July 18, 2011

Granny Chic Week day 1: slouchy to high waisted


Here we are at the first day of Granny Chic Week and I'm starting off with some old lady polyester elastic waisted pants and turned them into high waisted pleated pants. I actually grabbed these at the swap meetup party I cohosted, knowing exactly what I wanted to do with them. I was SO happy to see them turnout and I LOVE them!! Despite my husband hating them I'm totally going to wear them around town!

We can just consider Beck a model too, with his hair up in a pony tail and his bright red stained Popsicle mouth, he is a natural. I think he is thinking in the last photo "what is she wearing?!"  

   bottoms: swaped   shoes: guess  Necklace: mom/dad gift   belt: thrifted

Supplies:
old lady pants
sewing machine or needle and thread
thread
scissors
flexible measuring tape
pins
marking pen or chalk




Instructions:


1. Seam rip out elastic waist band.
2. Iron out the old creases to make the fabric nice and flat. 
3. Hem the top of the pant's waistband under at least 3/4 of an inch to an inch, to make it pretty inside you can sew under a quarter of an inch first, then the 3/4 of an inch to an inch.
4. Measure elastic that was just taken out from one side to another, making sure it is at your natural waist. Then sew the elastic into the back waist of the pants (just the back, from one side to another) with a zig zig stitch. To do this, you must pin the ends of the elastic at each side of the pant's waist, then stretch the elastic so it is flat with the waistband of the pants and sew a zig zag stitch or a wide straight stitch. I sewed  a zig zag stitch both on the bottom and top of the elastic.
5. Make the pleats with pins, iron down the pleats, then top stitch them down a few inches starting at the top.
6. If the butt of the pants is too big, then take it in at the butt seam by turning them inside out and sewing in as needed at the butt line.
7. Skinny up the legs by turning them inside out, putting them on, and pinning or marking them to the skinniness you desire, then sew! Done! 

30 comments:

  1. I love this so much! You make it look so easy. I need to hit a thrift store soon to see if I can snag some granny slacks for myself!

    Rebecca {hearts} SLC

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  2. This is the first one I've seen on pants. This is awesome.

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  3. You've got a good eye. If I had seen those pants at a thrift store I would have walked right past them. But they turned out so cute!

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  4. these pants are beautiful, well done!!

    -renee
    www.bettycrockettrocknroll.blogspot.com

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  5. Great idea! Definitely trying tihs outnext time with soem granny pants

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  6. Lovely! Despite what your husband thinks, they look great! And you're my inspiration to NOT cut my hair! It's getting long and just in the way! So now every time I want to cut it all I have to do is see a fabulous photo of your hair and think "just let it grow!"!

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  7. Love those pants. So fab.

    C x
    http://memiorsofalittlethingcalledlife.blogspot.com

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  8. These are just awesome. You are so amazing.

    Michelle

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  9. Wow! I am impressed, I wish I could sew!

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  10. instantly obsessed with those pants.

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  11. i have the same pair of granny pants in tan that were destined for this EXACT makeover!!! i am so beyond glad that i dont have to figure it out by my self! you are so chic it kills me! i think i need to de-granny my pants tonight!

    ~selina

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  12. Liz!!! Are you freaking kidding ME! so. uh. mazing.

    oh yeah

    you are hot.

    just sayin.

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  13. Phwee woot wee!!! It's the colour that's smaahing! The orangey pinkish hue is so apt for summer!

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  14. beautiful! haha i bet that girl who brought those pants to the swap wants them back now :]

    AlphabetSoup Style

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  15. super cute!!!! love how you turne them into high waisted pants...they look great on you

    Rebecca
    myaestheticstyle.blogspot.com

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  16. great idea ! I love the colour ; ) I cannot understand your husband - they are gorgeous!

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  17. i think this is lovely!!! ignore what your husband said!! :D

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  18. it very vintage..i like it so much!!!

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  19. I love this idea of changing the tops of trousers to make them work better. I'll have to have a search through the clothes I don't wear much to see what I can do this too. You've inspired me!
    Thanks, Claire

    hop over and say hi to me at http://handmadebyclairebear.com

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  20. These are amazing. I would love to feature this on Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle. Feel free to stop by and grab a featured button. Thanks!

    http://reuseandupcycle.blogspot.com

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  22. Amazing. So impressed with your eye for fashion and ability to knock it out of the park. I LOVE THESE PANTS! You are a woman after my own heart! My girlfriend in Utah (my childhood stomping grounds) referred me to your blog. I've been living in LA for the past 12 years, a former actress turned stylist, and now run two blogs that center so much around thrifted and vintage fashion. One of my partnered blogs is called Secondhand Star where we do exactly this sort of thing. I'd love for you to check it out, along with my fashion/lifestyle blog November Grey, where I do a lot of co-modeling with my toddler too. ;)

    Happy to have found you and would love to collaborate in some way soon! xx

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  23. How can i do them from the beginning.

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  24. oh lovely dear! I am just like you, mormon and have a passion for fashion. Do tell me where you got that beautiful shirt!

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  25. Because I don't have my mom here that I have no one to alter my clothes when it comes to a bit of a difficult altering so I had to donate back the granny pants that I bought last month. Now I have an idea so I will be looking forward to buying more granny pants. hahaha... :) Thank you so much!

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  27. I have tried on pants that fit fine in the waist and front, but the butt area was baggy and so was the area running down the back of the leg. Flapping in the wind. Now I know how to fix that. Put them on inside out and pin them! Thank you!

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  28. This is exactly what I needed to make myself some steampunk pants! Thankyou!

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