Altering HeyDay Trousers (with Coupon!)

I know you all love the 40s-style swing trousers from HeyDay Vintage Style. But did you know that they're also super easy to alter to get a custom fit? Designer Shona Van Beers uses a classic men's tailoring technique: the back seam extends up through the waistband and has a wide seam allowance, allowing it to be taken in or let out easily. Shona was kind enough to send me a pair of her trousers in black. Like many women, my hips are a bigger ready-to-wear size than my waist. But it's easy to alter this style of trouser to fit perfectly. Just start with a size that fits you in your hips; for me, that's a UK size 14. Here's how to do the alteration! (And see the bottom of this post for a discount on HeyDay trousers.)



Put the trousers on and pin out the excess fabric at the back waistband.

Measure the amount taken out. Mine was 1/4" on either side of the seam. (This is my second alteration on these trousers so the tailoring needed was minimal. For my size 14, I ended up taking out an 1-1/2" at the waist, all told.)

Take out the pin. Here's the inside of the trousers. See the wide seam allowance at center back? (Sorry about the blurriness! Hopefully you can still see what I mean.)

Rip out the stitches holding the waistband down around the center back seam. (Ack! Blurriness! Sorry!)

Fold the center back seam allowances together, so that you're looking at the center back seam.

Now draw in the amount you need to take out with chalk, tapering down to the end of the wide part of the seam allowance.

Unpick the seam and pin it together.

Take the trousers to your machine and stitch down the chalk line, ending and back stitching when you connect with the remainder of the seam.

Now press the seam open on both sides of the trousers. It's a good idea to use a silk organza press cloth, as shown, to prevent making shiny spots on the fabric.

Now press the waistband back down and pin it into place from the outside of the trousers.

Go back to your machine and stitch in the ditch of the waistline to secure the waistband back into place. I use an edgestitch foot for this to get right into the ditch.

That's it! You now have a pair of trousers that fit you in the waist and the hips—what a novel idea!

 Now, as for that discount! Shona is offering you all 10% off a pair of her fabulous HeyDay swing trousers. Just enter the code GGBS0810 at checkout. It expires September 30th, 2010. I've personally got my eye on this tweed pair for fall. Aren't they smashing?

Thanks to Shona for the coupon and her continued support!