Jean dilemma...

I don't know if anyone else has this problem with jeans, but most every pair of jeans that I have, has this gap in the back and I usually have to wear a belt so they will stay up. Even the jeans that are snug on my hips and legs are not snug at the waist.  I love all of the new stretchy jeans because they are so comfortable to wear but I don't like wearing a belt all of the time. I would have taken a picture of how the jeans looked before I solved my dilemma but I think you get the picture and it is not always pretty.

Most jeans have a waistband and there is 2 sides of the jean fabric that is sewn together to make the band.  I measured a 1 1/2 inch wide piece of elastic on my back side to see how tight I wanted the back to be, the elastic was about 6 1/2 inches long. I then made a little slit on the inside of the waistband and used a safety pin attached to the elastic to pull it through the waistband.  When I got the elastic part way through I first attached the elastic on the right side.  I ran a few stitches back an forth to secure the elastic to the right side.  I then finished pulling the safety pin through to the other slit that I had made on the left side. I pulled the safety pin through the slit and removed the safety pin from the elastic making sure to hold on to the end so it won't slip back through the slit. I then ran some stitches back and forth to secure this side. 

Can you see the little slit on the left hand side with the elastic showing through?

If your jeans have a label on the back you will need to use your seam ripper to remove the stitches on the sides. ( The elastic will then still slide through the band.)

Here is another pair of jeans that fit great in the legs and thighs but gaped at the waist.

and one more...

I have another couple of pair that need this alteration.  I love how they fit now and I don't have to wear a belt!  They are so comfortable I feel like I am wearing my sweats :)

Since losing the weight that I lost, I have a closet full of winter sweaters, turtlenecks and t-shirts that do not fit anymore.  I spent one day taking all of the "do not fit items" out of my closet and I was going to give them away, but there were so many that I wished still fit me.  So, I spent the day with my serger altering a pile of clothes.  The tops were the easiest to alter, I would just try them on put some pins in the arms and sides where they needed to be cut and then used my serger to cut off the excess.

I now have a closet full of tops that fit!!

Here is the pile of leftover fabric from my alterations.  I am thinking they would make some great rolled flowers to match some of tops!  So, I not only lost weight but my clothes lost weight as well!!

It feels awesome!!

I will have to take some pictures of my alterations when I am wearing them, they look great, but I am ready for bed right now so I will have to do it later!