Hemming jeans with the original hem

A waistband too loose or tight is altered by taking in or letting out the side seams, adding elastic panels, or moving buttons and hooks. Check the fix doesn't distort the closure or shape.

Shoulder seams sitting too wide or narrow, throwing off where the sleeve cap falls, are corrected by unpicking the shoulder and sleeve, moving the seam, and reattaching the sleeve to the adjusted armhole.

Blending two adjacent pattern sizes, such as a smaller bust with a larger waist, is done by tracing each size's line at the relevant area and drawing a smooth curve connecting them across the piece.

Extending sleeves that fall short requires a deeper hem let down, an added cuff, or a contrasting fabric extension at the wrist. Check there's enough hem allowance before promising extra length.

Reducing a garment that's too loose is done by pinning out excess at the side seams or darts while worn, then restitching those seams narrower and trimming the extra allowance away.