These pants are from the mending pile. They fit my daughter in length, but were too big in the waist. They looked like an easy fix: open up the waistband, take in the elastic, stitch the casing closed.
As I started with Mr. Seam Ripper, I noticed that there were a lot of stitches. In fact, it looked like a row of regular stitches over a serged row of stitches. What the? Then I realized there was no casing. The elastic was sewn directly into the waistband and pants.
If I took them in the correct amount on only one side, the back would look lopsided. I decided to take them in half the amount on either side, just like darts. (In hindsight, sewing darts over the elastic would have been easier!)
I got things put back together fairly well. On the hanger they look a little bunched up, but when my daughter wears them they look just fine.
Next time, I will pay closer attention to the construction before I start ripping out stitches.
What have you finished this week?
I have had the exact same problem. I hate that!
When I have encountered that I sometimes just open the side seam in the waistband area and thread new elastic right over the old.
I did an elastic waistband addition in a denim skirt that was too big, mended a pillow case and made an herbal eye pillow. Thanks for the Friday motivation!!