How To Make The Waist Bigger On Jeans - EHow

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How to Make the Waist Bigger on Jeans (with Video) By Beth Huntington Updated Jun 21, 2023 eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

Things You'll Need
Tips
1. Remove the center back belt loop
2. Use a measuring tape to determine the circumference
3. Now measure around your waist or hips
4. Adjust your sewing machine to be a short stitch length and a long zigzag stitch
5. Sew across the top
6. Fold 1/2 inch of the top
7. Topstitch the top edge
8. Place the denim piece under the cut in the back
9. Cut 1/2 inch away
10. Finish the raw edges of the insertion piece
11. Pin the denim insertion piece
12. Change the thread in your machine
13. Change your machine to a narrow zigzag stitch
Buy materials for this tutorial:

‌eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this tutorial.‌

If your favorite pair of jeans have become too small in the waist, don't despair and definitely don't get rid of them. Instead, be a smarty pants and alter the waistband to fit again (even without advanced sewing skills).

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Things You'll Need

Seam ripper
Measuring tape
Sharp scissors
Piece of matching denim
Sewing machine with a 18/110 needle
Iron and ironing board
Washable marker
Pins

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Tips

If your denim patch doesn't match exactly, err on the side of slightly darker than lighter. It'll be somewhat hidden by the center belt loop, so slightly darker will draw less attention to it.

1. Remove the center back belt loop

Remove the center back belt loop with a seam ripper.

2. Use a measuring tape to determine the circumference

Use a measuring tape to determine the circumference of the waistband on your jeans. Write that number down and save it for later.

Use sharp scissors to cut directly down the center back of your jeans to the back yolk. You can cut down farther if you need more room in the hips as well.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

3. Now measure around your waist or hips

Now measure around your waist or hips where the waistband of your jeans sits. Subtract the circumference of the waistband from the circumference of your waist/hip measurement to determine the width of the denim piece you'll need to insert into your jeans. Then add 1 inch to that number for a seam allowance.

For example, if your waist circumference is 30 inches and your jeans waistband is 28 inches: 30-28=2+1=3. Your denim insertion piece will need to be 3 inches wide.

To determine the length of the denim insertion piece, measure the raw edge of the cut you made in the center back and add 1 inch.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

4. Adjust your sewing machine to be a short stitch length and a long zigzag stitch

If you don't have a serger to finish the raw edges of your denim piece, simply adjust your sewing machine to be a short stitch length and a long zigzag stitch.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington wide zigzag

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

5. Sew across the top

Sew across the top of the denim piece.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

6. Fold 1/2 inch of the top

Fold 1/2 inch of the top of the denim piece toward the wrong side of the denim and press.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

7. Topstitch the top edge

Topstitch the top edge of the fold.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

8. Place the denim piece under the cut in the back

Place the denim piece under the cut in the back of the jeans and mark the opening onto the insertion piece with a washable marker or tailor's chalk.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

9. Cut 1/2 inch away

Cut 1/2 inch away from the marks you made.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

10. Finish the raw edges of the insertion piece

Finish the raw edges of the insertion piece using the wide zigzag stitch that you used on the top edge.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

11. Pin the denim insertion piece

Pin the denim insertion piece into the opening.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

12. Change the thread in your machine

Change the thread in your machine to match your jeans and use the same wide zigzag stitch to sew the denim piece into the opening. Go slow and make sure you are catching the raw edge of the jeans. Remove the pins as you sew.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

13. Change your machine to a narrow zigzag stitch

Change your machine to a narrow zigzag stitch, but keep it on a short stitch length. Use this stitch to reattach the belt loop to the center back of your jeans.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Now you can enjoy your favorite jeans again without having to hold your breath.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Buy materials for this tutorial:

Seam ripper
Measuring tape
Sharp scissors
Washable marker
Pins

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

In This Article

Things You'll Need

Tips

Related Stories

1. Remove the center back belt loop

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2. Use a measuring tape to determine the circumference

3. Now measure around your waist or hips

4. Adjust your sewing machine to be a short stitch length and a long zigzag stitch

5. Sew across the top

6. Fold 1/2 inch of the top

7. Topstitch the top edge

8. Place the denim piece under the cut in the back

9. Cut 1/2 inch away

10. Finish the raw edges of the insertion piece

11. Pin the denim insertion piece

12. Change the thread in your machine

13. Change your machine to a narrow zigzag stitch

Buy materials for this tutorial:

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