With the seasons changing I am trying to prepare my little girls wardrobe for the chilly weather. Luckily a friend of mine just gifted me a whole bag of clothes that are 2T. My daughter will be 2 in Decemeber. The problem that I am having is that the pants are about an inch or two too long. How can I shorten them without rolling them up or cutting them? I don't want to cut them becuase I'm afraid she will grow and then the pants will be too short. Any ideas are appreciated!
You could probably use the double-sided hemming tape so you don't really have to sew hems in the pants and it is removable for when she gets taller and needs the extra length. Good luck!
Just roll them. They grow too fast for all that hemming and ironing tape.
Fabric tape. Or you can hem the pants without cutting off extra material and then take the hem out when needed.
I always just rolled the waistband down a time or 2, but my boys were way too skinny for their size! Another thing you can do, is roll the legs up to the INSIDE of the pant leg and tack them in place w/thread by hand. If you know how to do a blind stitch, that will work. You can do it by sewing machine too, and then just use a seam ripper to take it out when she grows! If you are near the Roanoke/Blacksburg area and need help, let me know!
There is a iron-on fabric material to use called: Iron-on Fusing Web by Singer. It joins fabrics together. I used this alot because my 12 yr daughter is constant little by little. This helps me out alot.You buy it at any drug store or supermarket. Hope this helps.
I'd suggest double sided sticky tape for hems, at a fabric store.
I use an iron on hem tape. It can be found at Target or Wal-Mart. It's two sided so and you use the steam of the iron to seal it. Since you are ironing it, you can iron a nice crease in the pants for where you want the pants to "end." The nice part is it is not permanent - it will lose it's "stickiness" after a couple of rounds in the washer and dryer. You can re-hem or leave them long. I use it for my own pants, too, because I don't know how to use the sewing machine!
I have never tried this, but it's an idea...there is a tape that you iron onto fabrics (usually to hem curtains without sewing) to shorten them. I wonder if you could do that with the pants (not sure how it holds up in the wash).
I have received many "pass-on" items for my son that were a little too big. What I've done for him (and I think it'd be ok for a girl) is cuff the pants up a bit (so that the length is good for him) and then I sew with just a touch of thread (like you were sewing a button on) to the cuff at each seam...both inside seam & outside seam. This way, the pants fit for now...and when he gets taller all I have to do is take a pair of scissors & cut the little bit of thread and fold down the cuffs! I just did this with a pair of pants the other day. I hope this makes sense!
I use that iron-on hem tape. you can iron it on to hem, then when she grows it will come right out. good luck! we all have to save money these days!
S.:
You crack me up! You are not cheap!! Kids go through clothes SOOO fast!! I wouldn't buy new - go to a thrift store and you'll be surprised at the quality of the clothes!!
Any way - you can tack the pants up. using a needle and thread fold the pants to where you want them, then sew about 4 stitches into four areas of the pants and then when she does get tall enough for them, you'll be able to easily release them.
take care!
How about using that heat activated adhesive tape? You turn up a hem with this tape inside and iron it in place to make the tape bind. Available at any sewing store.
Fold the legs up inside to the desired length and pin. I prefer to use a stitched hem rather than an iron in, because you can lengthen them easily by just ripping out the stitches. You put in a blind hem on a sewing machine, but if you do not have one, or yours cannot do a blind hem stitch, it is easy to hem by hand. On those small legs it will take no time to do, and it will look very professional. Here's a link to a video showing you how to hand sew a blind hem stitch.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/video/11362/how_to_make_...
When I was growing up, we didn't have iron on tape, and the sewing machines didn't do this stitch. So this is how I always hemmed garments. It's really not too hard, and you will feel very proud afterward!
A trick... I use Hem tape as well. However, if you use a lot of it, like glue it will stay put for a longer period of time. So I cut little pieces of it, drop them into the cuffed area and iron the little pieces in place. Its like putting 4 stitches in without the worry of getting a toe stuck in the loops of string.
U can roll up the elastic at the waist or rather roll it down. Also u can get hemming tape. Its a temporary u apply with an iron
