Altering your own clothing is a great way to give your favorite pieces a new lease on life and save money in the process. Pants are a basic necessity of both the male and female wardrobe, useful for casual and formal occasions and the comfort of the wearer. If your pants are hanging off you in the seat, it is simple to unpick the center seam and remove some material in to give them a more snug fit and avoid an expensive outing to the tailor.

Place your pants face down on a flat surface.

Pull out the center seam running between the middle of the waistband and the crotch with your unpick device (also known as a seam ripper).

Turn your pants inside out and lay them face down on a flat surface.

Measure half an inch from the previous seam line to the left and half an inch from the previous seam line to the right. Mark each half an inch point with fabric chalk between the waistband and the crotch of the pants. Join the material together at the point you just marked and pin all the way down the seam running between the waistband and the crotch with sewing pins. The raw edge should be facing upwards.

Try the pants on to ensure you have removed enough space from the seat of the pants. Adjust the pins to provide more or less room in the seat, as necessary.

Remove any excess fabric from the seam running between the waistband and the crotch of the pants with your fabric scissors. Leave half an inch margin for the seam.

Sew the seam back together with your sewing machine making certain you follow the line of the sewing pins precisely. Sew slowly and remove the pins as you go.

Try your pants on.