Sometimes there comes that terrible moment when your favorite trousers don’t fit on your hips or don’t meet at the waist. After several hours of anger and bad mood, you have to accept this fact and go to the store for new clothes. But don't rush into buying.
There are times when excess weight is a temporary phenomenon. For example, when you’ve gained a few kilograms after the holidays, but you’re already holding a gym certificate in your hands. Or when extra weight is a reason to be happy because it is associated with pregnancy. In such situations, you should act wisely and increase your clothing size in any suitable way. So what can you do with skinny pants?
Stretch
If the waistband of your jeans is literally two centimeters short, you can do without a needle and a sewing machine. This method will also be needed when jeans can be worn, but they put a lot of pressure in the abdomen and cause discomfort. Its essence is to stretch the fabric using moisture and temperature. To do this, you should wet the top of your clothes in water, and then, using an iron with steam, tighten the belt.
You need to be very careful not to damage the fabric.
By repeating these steps several times, you can achieve the desired effect.
Stretching
Now you need to consider more gentle ways to increase your trouser size at home. The methods will help if you need to stretch the products not much at all.
If the fabric is stretchy, you can use physical effort to pull it towards you.
Spraying
The procedure requires a spray bottle; clean warm water is poured into it. Then the belt is wetted inside and out. The material must be saturated with water. Using smooth movements, stretch the belt, but do not touch the material where there are abrasions, otherwise it can be torn. After drying, the result is checked with a centimeter.
Any sprayer will do
Soak
This option is quite simple, but at the same time it gives the desired result. Sequencing:
- Put on pants, fasten all the zippers, buttons and zippers.
- The bath is filled with warm water.
- They dip into it and stay for a while. Hands carefully pull the pants in the area of the waist, hips and inner seam. The problem area is treated for 10 minutes.
- After 15 min. the fabric will begin to stretch.
- After leaving the bathroom, do not take off your trousers for 10 minutes. During this time they will dry out a little.
- Do several physical exercises aimed at stretching.
- Take off your pants and hang them to dry completely.
- The product is put on again, but in dry form.
- Repeat several exercises. If necessary, the algorithm of actions is duplicated until the trousers increase in size.
You'll be able to stretch your stretch pants the first time.
Another option for soaking clothes is done using vodka. The method increases the elasticity of the fabric and straightens the fibers. What you need to prepare:
- water - 5 l;
- vodka - 1 tbsp. l.;
- ammonia - 3 tbsp. l.
How to widen your trousers:
- Pour warm water into a basin.
- Add all ingredients and mix.
- Immerse the product in the solution and leave for 40 minutes.
- Then squeeze, rinse, hang to dry.
Dry mechanical stretching
This method is the simplest. You will need to put on pants and actively move in them. You can jump, squat, run. The product must be thoroughly disassembled. Dry mechanical stretching works if there is a slight shrinkage of cotton pants after washing. Excessively dried fabric wrinkles, but it can be easily returned to its original state.
Squats will help you effectively stretch your pants.
For the first 10 minutes, a person will feel obvious discomfort. Moving in tight pants is not easy. But the material will soon stretch, and the product will fit exactly to your figure. Exercises include squats, bicycle, scissors, and leg swings. Some people come up with different options for extenders that, without sewing, will help make pants looser in the waistband.
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Creative ways to expand products
Things not only shrink after washing, but also become small if a person has gained weight. There is no need to rush to throw away your pants. They are expanded with the help of different inserts and stripes. There are also alternative solutions when it is necessary to increase the size of your pants by just a few millimeters. These include soaking, spraying problem areas with a spray bottle, and special devices for stretching.
Extend the clasp
This option will be especially useful for pregnant women for whom a tight button presses into the stomach. His idea is to extend a regular fastener with an elastic band. To do this, you should buy 5-10 cm of special belt tape with holes. On one side of this cut you need to sew a button of the required size, and then attach the device as in the photo.
The only disadvantage of this method is that you have to hide the elastic under long clothes.
Method number 4. ironing
The normal ironing process when using the “Steam” option will help to increase the size of the product in the waist and hips area. Moist hot air and steam will heat the fabric and allow it to stretch:
- To achieve maximum effectiveness, wear warm pants and walk around the house in them a little.
