Pear shaped body

Pear shaped body or triangle

Our body shapes are all different, and one of the challenges with pear shaped people is having their clothes fit at the waist, but comfortable over the hip.  Rather than take in the sides or center back seam, consider putting darts in the back.  If there is a waist band, unpick the band about 10 cm (4”) either side of the center back seam.  Sew darts about 5 cm (2”) either side of the center back seam.  Take in the band the amount you have taken in as darts in the center back band.  Open out the seam by cutting in the center, so that the seam sits flat in the band.

Iron your darts flat and iron the seam flat in the band.  Rejoin the band.  If the person has a particularly small waist, do the same at the front, but in this case you should undo the band all the way around to the front darts, but take the excess out of the band at the centre back.

Hint – If you want to make sure you have the seam join on the same position as the center back seam, when you unpick at the start, place a nick in the band top and bottom.  Then when you fold the band over to take in, fold at the nicks.  Your seam will be in the centre.

Happy altering
Judith aka genie