How to Alter Ladies Dress Pants

Dress pants are one of those things every woman should have in her closet. They are appropriate for work, church, parties, dates and most special events. Quality dress pants should keep you cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. With all the benefits of dress pants, there has to be a downside. And the downside is that dress pants often need to be altered. This article will show you how to either hem or lengthen the pant legs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tape measure
• Fabric marking tool
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Steam iron

Hemming Your Dress Pants

1. To hem the pant legs, try on the dress pants. Have a friend or tailor use a tape measure to measure up the pant legs, to where the pant legs need to fall.

2. Make a small mark where the pant legs need to be. Use a fabric marking tool to mark the pant legs.

3. Take the pants off and turn them inside out. Fold them together, leg to leg, with the inseam lined up.

4. Fold them up to the mark you made on the outside of the pant legs, and pin in place. Use a sewing machine to sew the upturned fabric.

5. Remove the pins and turn the dress pants right side out again. They should now be altered to suit your frame.

Lengthening Your Dress Pants

6. If your dress pants are too short, you will have to let out the hem at the bottom of the pant legs. Use a small pair of scissors to cut the thread on a portion of the hem.

7. Pull out the thread holding the hem. Make sure you get all the thread out.

8. Fold the fabric from inside the pant legs out and down. Press the dress pants with a steam iron to flatten the bottom of the pant legs.

Tips & Warnings

• Fold extra fabric under when measuring the pants legs for hemming. If there is a lot of fabric hanging off the pant legs, cut some off to make the pants easier to hem.