OT: for those of you who sew clothes

Not if they have a fly front. If they have an all round elastic waist, you can just rip that out all round and shorten it, making a gentle dip towards the CF seam.

Fly front and a funny waistband, kind of floating with hidden elastic. Add to this slanted pockets...

Hm, I might go find a tailor and ask if they can do something (and at what price). It is worth something to me, but not too much...

Thanks, I think I'll stop trying to figure it out for myself now :-)

Hanne in DK

I was about to tell you how - and then I saw Kate's response + your saying you can't lose any width in the thigh. I have many, many times, reluctantly but successfully altered men's pants but never had to consider thigh width. Usually, a fellow in the family will buy a dress suit that fits beautifully except the crotch seam will be so long that you would expect him to get his knee hung in it, trip and break his neck. I don't know how to shorten that seam without loosing some in the thigh. Are the pants worth seeing if your dry cleaner has an expert alteration person who solve this? Polly

"Kate XXXXXX" > I've got a pair of uniform pants, unisex even. Of course, they don't

Polly,

I might try this - never hurts to ask how much it would be (if they want to do it at all).

I won't wear the pants a whole lot (short times, only occasionally, but over years), but often when I do, I want to look smart, as it is uniform - no point in imitating a sack of potatoes... I'm so disappointed in these pants, the ladies long sleeve shirt fits me just right, then why do they make only unisex pants that probably does not fit anyone???

I think I will go ask someone tomorrow if they think something reasonable can be done, and how much it would cost. Then I can decide if it is worth it.

Hanne in DK

Well............... Depends on whether or not you use the pockets, and how much trouble you want to go to. If you remove the waistband, you can do whatever to the rest of the pant top and replace the waistband. You could just remove the front part of the waistband and taper it from the sides to a lower level at the center front. This may shorten the pocket opening too much to really use though (and it may not.) Normally crotch length is adjusted at the inseam, and it depends on the curve of the inseam seam. You might be able to do a combination of both, take part of the length out at the inseam, if it is fairly curved you wouldn't lose much down the thigh. (I have done this and the "blend in to the existing seam" was only an inch or two. ) Wish I could see them in person on you, and help more. Sounds like it could be doable but not sure.

Have fun, Pati, in Phx

This is what I though of at first, Pati; but wouldn't it make the waist rather large? . In message , "Pati, in Phx" writes

Pati,

I have decided that I cannot take off the waistband - it is a complicated one, in 3 pieces (one either side of the button and one side/back - they them overlap over the front pockets with a hidden elastic band). See here:

Well, I've just pent 30 min wearing the uniform shirt, tucked in and all, and trying different pin-positions on the pants. I've decided that what (with a safetypin) seems to work best is to simply take about .5 inch at the inseam (both front and back). This also seems to be the easiest ever to sew :-) Tomorrow, I am going to simply baste it, not cut the fabric and try them on again and see what I think. If it is better, I'll sew it up properly.

To get it done professionally would cost about twice the cost of the pants in the first place...

Thanks for the advice, everyone, and the encouragement too - I prefer to sew things that should be flat :-)

Hanne > Well...............

Actually, what happens is you ease the body of the pant to the same waistband so it doesn't change the waist measurement at all. If needed you could also take in a bit at the side seams (and center back seam if you take off the whole waistband) , or add some darts/tucks/ pleats but usually there isn't that much to ease in.

Pati, > This is what I though of at first, Pati; but wouldn't it make the waist > rather large?

I see what you mean. sigh. Personally I would probably remake the whole thing with a continuous waistband made from the parts there. (I can see how to do it, but describing it in words would be tortuous. )

The fix you have outlined is the most straight forward, if you can spare the room from the back crotch length as well as the front. On the other hand, opening the inseam and taking the length off just the front or back is not really difficult. (A couple of years ago I had an article published in Sew News magazine on exactly this. It dealt with the usual "saggy seat" problem of a too long crotch, mostly in the back. But I have done the same thing with the front crotch when needed. ) Do be sure to do every possible move in the modified but uncut pants. Sit, bend, reach, squat and contort. Make sure that the back crotch seam isn't compromised. (Make your movements exaggerated, better to check every possibility, not just probability of motion.) Also be sure the center back doesn't pull too far down when you sit down. That does get uncomfortable.

Sounds like you have a good plan and should deal with it fine.

Pati, > Pati,

Ah, I see. Thanks - I was puzzling; didn't quite think it through. Of course, if you are putting the same waistband back on ... ... (shaking head here .)

I've never encountered the problem, as everything I have had to alter is because it is too short >gg< . In message , "Pati, in Phx" writes

I'm going to open the inseam and try taking the length only from the front. I won't cut anything until I have test extensively :-)

The inseam was sewn after the front/back center seams, so at least they made this job a little easier there.

Thanks aga> I see what you mean. sigh. =A0Personally I would probably remake the

After thinking about this for a week, I plugged up the courage:

I took a series of photos, pinning the pants differently, checked them on the computer and chose the better looking option. I then unpicked the inseam right at the top - it was stitched so many times, for sure no one should be able to split the pants there! I basted, then tried them one again - making all possible and impossible moves as suggested here :-) Happy, I stitched them up properly.

I took a little over 1/2 inch - I would have like to take more, but I think the waist at the sides would seem _very_ high if I'd done that. It looks much better now, not perfect but better.

Thanks again for you encouragement and guidance!

Hanne > I'm going to open the inseam and try taking the length only from the