Marie WheelerHere’s a quick and simple tute on how to hem a pant and keep the original hem intact. This comes in handy when you buy a pair of jeans or other pants and want to keep the ‘factory edge’ and not have a dorky edge that everyone knows is altered.
I like to buy a lot of my clothes online through Ebay and Athleta is one of my favorite brands. Since I don’t get to try on the style, I typically go for the long and hem up as there’s nothing worse than high-waters. Pretty slick.
Step 1: Figure out the hem length.
Put on the pants and roll the cuff to a point that you want to hem. Remember to keep track of the original hem as that will fold down. Put a pin the front to hold the hem point. Take of the pants and make sure both legs are even; pin fully if you want.
Step 2: Position the Needle.
Take care to place the needle along the original hem. The closer you are to the original hem, the less noticeable the alteration will be at the end.
Step 3: You’re Done!
This is it! If you’re still motivated, go ahead and press out the seam! If you’re like me, just put ’em on and go!
I think what I like best about this technique is that if you decide to sell the pants, you can always rip the seam and return them to the original sizing.
Last but not least…
A thought for today.
I struggled through my life to find clothes that fit by body off the rack. I don’t think I’m special or unique, but it was typically a frustrating experience to go shopping. Nothing ever fits right.
So I learned how to buy good clothes on the cheap and spend a little more to either get them altered professionally or alter them myself.
Feeling comfortable in my clothes allows me to focus on the more important things in my life, it’s freeing and gives me confidence. So think about investing in yourself too.
