How can I take in a waistband without a sewing machine?

[AurevoirLesEnfants]

Does anyone know? I have a beautiful new boilersuit which I got in a sale. But the waist is inches too big! I could take it to a tailor, but if there's a reasonably straightforward way to do it myself, that would be better economically!

Is the waist too low? Or too big or both?

Could you cut the boiler suit in half and cut out an inch or two and then piece it back together again with a matching ribbon as a 'belt' to give definition at the waist and also disguise the seam?

Do you have a zip yard near you? Ask them how much they'd charge. if it's £16 I'd rather get a professional job done than end up throwing the suit out.

Turn it inside out. At the waistband, pinch the fabric together slightly (about 1.5cm per pinch) in four places: about 5-6 cm either side of the centre at the front and the same at the back. Secure each pinch with a pin. Then form a dart that graduates from the pinned point. If you don't mind it looking gathered, make small darts - about 4cm long. If you want it more streamlined make each dart about 8cm long and hand stitch using tiny back stitches or use a machine if you have one.

Not very good at explaining. Hope that makes sense.

That or add a big belt!

It's a bit low too actually.

I don't have a zip yard. Are they in NI? I used to live there and had one nearby. It was great.

The tailor near me is £££ with a long wait for alterations. There is another one, much cheaper, who didn't do a great job last time, but don't think it was necessarily their fault. Maybe I'll give them a go or just pay the money and go to the pricey one.

The other option is to shrink it in the wash, as it's 100% cotton.

@lunarlandscape

Turn it inside out. At the waistband, pinch the fabric together slightly (about 1.5cm per pinch) in four places: about 5-6 cm either side of the centre at the front and the same at the back. Secure each pinch with a pin. Then form a dart that graduates from the pinned point. If you don't mind it looking gathered, make small darts - about 4cm long. If you want it more streamlined make each dart about 8cm long and hand stitch using tiny back stitches or use a machine if you have one.

Not very good at explaining. Hope that makes sense.

That or add a big belt!

Oh that might work! And I could just take the darts out if it wasn't right could I?

Need a picture really,but surely with a boiler suit the waist isn't important,what about a belt

Tbh, I could get away with it the way it is, as it just looks oversized. It's honestly just too big all over, but I think the waist is the worst bit... wondering about shrinking in the wash now... but dh gave me the fear about doing that!

Oh @lunarlandscape's suggestion sounds good! I'd hold the spare fabric away from your natural waist and measure how much spare there is and if it's 10 cm but doubled material, then you can decide how many darts you want to make and divide 20 by that number and space them out. That sounds do-able. I'd do the back first and then try it on and see if you need to reduce the darts at the front/ re-calculate

If you shrink it, it won't shrink at the waist though.

Let us know how it works. Pictures please! I love a home project.

Get some broad elastic, cut to the waist size you want. Stretch it out and pin evenly along the inside of the wastband, so the cinching will be even. Tack it into place (stretched out), remove pins, then handsew each side (still stretched out) without going through to the outside of the material; there should hopefully be plenty of thickness at this point to absorb the stitches without them showing on the outside.

Remove tacking.

If doing darts, a handy trick is to put the garment on inside out and pin to fit (aim to pin a curved shape in the right place rather than just pinning a point), then take off carefully, and sew along the curves you've marked out.

Is it the Lucy and Yak Ragan by any chance? Asking because I tried and failed to shrink a bargain 2 sizes up one. Opted for a wide elasticated belt in the end

Could you get a chunky belt or one of those elasticated ones that clip together in the front - like a nurse's belt?

@Alloutofglove, it isn't the Ragan but it is a L&Y one! One of the other ones. Forget what it's called. Maybe Carmen?

I've just tried shrinking it in the wash... haven't looked at it yet. It's probably one size too big, being totally honest! But it was on offer and they didn't have my size. It is a lovely boilersuit and I love it, so really want it to fit. If the shrinking doesn't work, I'll try a belt and then maybe attempt to alter it myself 😬. Last resort, tailor.