Is altreing trousers hard? If not, what sewing machine should I get?

October 10, 2012 10:11 AM

Can I learn to make alterations to my own pants? If so, what kind of sewing machine should I get?

I'd like to start being able to do the alterations on my trousers myself. These alterations are usually letting the waist out and hemming/cuffing. I live in Toronto, and I'd easily have to pay about $30 for each pair of trousers I need to alter.

So the first question is, are these alterations relatively easy? I'd consider myself about average/slightly above average intelligence, and pretty handy with stuff.

Secondly, what sewing machine should I get? That really highly rated Brothers one on Amazon, or a 1950s Singer? My mom has one like that (she doesn't live nearby), and I think it would be pretty awesome.

Thank you in advance for any advice.

posted by althanis to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 answers total)

I guess the headline shows why you shouldn't rush through the Preview page; sorry about that.
posted by althanis at 10:12 AM on October 10, 2012

How much are we talking about when you say "letting out the waist"? And how good does it have to look when it's done? If it's a matter of moving a button or buttonhole, that's easy and doesn't even require a sewing machine. Otherwise it can be pretty difficult and the results weird-looking.

Hemming and cuffing is easy! I always sew my hems by hand, though, because I find it easier than machine hemming. Your iron is as important (more important?) than your sewing machine for hems.
posted by mskyle at 10:21 AM on October 10, 2012

Sign up for a beginner's sewing class- they'll usually have a machine that you'll use during the class. Determine what you like or hate about it, and then go about finding a machine that fits that.

Sewing machines are pretty standard, and you can find the 1950's Singer Manual's online which will make things much easier if you go that route. (and I'd head that route)

But first, before making any investments, take a 1 day sewing class and figure out if this is something you're actually going to end up liking and then doing regularly, or if sending the pants to the drycleaner is going to end up happening regardless. (I know how to sew, and I regularly send my own hemming/alterations out- sometimes the time/cost factor doesn't work out in my favor)
posted by larthegreat at 10:21 AM on October 10, 2012

Hemming / doing cuffs is a breeze, and you can totally hem a pair of pants by hand with no problem.
posted by xingcat at 10:35 AM on October 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

If you are doing simple alterations like hemming, cuffing and letting a waist out, you can do that by hand. Actually, it would be better if you do. Hemming requires a different stitch than sewing and it will be neater and more controllable by hand if you are a novice.

I found this link. I think you will find it helpful.

I do suggest you purchase a good pair of fabric scissors and a thread removing tool which you will find quite useful in letting the waist of things out. Sometimes you can undo a line of stitches to let a waist out without the need to sew.

Happy sewing!
posted by Yellow at 10:40 AM on October 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Altering the waist beyond moving a button is a lot more work that one might think. Are there belt loops? Are you going to open the back seam and expand the rear? I'd get the old Singer--older machines are all metal and so much sturdier. Can your mother teach you?
posted by Ideefixe at 10:50 AM on October 10, 2012

Letting out a waist is not hard, I did it this summer on a '70s Singer I rebuilt myself, just remove the back belt loop, pick out the seam stitch, iron the creases out, and re-sew.
posted by nicwolff at 10:59 AM on October 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

I don't work on garments at all, so I can't speak to that part of your question. I do, however, sew on my (unbelievably fabulous) BabyLock sewing machine all the time, so I'll tackle part two:

Ugh, do not, do not, DO NOT buy that highly rated Brother sewing machine from Amazon. It gets high ratings because it has a zillion stitch variations (which most folks never actually need) and an easy drop-in bobbin, and because people review it while it's new to them. Quality-wise, though, it's an absolute POS, with plastic gears that cannot be repaired, meaning that even if you get it serviced regularly, it will slowly become more and more difficult to use as the gears wear out, it'll start snagging threads and dropping stitches, and eventually be completely useless and unfixable. This is true of all Brother machines, as well as the vast majority of Singers in the last 20 or so years.

The serious sewers I know, who love and use the hell out of their machines, all have BabyLocks or Vikings (Husqvarna). Berninas have a good reputation, but I don't know anyone who uses one. You're much, much better off getting a simple machine with all metal gears than you are getting a plastic POS with tons of stitch variants. Yes, it will be more expensive. However, your machine will last a freaking lifetime with regular services (see: your mother's ancient Singer). Track down your local sewing machine repair shop and see what they recommend.
posted by amelioration at 11:04 AM on October 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

N-thing the suggestion to do hems by hand for regular pants. However, if you want to adjust the length of jeans or khakis or other pants where the look of the hem is a significant design feature, this is a lot easier to do with a sewing machine.

I think a new BabyLock or a Viking would be more machine than you really need. If you can find an older Singer (like, 1980 or older), it would be the perfect machine for this. If you can't find one of those, I'd recommend buying a used or refurbished Viking, one that doesn't have too many computerized bits and bobs, from a reliable local sewing machine shop (or like amelioration suggested, a repair shop).
posted by OrangeDisk at 2:11 PM on October 10, 2012

Both of my sewing instructors highly recommend Pfaff machines, but in my opinion, I think you should get a secondhand machine from craigslist or a relative until you learn what features you want.

For example, some people love 4-step buttonholers because they can also use them for edging fabric; others prefer 1-step buttonholers b/c it's nearly-foolproof to sew a buttonhole with them.

If you buy a used machine from a stranger, watch out for dings/dents in the stitch plate, because they mean the needle is actually hitting the metal instead of going through the bobbin hole. It's bad news and very difficult to repair.

Regarding alterations: in general it's easier to take something in than it is to let something out; you're limited by how much fabric is left in the seam allowance. I recommend taking a sewing class or private lesson (they generally cost less per hour than a massage) and learning some general tailoring techniques. It won't take long and you'll have a good foundation on how to make alterations that look good.
posted by homodachi at 2:42 PM on October 10, 2012

I would also caution against buying a machine on brand alone; most manufacturers make machines of varying quality to hit multiple price points. For example, while others in this thread have mentioned Viking/Husqvarna as a good brand, my machine* is probably from the entry-level part of their line. It's fine and does what I need, and I've never felt I should buy a new one, but I wouldn't recommend in favor of it nor against it. It's just a sewing machine.


*I inherited it from a relative who only had it for a couple years
posted by homodachi at 2:48 PM on October 10, 2012

with plastic gears ... the vast majority of Singers in the last 20 or so years

Some older ones have the plastic gears too – my old Singer is from the 1970s and replacing the broken plastic top vertical gear was the hardest part of the rebuild I did.
posted by nicwolff at 3:32 PM on October 10, 2012

Thanks for the feedback everyone; I've signed up to do a sewing machine essentials course tomorrow night, so I'm pretty excited about it. They also have an alterations course, but it's not available soon.

So I'll do hems by hand as most everyone suggested, and use a machine for letting out. I need to let out about an inch, so half an inch per side.

Thank you for the advice about sewing machines. For some reason, there seems to be a lot of 1950's Singer sewing machines available on Craigslist and Kijiji here in Toronto, so I'll probably get one of those; it's one like what my far-away mom has.

So in summary: do hems by hand, get an older and/or more reputable sewing machine, and beware that letting pants out might be a little more difficult and take quite some time.

Thanks!
posted by althanis at 8:43 AM on October 11, 2012