How to Re-Attach a Hem To Jeans
Lucky is the guy or gal who can buy jeans off the rack and immediately wear them because the length is just right. For the rest of us, the alternative is to take the denim to the tailor and fork over $15 to $25 -- or you can do it yourself.It is strongly recommended before you begin that you use an old pair of jeans (or some your child has outgrown) to practice on.
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Things You'll Need
- Old jeans (to practice on)
- Your fancy jeans that need to be hemmed
- Sewing machine
- Thread to match jeans
- Pins
- Iron
- Needle
- Thread
Instructions
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How to Re-Attach a Hem to Jeans
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1
Wash and dry jeans at least once before hemming.
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2
Cut off the original hem ½” longer than the inseam you want it to be; cut straight across with a sharp scissors.
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3
Sew the cut inseam with a single stitch. Fold ¼” to 1/3.” Start sewing in the middle of the fold. (This will be hidden when you reattach the original hem.)
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4
Cut excess off the original hem. Trim it to almost the same width as the hem itself. Do a zig-zag quick machine stitch on the raw edge to prevent fraying.
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5
Pin the original hem back on the new inseam to make sure it is not too long. To shorten, undo stitching on one end to make a long strip instead of a continuous circle. Cut off the desired amount and then hand sew the two ends back together.
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6
Place the original hem on top of the new inseam. Cover the single stitch that was sewed earlier. The original hem should be flush with the inseam.
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7
Re-attach original hem permanently. Sew on the outside. One expert suggests invisible/clear type thread on the spool and jean blue for the bobbin.
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8
Sew a single stitch above the original hem’s thread. To match the original hem’s thread color, sew directly on top of the original threading; match the stitch length.
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9
Either iron the bulk down flat and then tack it with hand stitching ... or cut off the inner inseam to about 1/4" (or less) and then to a tight zig-zag stitch around the raw edge, either with a machine or by hand.
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1
Tips & Warnings
For flared legs: Cut off the hem an inch above the stitched hemline. Measure the hem’s circumference. Measure the circumference of the jean and the desired length to be hemmed. Open the side seam of the jean several inches above where you want the jean to be hemmed. Take in the jean to the same circumference as the hem. Make the transformation gradual. Reattach the hem portion as above. If the jean leg is more than 1.5″ larger than the circumference of the hem, it is not recommended that you use this method.
Since jeans are made of a thick material that is doubled over the seam, when machine sewing, use a larger needle. You can also machine stitch the hem and leave the seam sides to be hand sewn.
Try a sample pair first. Don't risk pricey pants right off the bat.
