Thursday, January 11, 2024

Altering Knit Pants

 Hello Readers.  I found these brown knit pants at a bag sale and loved the material. They are soft but heavy enough for cool weather. I knew they wouldn't fit but I also knew how easy it is to make knits fit well.

 
Before and after. 

I knew I needed to make the pants a bit smaller so I did some measuring and figuring (Not my strongest gifts.) and then just started cutting and hoped for the best. I knew knits would be forgiving. If I cut them too small then I would have leggings. If they were loose then they would be flowy lounge pants. Either way I would be comfortable.

I used my serger to sew these new side seams. I like my serger for knits because it keeps the fabric smooth. You can also use a zigzag stitch on a sewing machine for this. If your seam is a little wavy you can steam and iron the new seam to help it lay flat. 
 
These pants seemed like a good match for the top I made from the floral dress. Knit pants are easy to alter so don't hesitate to try it. Thanks for reading along, now go make something fun for yourself.
 
 


 


2 comments:

mommy.in.austin said...

If you don't have a serger, what is your best recommendation for knits and fabric seams/edges?

I Can Work With That said...

Hello mommy.in.austin
It took me 20 years to buy a serger so you can definitely sew without one. I would use a zigzag stitch to keep the knit from fraying. Try to keep the fabric smooth as you sew. The stitches will be just as strong. The new seam may be a little "wavy". You can use an iron with steam to get the new seam to lay flat. (Check the care tag of the garment to find the temperature the iron should be for that fabric. This is more of a problem with thin knits. These lounge pants were thick/winter weight and thicker knits are easier to work with.
I hope this helps.
Chickie