hemming jeanswith designer style

by nancy minsky

author of “

denim revolution

: dozens of ways toturndenim cast-offs into fashion must-havesremake cast-off jeans”http://21centurydressmakers.blogspot.com

Everypair of jeans, new or old,ends with acuff, with distinctive denim details andcharacteristics. So, if jeans need to beshortedtheyshouldto be hemmedin amanner that is durable,invisible and doesnot change the style or look of the jeans.Thehemming techniqueon the followingpages isdesigned especially for denim. It isnamed

for your eyes only

due to how itblends so seamlessly, that only theseamstress knows it’s there.As you will discover, it is simple and easyto complete or, if you’re not a seamstress,thento explain, to the person who willshorten your jeans.

for your eyes only

a technique to seamlessly shorten and hem your jeans

the jean dilemma

You have a pair of jeans that have a special worn effect, and fit you perfectly in all ways, except –theyare too long and need to be hemmed. Since you certainly don’t want to walk around with a glaringly“ohh, you shortened your jeans”look, youneed ahemming techniquethat will blend seamlesslywiththeexisting, worn cuff.

the cure

The hemming technique iseasy,but different from how pants are usually hemmed. Just follow the easystepsand special notationsto achieve a beautiful alteration.

the sewing materials

-two sewing threads, one colorthat matcheswith the denim at the jean cuffonthe outside and anothercolor that matchesthe backside;-general sewing materials including: scissors, straight pins, sewing machine with a “denim sewingneedle”, a pencil or tailor’s chalk, tape measure, ruler, iron, seamripper.

step-by-step how-to-do-it

-Press your jeans.-Markthe new lengthand measure the excess.

note: A common mistake is hemming jeans too short. Keep in mind that denim is cotton and itshrinks. It takes a few wash and dry cycles before they stop shrinking and the lengthstabilizes.

-(Photo on left) Cut the cuffs off,¾”above the cufftopstitchingdetail.-Allowing fora ¾” seamallowanceon the leg, calculatethe excess(addingthe cuff,andsubtractingthe seam allowances.)Then with a ruler and tailor’schalk, mark the cutting line on theleg andcut off excess.

3-Thread your sewing machine, with the color of the right side in the needle, and theother colorin thebobbin.-With right side up, zigzag finish the raw edges on the cuff and the leg, twice around.-Trim any dangly denim threads.-Slide the cuff over the leg, align the cut edges together with right sides facingeach other. Gently easetogether so side seamsare aligned and pin.

note: Sometimes due to the amount you have shortenedyour jeans or the curve of the shape of the leg, you may need to adjust the leg shape in order for it to fit smoothly into the cuff. If this isnecessary, open the outer leg seam,pin to reshape it to fit the cuff, andre-stitch the side seamclosed.

-(Photo on left) using a zipper foot, sewwith a straight stitch and5/8’ seamallowance, just abovethe edge of theoriginal cuff.-Press seam, with seam allowance up.-(Photo on left) with right side up,topstitch¼”above the original cuff topstitching.