OT hemming trousers

I picked up some gorgeous trousers today at the Macy's one day sale, smart black ones, an absolute perfect fit at waist and hips (unusual for me!), but several inches too long, but with an original price of over 100 dollars and a sale price of 19.99, I bought them. I'd prefer to shorten them myself, though if it seems like a bad idea, there are places I can take them. I think I know what to do, but I wondered if anyone could give tips/point out common pitfalls, I'm suspecting it will be a hand sewing job as I think it would pucker on the machine. There is also a lining, but it's completely separate at the bottom, so it's just like doing two pairs!

Anne

Reply to
Anne Rogers
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So you have a pair of perfect $100 pants, with a lining, that need hemming and you have never hemmed a pair of pants before.

Anne, it really is worth it to have them altered by a professional rather than doing it yourself. Debra in VA See my quilts at

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Reply to
Debra

Well, gee, it's completely obvious to me..... buy taller heeled shoes! It'll make your butt look good and save the hemming hassle and shopping for shoes is *such* a joy! (NOT for *me* says this 5'3" size 11N shoes quilter- ugh!!!) Maybe Macy's is also having a shoe sale for the vertically challenged gals??? LOL

Leslie, The Not-So-Helpful & The Nutzo Furbabies in MO

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

my years of alterations/tailoring experience do come in handy.

Try on trousers with appropriate shoes. Pin up hem front and back, of both legs. make sure they are even. (Best to have someone pin them for you. If you can stand on something flat that raises you above the floor that is best. Decide, ahead of time if front or back length is most important to you. Take off trousers and prepare to mark.

First put a pin exactly through the fold-up line. this is the new finished length. On all four places, front and back of both legs. Make a mark along pin, chalk of some sort it best. The part of the pin under the fabric will allow you to make a fairly sharp mark. Remove pins and lay pants down with seams all together. Like you were going to put them on a pants hanger. Inseams should line up and outseams should be on top and bottom of inseams. Smooth, including lining. (Lining needs to be hemmed a bit shorter than outside, so you can cut all at once when you get there. ) Now is the tricky bit, because most of us are not even, one leg is a bit longer than the other, one hip a bit higher, etc. This is why you mark both legs. Carefully match the marks at front or back (which ever is the "most important"). Chances are the other marks are not lined up exactly, that is okay. Now, use a straight ruler, like one of your quilting rulers. Lay it so that the edge is on the mark, bulk of the ruler above the mark and the seam line of the pants is perpendicular to the edge of the ruler. The front mark should be a bit higher than the back mark, about 1/2" most of the time. This allows the pants to hang properly and give you coverage of the heel, but not too much "break" over the instep. If your "other" mark is too much farther off the 1/2" you will need to adjust it. Unless the bottom of the pant leg is large you can't really do a good hem with more than this slant. Adjust ruler and mark along the edge with a chalk. This is the hem line. Do not move ruler, lift up and carefully mark other side of same pant leg as you also mark the under leg along the same line. Then move ruler to under leg, lay it along the line just marked, and lift and mark the under side of that leg. Position pants back to the way they were when you made the first mark, making sure you are on a cutting mat, move your ruler so that you have the hem marking at the 2" line, both legs lined up so the hem lines are "together", and cut with a rotary cutter. Or mark and cut with scissors. But it is a straight cut, so the rotary cutter will work fine. Yes, you have cut the lining too. Now you can mark it with a 2 1/2" hem line (pull inside out and mark from the cut edge.) Finish the edge with a serger, or with seam tape or zig-zag or however the original hem was finished. Turn up on the line and hem. you will need to slightly "stretch" the front at the crease, and will need to ease the back in. If there is a lot of excess you may need to fold a bit of a "dart" in the hem at the center back. But there you are. The lining can simply be machine stitched, with a double fold. (Fold edge to hemline, then fold again and straight stitch close to the "top" edge.) Swing tacks at the seams will help hold the lining down. (Swing tack: using a doubled thread take a couple of stitches in place on the seam allowances. then take a stitch but use the loop to "crochet" a few stitches out to about 1/2". Put the needle through the loop, then sew a few stitches to the seam allowances of the lining. make sure the lining is not twisted before you do this. )

This takes a whole lot more time to write out and read than to do. Believe me. It really is easy, especially if you have several inches and don't have to worry about removing a hem and pressing it out first.