- If you want to stretch your trouser leg, place gauze on the damp trouser leg and pull the jeans. At the same time, stretch the fabric with your hands and immediately run the iron over it. Important! This method allows you to stretch clothes by 3-4 cm in length.
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Make inserts
If you need to increase the width of your trousers by ten centimeters, you can insert triangular wedges into the waistband. Depending on the desired result, they will be large or completely invisible. They can also be hidden under belt loops or turned into bright decor in the pocket area. Both thick material and stretch material of any color and pattern are suitable for this. You can also use a very wide elastic band so that the size can be easily adjusted to your figure.
To make the work look neat, you should cut out a fabric diamond and then sew it folded onto the cut site.
How to hide a big belly
Not all women have a thin waist and a flat tummy. If you have a big belly, it is best to buy maternity pants. What to do if you have already bought the trousers, but your belly has increased? They can also be expanded.
In the trouser model you need to insert a fairly large piece of knitted fabric to match the color of the product. Knitwear should be dense, but have good stretch. The work is delicate, so it can be done by experienced seamstresses, but novice seamstresses can also try it.
- Rip out the side seams.
- In front, cut a piece of fabric from one seam to the other.
- Apply the cut piece to the knitwear. Trace with chalk, making seam allowances.
- Baste and stitch with a zigzag.
- Insert an elastic band on top.
Finally: ideas on how to embroider trousers will definitely help you preserve your favorite item and not reduce your household budget.
Sew stripes
The method with side inserts will allow you not only to prolong the life of your favorite trousers, but also to make them fashionable. Therefore, it will also be useful for those people who do not need to increase their size, but want to show their individuality through their appearance.
You should open the side seams and insert a long strip of fabric there. Focusing on your own style, you can use a ribbon with longitudinal stripes or lace fabric. For classic clothes, you should take a piece of fabric similar to the main one.
How to sew a gusset
You can increase the size of your home sweatpants by sewing in a gusset:
- Cut out a rhombus from a plain material. Approximate dimensions: 20-25 cm in length and 5-7 cm in width.
- Open the crotch seam to a length slightly less than the length of the insert.
- Baste the gusset on one side, then machine sew.
- Do the same manipulation with the other side of the gusset.
You can also increase your trousers by one size (for example, from 48 to 50). Embroidering men's classic trousers:
- Rip the grosgrain tape in the area of the step, under which there is a seam that goes from the main fabric of the trouser leg to the part at the waist.
- On the seam allowance, mark the new seam that is needed to increase the size.
- Lay a new one from the chalk mark.
- Next, undo the old machine stitching, remove the threads, smooth it out, and re-sew the grosgrain ribbon.
Change belt
There are times when jeans stretch well at the hips, but the tight waistband makes it difficult to fasten them. Then this piece of clothing can be completely removed. The role of a belt and fastener can be performed by a wide ribbon, a thin shawl or other fabric, which should be attached to the main part in a circle.
This option looks especially good on summer trousers and shorts, when denim or linen is combined with a light floral print. For the convenience of a pregnant woman, a large piece of jersey with a tie at the top should be inserted, which will completely cover the belly.
For each of these methods, it is worth using a sewing machine to ensure that the product is neat and the seams are secure.
The existence of many options proves that trousers that are too small are not a reason to spend money, but a reason to use ingenuity.
Stretching trousers after washing
Many people are familiar with the situation when their pants shrink after washing. It’s not clear what to do in this case, because you really don’t want to throw away the whole product. Of course, if the pants get too long and start to look more like breeches, there’s nothing you can do about it. But if after washing the product has simply become a little narrow, a few tips will help to stretch it. For example:
- Don't wait for it to dry completely. As you know, many modern fabrics have the ability to stretch when worn. If you put on something that is still wet and wait until it dries on your body, then you will have no problems putting on your favorite trousers until the next wash.
- Steam the product. To do this, you don’t have to buy a special steamer or use an iron; just fill the bathtub with hot water and hang your pants over it for half an hour. You can also place them in a steam shower. The method has been tested by many and works 100%.
- Use a special expander when drying. If this is not available, a regular stick will do, which is inserted into the waistband of wet, buttoned jeans and left until completely dry. Thus, the expander will simply prevent the fabric from drying out, and putting on the product will be much easier.
Thus, with the help of these small tricks and ingenuity, you can not only extend the life of your favorite trousers, but also significantly save your family budget.
