How to Hem Jeans Using Tape
“Floods” may not be cool, but jeans that are too long and drag along the pavement aren’t exactly cool, either. Hem your jeans with fabric tape -- a winning method that actually makes hemming an enjoyable experience and far faster than using a needle and thread. In the end, your jeans will fit like they were intended to -- and look cool, too. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Turn the iron to “medium.”
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Turn the jeans inside out and put them on.
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Ask a helper to place a mark at the bottom of the jeans exactly where you want the hem to fall. Be sure to wear the shoes you will wear most often with the jeans, as even slight differences in heel height will affect the hem.
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Remove the jeans, and place the leg on top of the ironing board, making sure that it lies perfectly flat with no creases or folds. Fold up the hem evenly so that the tailor’s chalk mark forms the basis of the bottom edge of the jeans.
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Place the fabric tape on top of the hem and unravel it.
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Cut one piece of fabric tape to the same width as the hem. Cut a second piece for the back side.
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Tuck one piece of the fabric tape inside the folded edge (the hem) of the jeans. Using the leg seam as your guide, hold the iron over one side of the hem to fuse the tape to the fabric, then to the other side. Press the iron to the fabric; do not make sweeping motions with the iron.
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Turn the pant leg over and repeat the bonding process. Do the same on the other pant leg.
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Turn the pants right-side out, place a pressing cloth over the hem, and iron it for a finished look.
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Tips & Warnings
Once you see how simple it is to use fabric tape, you’ll probably agree that it’s worthwhile to buy a too-long pair of jeans that fit beautifully everywhere else because fabric tape makes tailoring a snap.
References
- Sewing Made Easy; Dorothy Sara
- Stitch by Stitch: Learning to Sew, One Project at a Time; Deborah Moebes
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
