly shows.

5. Pin and hand baste. Do not cut or unpick. Try on the trousers, checking the seat when you sit and the thigh when you bend.
6. Adjust until the fit is comfortable. Make the same change on both legs and measure to confirm. Check that the pockets still lie flat and the side seams hang straight.
7. Stitch the new seam on the machine with a 2.5 mm stitch length, backstitching at the start and end. Sew slowly through the curved seat seam, and stop with the needle down to pivot on curves.
8. Try the trousers on again. If the fit is correct, trim the extra to 1/2 in (12 mm) and finish the edge with zigzag. Press the seam open or to one side, matching the original, at the heat on the care label.
9. If the legs are narrower now, check the hem length, since changing the seams can alter how the hem hangs.

Tips for a neat result

• Work on one seam at a time and try on in between. Two small changes fit better than one large one.
• Never alter the crotch curve more than a small amount. Too much removal makes the trousers pull when sitting.

Common mistakes and fixes

Check your result

• The trousers fit smoothly through the seat and legs.
• You can sit, squat and climb stairs without strain.
• The side seams hang straight.

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