Hemming Stretch Pants - two methods
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Hello Shiny Crafty People and welcome back to the channel.
My mother asked me to hem some stretch pants for her cruise, and while I normally hate hemming pants for other people, I was glad to do it for her. She’s not comfortable with a sewing machine and she really needs pants that she can easily get over the walking boot she’s wearing to deal with a fracture in her tibia.
So today I’m gonna share two ways to hem stretch pants without having to get a special needle. I cover how to use a standard straight stitch sewing machine and also a technique using a serger.
I hope you enjoy this tutorial, and until next time, Stay Crafty!!
I save my alteration time for people that deserve my time and respect the time it took to learn. Not all my friends are project friends. Love is time given, not just an object.
Every friend I have wants their pants shortened!!! I had one person watch me and they never asked me again! They said they were so sorry, they had NO idea!!!
I've altered so many prom dresses, bridesmaids' dresses, and hemmed countless other clothes. A hug and kiss has been the general payment❤❤
Lately I've been altering my own pants as I lose weight during chemo.
I wish you peace during your process. It’s nice to have sewing skills when you need alterations like that.
@timothytotten9409 Thank you so much. Your videos bring me great joy.
Thank you for this pants hemming demonstration. Sounds like you mom could write off her trip as business/familiarization trip, maybe. I used to work at a major cruise ship company and we were sent on a "Fam Trip" to familiarize us to the travel experience. Safe travels to mom!
It’s a pleasure to hear that someone else gets asked to hem pants… I moved into a Senior Housing place last year and I have had many customers for hemming, at $10 a pair! I really take my time completing the jobs, and I add my little bit of earnings to my checks to Paralyzed Veterans of America.
This is my daughters favourite trick, 'oh Mum can you just'..
make my top shorter, from the middle, not the bottom
mend my hat
sew up my trousers, they split
put some buttons on this
take these dresses in, they are lined
make me curtains for my flat
make a blind for my bathroom
sort out these ready made curtains, they are wonky
And so the list goes on..
Last Christmas there was a pile of things on top of my gifts, I said to my son-in-law, why have I got a hat? My daughter them pipes up oh that's our mending, can you get it all done before we go away next week. Happy Christmas 🎄 😂😂😂
Oh its nice to be loved and needed
Thank you for sharing this Tim, many people don't know some of these things.
If your machine has a, what looks like a slanted zigzag stitch, that is brilliant for stretch fabric
I agree with you, 100%! I don’t even want to tell people that I sew because they assume you LOVE to hem things for them and do complicated alterations. They don’t understand that if you say you’ll do something for them, they don’t take into account that you don’t have every color thread and other notions it takes to complete the task. And yes, they think it should take no time and have no appreciation for the time, skill, or experience you have which would cost them big money to take to a business.
I fix things for my adult granddaughter and her family. No one else. Thanks for sharing
That’s very kind of you!
The most dreaded words…. You sew can you…. I mend for people I really really love these days. I used to have problems saying no but I’ve learnt in my old age!! Best thing ever! Not to brag but I was very good at mending. It was necessity not choice that brought that about. My babies are old now and my grandson isn’t as hard on his clothes as his father. So these days my answer is No!
My parents had a lovely time on their river cruise so I’m sure your mom will too
I started mending, hemming and fixing my friend’s clothes because I couldn’t say no. Then friends told other mutual friends that I did their repairs, so the pile grow. I still have a friend’s quilt to mend. My machine stitch length got stuck and didn’t move so I started using that as an excuse not to do their alterations. I got a beautiful new fancy machine for Xmas - and I told people- now I have to come up with a new excuse. 🤔
Maybe you can feign an arthritis attack?
Thank you kind sir❤ VERY HELPFUL
Good point!
Omg, I had a friend ask me to hem her granddaughter’s pants last night. I told her because I still work 40 hours a week and I needed to start on my daughter’s birthday quilt for February that I didn’t have time (she did offer to pay me at least). I told her to find a local alterations person since they would do a better, faster, and cheaper job anyway.
It's like asking Da Vinci to paint your garage.
I’m 4’11” tall & I have had very few times in my life that I didn’t have to hem pants. I learned to sew because of it. I really do hate it though.
I am short too and HATE short discrimination!!! Shelves too high, seat belts too high; clothes too long!!!
😂@@rebwolfe2702
My fav was: my leather jacket has a little tear, can you fix it? She was a DOCTOR & her$800.00 designer coat looked like a puma attacked it. After a complete reline with $50.00 in materials she never even reimbursed me. Call rejection is a wonderful invention!
I agree, I would rather sew a whole garment than hem or do alterations.
I always topstitch with a twin needle, serge the edge first. Never a double fold on knit. If I need more body, I iron-on tricot interfacing before turning up.
That's what I do too. The double stretch needle does a nice job on knits.
I am exactly five feet tall, and even petite sized slacks are too long. Yesterday, I had to cut off four inches of material, and then a double 3/4 inch fold- so I raised the length a whopping 5 1/2 inches. And raised the sleeve hem four inches. And it took me almost two hours. I really dislike hemming, and have to do it all the time. Also, I start the machine hem stitching at the crotch seam, because on light colored fabric, it is less visible. EDIT…I use a long nosed tweezers to thread both my serger, and my regular sewing machine. This makes it easier, and less frustrating.
Honestly, I do your first method but hand stitch it using a Blind hem stitch.
I’ve never liked hand stitching. I never seem to sit still long enough to do it. But your method makes for a much nicer seam, that’s for sure.
want to see more of your ideas
Dou you use a stretch thread, twisted nylon-ish thread, cotton/poly blend or cotton thread on knits? I play with my little sergers. I so want to thread the Union Special beast I have. That's another burn story for another day
For stretch fabric what is your tension set at and what is your stitch length?
I leave tension the same but use a slightly longer stitch.
A coverstitch would be optimal.
This is how I used to hem every t-shirt or pant in my alterations shop before I invested in a cover stitch machine, which I use nearly everyday.
Mimicking a cover stitch can be done with a double stretch needle, and a bobbin hand wound with stretch thread like woolly or bulky nylon. Mark the hem on the outside of the pant, fold under & pin in place if you like. Stitch from the outside, then trim away the excess after stitching. The stretch thread on the bobbin prevents the pants from being wavy and stiff
I always decline. I can’t even stand hemming my OWN pants!
Amen!
Threading a. Serger is easier when you have tweezers long long nose tweezers.
What kind of foot is that?
It’s just a 1/4” foot.
If you sew, people ask you to mend. I refuse or charge a lot to discourage them 😊. Clothes are made too cheaply and the sewing is terrible! Made in Asia of course, they rip everyone off!!! I hemmed pants and the lady said that I cut off too much of the hem! Then I had to put lace on that hem, OMG, who sees it!!! I take 3” of overlocker thread and tie it off and put the tail under the hem to hide it! I don’t cut it off!!!!!
I used to have friends asking me to make “simple curtains” for them, so I’d direct them to the nearest JC Penney with a home decorations department. When they complained those were too expensive and that they just wanted “simple curtains,” I’d quote twice as much as JC Penney. That usually fixed it. Lol