Chrissy Weeks, Sewn Stuff: How to hem jeans.

A few days ago I decided that I was feeling frumpy. Then I decided that the solution would be just a good old day of wearing jeans and a white shirt. Much to my dismay my only pair of decent jeans was dirty and I do not have a plain white shirt that fits.

So I went shopping. I tried on jeans at every store in the mall from $40.00 to $269.00 and none of them fit right. I also tried on white shirts in about the same prices range and none of them fit either. But me solving the white shirt problem is a whole other blog topic.

On the way home from the nice fancy mall I was feeling a little sad and sorry for myself. I realized I had about an hour before I had to pick up my daughter so I stopped at Marshall's since there is a new one by my house I had not been to yet.

Now why do I have such trouble finding jeans that fit? Well don't most women? My main problem is that I have legs and hips that are much bigger than my waist. I could go over all the issues but it is much more exciting that I found some jeans that fit! And they were only $13.99. So I bought 2 pairs, one pair to leave long and wear with heels. The second pair to be hemmed to wear with flats.

When I got the jeans home I inspected them to figure out why they fit so well. I discovered that there is several little darts around the waist that make the waist much smaller than the hips. There are 3 darts above each back pocket and one dart on each side on the front.

But as well as they fit they were too long. I am 5'4 so I am right between petite and regular and therefore I have to hem pretty much everything I buy. So how do I hem jeans? You will start working on them on the right side.

Step 1. Measure a pair of jeans that you have and love and use that number to measure and mark the inseam of your new jeans.

Step 2. Fold the jeans under and try them on to make sure that the length you have chosen is right.

Step 3. Measure the base of your jeans up to the mark you have made. My new jeans needed to be 29" and there was an inch and a half that needed to be taken off. I measured 1.5" up and marked all the way around.

Step 4. Cut off the current hem. I know this can be scary especially if your jeans cost more than $13.99, so if you have never done this you may want to try on a cheap pair or a pair from you give away pile.

Step 5. Fold jeans under at the mark line and press. I use lots and lots of steam on the hottest setting possible.

Step 6. Turn your jeans inside out and fold your new hem in half and press the heck out of it.

Step 7. Get your machine ready. My new jeans have that heavy yellow thread so that is what I am using so they keep the same look. But since it is a heavy thread DO NOT USE IT AS YOUR TOP THREAD. Only use this thread as bobbin thread. Then I use dark denim colored thread as the top thread.