This is the VERY Best sewing show I have ever seen. Been sewing for years but without the finesse I see demo'd here. Will be watching these videos over and over to really absorb the key ideas that Shea demonstrates. So Cute too.
i've repaired my jeans since elementary school. i am not a professional, just grew up where repairing clothes was necessary. here's some things i've learned about setting jean tacks. i still set tacks in nearly all of my new jeans to make bachelor buttons for my suspenders. - protect the face of your tack: put a piece of thick card stock down on your anvil and strike from the back like in the video. cut out the side of an old cereal box or something and go two layers. put the brown/papery side up. if the color side is up, it can sometimes transfer to the face of the tack. - more accurate hammering: use a heavier hammer. use a 4lb mash hammer, should cost $10-15. a 4lb mash hammer doesn't need to be swung. you just lift it above the tack and let it drop. it's much easier to control a heavier hammer falling a short distance than it is to control a light hammer while swinging it a large distance. strike twice. the first should be from about 2" away from the tack to set it. the second should be 8"-12" away depending on how beefy the tack is. - anvils: you can use two hammers. the side of a hammer is called the cheek. put down a piece of cardboard or a few layers of thick cloth. lay one hammer on its side and put the protective cardstock and the face of the tack down on the cheek of that hammer. then use the second hammer to strike. this will generally protect your table. the hammer you lay down doesn't need to be large or heavy, just big enough for the tack face to lay on it. that said, a tiny anvil is probably $10 or less most places including amazon. a piece of hard wood will also work as an anvil. i've even used a bit of 2x4 and gotten decent results, just took an extra strike. - to prevent future tearing: check the tack post around the base and make sure it is smooth. any roughness there will slowly abrade its way through your jeans causing an early failure. i always stitch down a piece of denim on the backside of my repair before adding the new tack for maximum durability. if you're repairing work pants for a tradesman or laborer, this is probably a good idea to adopt. hope that's helpful to someone.
I've been binging since ive seen your vid, now range recent or even 1/2 years ago and these videos have been so fun. thank you for your demonstration of the hard work sewers do
Start to finish, what would you estimate the amount of time to do this repair? I’m guessing 20 minutes. Am I close? FYI - love your videos! Great job, every time.
I honestly love you and all your videos. Thank you. I still haven’t purchased a sewing machine but will be doing so in the coming weeks. Feel prepared after so many of your videos. I’ll be here for the foreseeable future. Hope to watch many more videos. ❤
Quick question about jeans. When you are asked to hem jeans to a certain length where Exactly do you start the measurement? Is it in the middle of the crotch seam or on either side? Also, how do manufacturers achieve the aged/worn look on the hems of jeans? Is there a way to do that at home? Last question , is there a website or quick reference on how and where to sew patches or stripes onto Military or Fire Department dress garments? Really enjoy your videos, keep them coming.
You should never use the hammer in type jean tacks. The back is always very thin and always breaks quickly. Use the screw-in type. They have thicker backs and last.
This is the VERY Best sewing show I have ever seen. Been sewing for years but without the finesse I see demo'd here. Will be watching these videos over and over to really absorb the key ideas that Shea demonstrates. So Cute too.
i've repaired my jeans since elementary school. i am not a professional, just grew up where repairing clothes was necessary. here's some things i've learned about setting jean tacks. i still set tacks in nearly all of my new jeans to make bachelor buttons for my suspenders.
- protect the face of your tack: put a piece of thick card stock down on your anvil and strike from the back like in the video. cut out the side of an old cereal box or something and go two layers. put the brown/papery side up. if the color side is up, it can sometimes transfer to the face of the tack.
- more accurate hammering: use a heavier hammer. use a 4lb mash hammer, should cost $10-15. a 4lb mash hammer doesn't need to be swung. you just lift it above the tack and let it drop. it's much easier to control a heavier hammer falling a short distance than it is to control a light hammer while swinging it a large distance. strike twice. the first should be from about 2" away from the tack to set it. the second should be 8"-12" away depending on how beefy the tack is.
- anvils: you can use two hammers. the side of a hammer is called the cheek. put down a piece of cardboard or a few layers of thick cloth. lay one hammer on its side and put the protective cardstock and the face of the tack down on the cheek of that hammer. then use the second hammer to strike. this will generally protect your table. the hammer you lay down doesn't need to be large or heavy, just big enough for the tack face to lay on it. that said, a tiny anvil is probably $10 or less most places including amazon. a piece of hard wood will also work as an anvil. i've even used a bit of 2x4 and gotten decent results, just took an extra strike.
- to prevent future tearing: check the tack post around the base and make sure it is smooth. any roughness there will slowly abrade its way through your jeans causing an early failure. i always stitch down a piece of denim on the backside of my repair before adding the new tack for maximum durability. if you're repairing work pants for a tradesman or laborer, this is probably a good idea to adopt.
hope that's helpful to someone.
I've been binging since ive seen your vid, now range recent or even 1/2 years ago and these videos have been so fun. thank you for your demonstration of the hard work sewers do
I like the extra glue in between, keeping that! Thanks, thumbs up!
Loved this! Simple and fun procedure that I get questions on often. Will be saving this link for others to reference!
Your videos are so informative and great fun... love your style! 😍. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise! Can't wait for the next one! 💐🌹💕🌻🌺
Thank you!
And, Yes, I knit and darn socks also. 😊
Start to finish, what would you estimate the amount of time to do this repair? I’m guessing 20 minutes. Am I close? FYI - love your videos! Great job, every time.
I honestly love you and all your videos. Thank you. I still haven’t purchased a sewing machine but will be doing so in the coming weeks.
Feel prepared after so many of your videos. I’ll be here for the foreseeable future. Hope to watch many more videos. ❤
Quick question about jeans. When you are asked to hem jeans to a certain length where Exactly do you start the measurement? Is it in the middle of the crotch seam or on either side? Also, how do manufacturers achieve the aged/worn look on the hems of jeans? Is there a way to do that at home?
Last question , is there a website or quick reference on how and where to sew patches or stripes onto Military or Fire Department dress garments? Really enjoy your videos, keep them coming.
Will you make a video about fixing a worn crotch in jeans?
You should never use the hammer in type jean tacks. The back is always very thin and always breaks quickly. Use the screw-in type. They have thicker backs and last.