Admit it; you have once bought an awesome pair of jeans only to realize that it has an extra length at the bottom. You wore it for a few days and got frustrated that it gathered dust while walking.
Yes, you have the option of hiring a tailor to hem the jeans. However, experts recommend mastering how to hem jeans at the comfort of your home. You can invest in a sewing machine and hemming essentials like pins, denim threads and sturdy needles to make the process a breeze.
Hemming jeans is easy provided you can hand sew or use sewing machines well. The process is time-consuming and daunting when starting. But you will become better with continued practice and hem old and new pair of jeans seamlessly.
There are several approaches to hemming jeans, and each one has its pros and cons. Experts say you can decide to keep the hem, cut it off or shorten it. Remember, you have to invest in the right tools for handling jeans since its materials are sturdy.
In this guide, we will look at the tools you need to hem jeans, how to hem your jeans making a new hem, and how to make frayed hem jeans among other strategies that you can use immediately.
Hemming tools not only boost speed and accuracy, but they make hemming easy. Some tools are being introduced yearly, and some of them increase efficiency while others will slow down users, so you need to be super-picky.
You can invest in the hemming gauge or the hemming measuring tool. The hem gauge is used for making accurate folds on your jeans. The hem measuring tool has measurements highlighted in inches and centimeters for getting exact measurements of hems. It has a slider that maintains the position of your jeans for repeated markings.
You will need top-stitching needles and threads. Your top-stitching threads should be extra-long and thick. You can use special threads provided they match the color of your jeans.
Experts recommend using thick and heavyweight top-stitching threads made from polyester or tough cotton. Depending on your experience, you can use a hemming clip to hold your jeans correctly while hemming.
Sewing experts say hemming clips favor both hand and machine sewing. Target clips that can grasp onto jeans tightly. Flexible curved rulers are great for measuring seams and everyone planning on drawing curved edges when making patterns.
Hemming jeans while making a new hem is super-easy with the right steps. First, identify the hemming points. Experts recommend wearing the jeans and approximating to get accurate spots to hem.
Use a marker like chalk to note the points. Next, measure and mark ½ an inch above and below the line you have drawn on both sides of your jeans. The two lines will act as your new guidelines.
Cut off the old hem using your scissors. You can keep it for future use or discard it. Fold the bottom parts of your jeans once or twice along the lines you drew earlier.
Experts advise anyone doing hand stitching to position pins along the lines they intend to stitch. Use a strong top-stitching needle and thread. Try and make straight stitches.
The time you will finish your projects depends on your stitching speed. You should invest in medium to heavyweight hand sewing needles. The invincible backstitch works well for users who love stitching by hands. Ensure you remove loose threads and iron your jeans.
The steps to hem your jeans while maintaining the original hem is unique. First, trace the area you want to hem. Wear your jeans and mark it with a piece of chalk. Start folding the bottom of the jean up to the point you marked.
You can counter check to ensure you don’t fold past the lines. Use the same measurement on the other leg of the jeans. Use three or four pins to hold your hem in position.
The pins should be in line with each other. It is recommended to use sewing machines for making perfect straight stitches. Try to make the stitches straight if you’re hand sewing.
Unfold your hem. Tuck in the excess fabrics inside your jeans though it’s likely to bulge. Next, iron your jeans to level the edges. The best thing about retaining the original hem is you can adjust the length of your jeans as you grow.
The tools you will need for fraying your jeans include scissors, tweezers, a ruler and chalk. You can also use a razor blade or a seam ripper. First, iron your jeans and counter-check its length.
Experts say you can start with one leg and transfer the measurements to the other leg using a ruler. You can make different types of frays from an inch of fringe, several inches of fringe or a raw hem.
First, determine the points you want to cut and fray. Circle the ends using your chalk. Next, cut the previous hemline to create a new edge. Fold the new edge.
You will see tiny threads. Use your tweezers or seam ripper to pull out threads horizontally from the edge. Continue pulling the threads until you get the desired outlook. You can give the edges a rough look by passing sandpaper through it.
You will need a scissor, marker, jeans needles, iron and bias tape for this procedure. First, identify the points you want to hem. You can hem your fabric a little long or short depending on your height.
Cut ½ inch wide piece of your bias tape length. Mark your hem with chalk or pen around the legs of the jeans. Mark ½ inch seam allowance and cut the excess fabrics.
Ensure your hem tape is under the hemline on the right side of your jeans. Start stitching on the top edges from the sides of the seam. Stop stitching after surpassing one inch from the position where you started then fold your tape to ¼ inch before stitching again.
Stitch the bottom sides of the tape. Switch the hem with the tape positioned on the wrong side of your jeans. Stitch 1/2 inch from the bottom edges while the tape is in position.
Hemming skinny jeans is quite challenging compared to regular jeans. The legs are so small so take more caution. First, confirm the measurement of the legs. Shorten the inseams of the jeans to fit well. Experts recommend investing in stretching needle and using backstitching.
Purchasing the right pair of jeans that fits you is daunting. It’s also time to search for a brand that makes jeans with perfect hems. But you can purchase nice-looking jeans with a wide hem and tweak it at the comfort of your home.
Remember to invest in the right tools like scissors, seam rippers, pins and bias tape. There are several approaches to hemming jeans, and this guide has everything you need, whether you’re planning to hem jeans while making a new hem or keep the original hem.
We have also covered how to hem jeans using bias tape and how you can make frayed hem jeans. The steps are beginner-friendly. The processes become more straightforward with practice, and you will soon hem your jeans like a pro.
