IF she wears her shirt out over the waist band she can do what I did when I was expecting!! I'd put one end of a rubber band thru the button hole & then hook both ends of the rubber band on the button on the waist band! Lots of luck figuring out how to add to a pair of jeans waist band!

A size 4 comes with a gut? I guess I'll never know.

The pic is taking some time to come through, ho hum. Once upon a time for pregnant bellies, there was a gusset sold (or easy enough to make) that would have a button on one side and a loop on the other to slip just under the zip and attach to the button & buttonhole, but one'd need to wear a long shirt over it :) There has been similar mentioned here, I think, to fill in the low fronted v-necked shirts for modesty and to attach to bra straps.

I'd take the jeans back and get a different style. After I'd tried them on in the store.

I would tell her to take them back and get some that fit her. otherwise I have used the elastic band method when my clothes "shrink in the cupboard" lol.

Some things just can't be done. I would tell her the same thing-take them back and buy some that fit better.

Don't you just love fiends & neighbours that expect you to work miracles ! Other than putting an elastic insert (as in maternity jeans) & wear long tops to cover, I too would go and buy a pair that fits.

A friend's husband asked me to do this for his pants. I cut stright through the waistband on each side at the seam, then opened the seam for about 3 inches. I inserted a piece of black 3"wide elastic about 5" long. I matched the top edge with the waist band, zigzaged over the waistband area and stitched down in a v shape on the side seams. WOrked for him! LInda

Take the jeans out of the dryer while they are still damp, put them on and wear them until they are dry. You can also iron them while stretching the fabric. The steam and pulling on the fabric helps expand the fibers.

Here is a picture.

Please look at kathyruddy.com . I saw her presentation at the Atlanta the quilt and sew expo and she addressed the exact problem.

I basically did what linda8450 did except I did two openings on the back 1/2 way between the side and back seam and then added a piece of jeans into the V. It was for a 5 year old.
Have fun, Debra

I too did what Linda 8450 did 50 yrs ago when I was pregnant and wanted to keep wearing the pants I was wearing to work. Had to wear uniform black pants with white overblouse. It worked for me. done it lots of times since for others who outgrew their pants/Lillian

I am probably being really stupid but have not a clue what a size 4 is. Here in SA our sizes are from 8 - 20. Please enlighten me. Sarah.

take the jeans and lie them with the side seam uppermost, undo the side seams on both legs from top to knee area. make sure that both side openings match.
you now need some one inch wide tape and sew it along the raw edges of the seams on both legs. Fold and press the tape under and sew it down along the free edge onto the inside of the jeans, tapering it of at the knee join
next you will need a set of eyelet pliers and sme fancy eyelets, place equal distances apart along all four of the taped adges matching them side by side.
you can now thread laces through the eyelets so that they close like shoe laces do.
your friend is now told that this it the latest invention for recycling those jeans that shrink too much in the wash as they are simply laced to fit her own bodysize and if she over indulges at her next meal then all she needs to do is let out the laces a little.
you an vamp the jeans up by putting sequined panels under the laces.
i hope this helps with her dilema
the alternative is to make a nice tote and purse from the original jeans and purchase a newer pair that fit better.
annie in the uk.
PS this idea is not mine but one used by my very trendy daughter when she was in her teens. she slit the jeans all the way down and went to a rocky horror show wearing them and a basque.
i was away on a training course at the time so she got away with it. My daughter used a pair of my new jeans instead of one of her own old ones as we were then the same size and she loved her old old ones too much to cut them up.

I was thinking along the lines of when the pants were too big - you would put a dart in - above each of the back pockets - but in this case - you would add demim - but I also read about the Kathy Ruddy solution - so here is the direct link for that - too bad she hasn't come up with demin color elastic for this:

I remember a colleague who while pregnant kept wearing her jeans as she didnt do the zip up but wore braces to hold them up. Have fun with the job, its one I would refuse to do