How to Do a Hem on a Mink Jacket

Use a thin No. 8 needle to hem a mink jacket.

You execute a hem on a mink jacket in much the same way you would for other garments. The process begins by crafting and creasing the hem; you then sew the hem into place with a durable stitch. Be sure to match the color of the thread you'll use to your jacket. Mink pelts are thicker than other materials used for jackets. Several tips can compensate for this: double-thread your needle, work meticulously, and create stitches that are close together.

Things You'll Need

• Chalk
• Iron-on interfacing
• Leather glue
• Roller
• No. 8 needle
• Thread
• Thimble

Instructions

Preparing the Hem

1. Measure how much you'd like to shorten the jacket's sleeves; take note of this measurement.

2. Cut open the lining of the jacket at its wrist. With a piece of chalk, draw where you just measured to shorten the sleeves.

3. Draw an additional line marking where to turn the new sleeve in. A good estimate for the placement of this mark is 1 and 1/2 inches away from the original measurement, toward the shoulder of the jacket.

4. Mark another line on which you'll align the cut edge. A half inch away from the original measurement toward the sleeve's end is an ideal position.

5. Iron on a 1-inch wide length of interfacing, long enough to fully surround the sleeve, right above the line that you marked in Step 4. The interfacing preempts stretching on the jacket and helps you create a crisper hem.

6. Apply a thin layer of leather glue between the lines you made in Steps 2 and 3. Allow the glue to fully dry.

7. Fold your new hem line. Your sleeve's new crease should fall on the line you marked in Step 2. Sharpen this crease by smoothing it down with a roller.

Stitching the Hem

1. Examine the preexisting lining on your jacket. If you have experience in sewing, you can attempt to replicate this stitch onto your new sleeve.

2. Double-thread a No. 8 needle in preparation for a hem stitch, ideal for sewing novices. Place a thimble on your dominant hand's middle finger.

3. "Baste" the needle along the sleeve's new hem. Create stitches 1/4 inch apart that run 1/8 of an inch away from the hem's edge. Cut and trim the thread when done. Rethread your needle with a double thread.

4. Hold the sleeve upright with your nondominant hand with your thumb and fingers, with your thumb on top. Run the needle through the hem's edge. Pull it through, but let one inch of the thread remain under the hem. Hold this line of thread securely in the hem with your fingers and thumb.

5. Angle the needle in your dominant hand toward the opposite shoulder. If you're left handed, point the needle toward your right shoulder, for instance. Pass the needle through the sleeve under the hem's edge, forming a slanted stitch. In the exact same way, create another stitch, positioned 1/16 inch away from the first stitch.

6. Complete this stitching pattern along the sleeve. Cut, tie, and trim the thread when complete.

References

• The {NewNew}: Wardrobe Refashion: How to Hem a Leather Garment
• Chest of Books: Lesson 3. The Hemming Stitch
• Home Sewing Projects: Invisible and Decorative Hems

Resources

• WorthPoint: How to Repair Vintage Fur Yourself