How to Make Low-Waisted Jeans High-Waisted in 3 Easy Steps

Villamor Twins
by Villamor Twins
7 Materials
30 Minutes
Easy

In this tutorial, we'll be showing you how to make low-waisted jeans high-waisted. If you have lots of different styled jeans in your closet, but have taken a specific liking to high-waisted jeans, what are you going to do with your old low-waisted jeans? You’re in the right place!


Follow this DIY high-waisted jeans tutorial to learn how to convert your low-waisted jeans into high-waisted jeans without even using a sewing machine.

Tools and materials:

  • Low-waisted jeans
  • High-waisted jeans (for measurement)
  • Pins
  • Scissors
  • Thread
  • Sewing needle
  • Fabric chalk
High waist and low waist jeans

1. Create the high-waist jeans pattern

To begin, you need the pair of low-waist jeans you are going to convert to high-waist jeans, and you need a pair of high-waist jeans for measurement. 

Folding the jeans on top of each other

Fold your low-waist jeans in half lengthwise, with the front of the jeans facing out, and place the jeans on your work surface. Now fold your high-waist jeans the same way and place them on top of the low-waist jeans, with the waistbands even.


Mark on the low-waist jeans the point where the top of the crotch on the high-waist jeans hits them.

Drawing a curve on the crotch of the jeans

Draw a curve on the low-waist jeans from the crotch mark you just made to the point at the bottom of the zipper.

Drawing on the jeans with fabric chalk

Open the jeans and draw a matching curved line on the other side of the crotch.

Cutting out the crotch of the jeans

2. Cut the new jeans at the crotch

Cut out the shape you just drew from the front of the jeans. Don’t try doing both the front and back together, because it may be too thick to cut all at once.

Cutting open the back crotch of the jeans

Once you’ve cut off the front crotch piece, trace the hole onto the back of the jeans, and cut it out there as well.

Pinning and sewing the new crotch

3. Sew up the crotch

Turn the jeans inside out and pin the new crotch opening together, making sure that you are lining up the side seams.

Hand-sewing a backstitch along the crotch

Now, hand-sew a backstitch to create the new seam. Using a backstitch will make the seam more secure.

Convert low waist to high waist jeans

How to make low-waisted jeans high-waisted tutorial

That’s it! You have converted low-waist jeans to high-waist jeans with one cut and little hand sewing. You didn’t even need to pull out a sewing machine! 


Don’t forget to leave a comment if you liked this DIY high-waisted jeans tutorial.

Suggested materials:
  • Low-waisted jeans
  • High-waisted jeans (for measurement)
  • Pins
See all materials

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