Pati, in Phx Whose mother has a 23" inseam, sister has a 22" inseam and 6' hubbie has a 29" inseam.

Anne Rogers wrote:

Reply to
Pati Cook

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Good luck. I alter slacks a lot, and usually serge the edge so I don't have to do a fold-over hem (makes for less bulk).

-Irene "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West

Reply to
IMS

LOL, I was quite surprised just how long they were, they are a size 4, so you'd expect a petite or average height, I'm 5'5" and these are at least 6 inches too long, if not more, they curved around my heels and almost to my toes!

Anne

Reply to
Anne Rogers

Thank you so much for that, it looks a bit scary. I've got an inseam similar to you 6' hubbie, hence never having had to alter trousers before, sometimes I have to buy the long length even though I'm average height!

Anne

Reply to
Anne Rogers

In message , Anne Rogers writes

Pity you do not live near me Anne. Nearly every pair of trousers I buy I have to turn them up since I am only 5 feet tall, like wise skirts. Have to turn up both son's and DH's trousers. So I took the plunge and bought myself a blind hemming machine. Sewing up hems is a doddle now. Very useful for doing curtains also. Shirley

Reply to
Shirley Shone

Wish you lived round the corner! I am very tall and always have to buy trousers in their 'unfinished' state. So, I virtually have to hem every pair I buy >g<

Main thing to remember, as I have found! is to try sitting down and see how your chosen length works - I mean, pin it up and then test it out. The sitting down test is essential because the fit of trousers dictates how much length you 'lose' when you sit down. Every pair is different in that regard - even if the same size. . In message , Anne Rogers writes

Reply to
Patti

This is basically what I do too (both DDs still bring me all their new trousers to alter, and they moved out years ago!) Except I pin the hem and press the crease lightly before cutting and finishing the edge. Pitfall: If your trousers are not straight, i.e. if they are flared or very tapered, consider taking them to a pro! Roberta in D

"Pati Cook" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:7A%bi.1047$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...

Reply to
Roberta Zollner

Hmmmm. Well, you probably don't want to do what I do, especially after reading all the very tailoring instructions, however, I would go crazy doing my hems that way.

I have my DH put a pin in aproximately where the hem should be. Then I measure up (lets say 3") then measure up that amount around the both legs. I quickly safety pin or hand baste with big stitches and try on. If it looks good to me, then I cut, leaving 2". I turn under 1/2" and sew. Then I press at the original mark which is now 1 1/2", press, and then hand hem.

Always works for me.

Reply to
Boca Jan

One thing to consider is the taper of the pant leg. When you are shortening a lot, check the finished width of the original length, then check the width at your new length. If there is much of a difference, you should take in both side and inseam seam just a bit, or your trousers won't hang straight. If you have to take it in, divide the amount by 4, turn the trouser leg wrong side out, and mark the amount next to the new fold line of the hem. Use a ruler and draw a line from the new "seam line" to about your knee length and re-stitch each seam. Another job that sounds more difficult than it really is! I used to do dressmaking/tailoring in my previous life!

Reply to
Susan Torrens

One thing that hasn't been mentioned....if the pants are washable, I'd definitely wash them at LEAST once before hemming. You don't want them to shrink up after you've measured and sewn them perfectly!

Reply to
Alice

Why do they do that? It's the same for us more curvy gals too - they think just 'cause we have a J-lo butt (and more in my case) I'm the height of Shaq....Shak....Michael Jordan!! LOL

I do like Leslie's idea though - the higher the better for me (no matter how much my DSMIL nags me that my feet will hate me in later life).

Reply to
Sharon Harper

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