Taking up trousers!! Help!!

Discussion of all things non-11 Plus related

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

coolmum123
Posts: 271
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:18 pm

Taking up trousers!! Help!!

Post by coolmum123 »

Hello everyone,

I am not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination and I need some guidance please.

My son will be starting yr7 in Sept and his school uniform trousers are about 1.5 inches too long - is it really just a case of wonderwebbing them to the right length? It's just that if he grows will I be able to let the hem down and won't there be a permanent crease on the bottom or should I not care about that?

Waiting in anticpation for your replies

Thanks and regards
Coolmum
Greta2
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:21 am

Post by Greta2 »

Personally I am not sure wonder web would have withstood the way my son treats his trousers!

I would turn up by the amount needed, iron it into place and then sew the seam. The stitching doesn’t need to be great, just strong! If you then need to lengthen it again, unpick your turned up version and then wash the trousers – this should do a fair job of getting out the crease if you are lucky.

Another option is to buy the trousers so that they fit at his waist and wait from him to develop the trend of gradually lowering them to half way down his boxers – the first year trousers lasted longer than I expected this way. :lol:
coolmum123
Posts: 271
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:18 pm

Post by coolmum123 »

:lol: Your second suggestion really made me chuckle!! Thanks for that - will do as you suggested!!

regards
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

Glad someone has posted this. I have bought navy cords and they are also far too long. If I turn them up will they leave an obvious mark because they are cords? I was thinking that if that was the case then I could die them navy if there was a line when I came to alter them again. They were pretty expensive and as I HATE sewing on name tapes I would really like them to last!
sp
Posts: 379
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: groombridge, e.sussex

Post by sp »

Just a suggestion but make sure you wash them before taking up! Be a shame to have to let down straight away!
andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

I have had to turn DS's new trousers up - I did them on the sewing machine after washing them. I haven't ironed the new hem and hope that when it comes to letting them down there won't be a mark. Nobody's going to be looking at his ankles anyway - are they? Slightly trickier was turning up the sleeves of his blazer - I did that by hand and it took a couple of attempts to get it OK.
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Post by surreymum »

Just be grateful your sons trousers last long enough to worry about letting the hems down-ours always have huge holes in the knees within a few weeks. When do they grow out of that? :lol:
coolmum123
Posts: 271
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:18 pm

Post by coolmum123 »

The other thing is he is complaining that the trousers are 'itchy' I'm assuming it's because they are new so if I give them a wash will they be okay or do I need to go and exchange them? If someone can advise re this I'd be grateful as I won't be doing any wonderwebbing till I know for sure!!

ta v muchly!! :D
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

I would return them, CM123. In my experience, once they develop a "Bug Bear" about an item of uniform or clothing, it tends to stick. Once you have washed them you can't return them.

We use M&S trousers because they have three different lengths, along with several different styles that seem to come in slightly varying lengths, and the waistbands are adjustable. As long as you get the length right, the rest sorts itself out for the most part.

As a fairly able seamstress, I have to say that letting down trousers always, always leaves a mark. The first hem inevitably gets scuffed and faded, and it shows up when you let them down. On some items it is perhaps tolerable, such as cricket whites, but it will show up quite badly on cords, Tipsy.

Also, Wundaweb is not a permanent solution - it often gives out after a couple of washes/wears.

(Sorry to all those not proficient with a needle and thread! :( )
coolmum123
Posts: 271
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:18 pm

Post by coolmum123 »

You know I swear by M&S and John Lewis trousers but unfortunately for me DS's uniform is a 'suit' for wich the jacket can only be obtained from the school uniform shop so as it's his first year I wanted to make sure that the trousers matched exactly (it's me being fussy - I know!!) will go back tot eh school uniform shop and exchange the trousers tomorrow - I hate uniform shopping!!!!! :D
Post Reply