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Track Pants alterations
Skittl1321 Advanced Beginner IA USA Member since 9/9/07 Posts: 1043	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/20/12 11:34 AM I need lined track pants. I used to have 3 pairs of kids 14-16s but I've grown out of them (very sad). I have always thought I can't buy them in adult sizes, due to the zipper on the bottom (I need the zipper- it is the only way to get them off while I have ice skates on). Is there a way to shorten pants that have a zipper in the hem? Can I just cut into the zipper, rehem them, and then the hem will serve as a zipper stop?
beauturbo Advanced CA USA Member since 5/2/09 Posts: 1443	Login to reply to this post In reply to Skittl1321 Like this post Date: 1/20/12 12:28 PM If you cut them off, the hem would eventually serve as the zipper stop, in the end, once they were hemmed, but before that happened, and while you were doing that, the zipper would probably slide off the ends there, then you have got to work it back on again. Instead I would at least mark where the hem turn up was going to be, on the whole hem, open the zipper all the way, and make a temporary stop by hand sewing over and over again a few inches above the hem on each side of the zipper so it can't slide off while you were working on it. Then later after it was all re-hemmed, take your temporary stitches out. Or if not wanting to do that, at least use some sticky tape or something on both sides of the zipper instead, as a temporary measure to keep from loosing the zipper tab. Or just maybe face them with a 3 or 4 inch facing of some other fabric at the hem, and then turn that facing under for the hem. If you faced them at the hem, you could actually sew the facing to hem where you wished, without cutting anything at first, turn it under, and pin it, try on the pants and make sure you got enough zipper left to even get them over the skates. If so, then you can cut the left over hem off, and hand tack the free edge of the facing to the lining of the pants, and hand slip stitch it down to the last 3 or 4 inches of the zipper possibly. That is probably how I would do it.
Skittl1321 Advanced Beginner IA USA Member since 9/9/07 Posts: 1043	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/20/12 1:12 PM Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll buy a pair and try it. It never occurred to me before that you can just cut zippers- and yet, I've done it many times for projects!
Skittl1321 Advanced Beginner IA USA Member since 9/9/07 Posts: 1043	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/23/12 1:35 PM ARGH! It's not going to work :( I went and tried on pants at the store this weekend, and I'd be left with less than an inch of zipper. Guess I need to investigate making these from scratch.
skae   Advanced MN USA Member since 4/23/07 Posts: 2742	Login to reply to this post In reply to Skittl1321 Like this post Date: 1/23/12 1:58 PM take the zipper out and then put it back in. this is what i do for people when the rest fits and the legs are to long. ------ Galatians 5:22-23 The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these
Skittl1321 Advanced Beginner IA USA Member since 9/9/07 Posts: 1043	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/23/12 2:15 PM Clever idea! Thanks.

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