denim, denim and more denim

The sewing room was an organized mad house this morning while  I belted out project after project of alterations.  I don't think you can belt out work.  Songs, yes.  Work, no.  Maybe the phrase "git-r-done" is more suitable.  giggles.  I don't ever use that phrase, it sounds so gross and hillbilly.  There's a difference in being country and hillbilly.  If only but to me.  Although I do know plenty of people who still use the phrase "git-r-done" and that's alright too.  I still love 'em just the same.  I'm rambling...
 
In preparation for our upcoming road trip.  I wanted to check some things off my list.  Altering all things denim being one of them.  Here stands the leaning tower of denim...5 pairs of jeans, 2 skirts and a pair of jeans converted to skinnys.
 

 
I used this tutorial for the conversion and they were pretty simple to make.  I changed up a few things, but I still like to have something to go by so I don't mentally flip out because I've forgotten something or other.  My skinnys aren't skin-tight.  Close, but because I am over the age of 25 I don't even try to pull off those stunts!  I'm happy with the way they turned out.  They'll go perfectly with the new pairs of boots I've ordered. 
 

 
"Why", you ask, do I have so many jeans to alter?  Well, it goes a little something like this...I can buy jeans all day long that fit in the butt but, never fit in the waist or are long enough.  Flisa says I'm lucky like that because she inherited "the pancake butt".  I laugh and tell her she's crazy, ain't nothin wrong with her booty!  Anyway, I have a SUPER hard time finding jeans that fit right at all, but if they're long enough, I can work with 'em.  Guess I'm just a weird size, 5'9" and I'm not a 4 or a 6.  I'm in-between.  With that being said, I take in the waist and sometimes just a little bit through the leg and alls fine and dandy in the world again.
 
Here are a few examples, it's "seamingly" painless.  wink.
 

 

Taking in the leg isn't hard either.  With right sides facing out, find the two seams on the pant leg, figure out which one is less "decorative" and take in the other (which ended up being the seam facing outward on each leg.)

 

See this one?  Not so fancy...just a regular seam. 

 

 

Now, see this one?  That's a flat felled seam, friends, and I, for one, don't wanna will not touch that sucker with a ten foot pole.  It gives me the willies! 

 

 

Here's where you pick your stitch and stitch length...I chose a simple straight basting stitch.

 

Now, if you're impatient like me, you tend to ramp that sucker up and lengthen it out to get the most bang for your buck cuz time is precious baby!  See?  Now, it's at a stitch length of 4.5 instead of 2.5.  Ignore the rest, it's hogwash!  (OK, not really, just for this little project.)

 

***Now, before you start sewing ANYTHING, you want to try them on inside out and either pin or grab them up with your fingers and make a mental note of how much you need to take in.  Don't go crazy, you can always go back and take more without ripping out all the work you just did.  (It's actually easier that way, just stitch parallel to your previous go.)

 

I like to start just under the pocket (or below a grommet.)  (It's also possible to start up higher, I just didn't on this pair.)

 

 

Sew on down til you get maybe 6 inches or so from the bottom. 

Pardon me while I go lotion my crackly hands, thankyouverymuch.



 

Now, taper on over until you've met the original seam. (My machine ties knots, so I just hit the STOP & FIX buttons and I'm good to go.)

 

Once you've turned your pants right sides out, it may look a little wonky.  Don't worry, you're trusty ol' iron will do the trick.  You'll have to press the seam flat.  Now, try on your pants!  Woohoo!  You should be in business!