"Making It Last" sewing school

In honor of the changing weather and changing wardrobes, this month I thought I'd do a Saturday sewing school series about alterations and mending - anything involved in repairing, fixing, or "making things last".  It seems to me that the art of mending is one that has been close to dying out in our society.   But I have had several questions lately, not only about alterations, but also simple repairs.  Hopefully this series will help answer some of those questions!

Today's Topic: Lengthening or Repairing Hems

Have you ever had a pair of pants that look like this?

Or this?

They may be in wonderful shape otherwise, but the hems are either too short (happens a lot with those growing kids!) or really wearing out.  Here are some tips and tricks to take care of those hems.

1) Extending the hem with hem tape or bias tape.
          If the pants have a fairly deep hem, and the hem has not already been excessively worn (leaving a mark along the crease) then it may be possible to let down the hem and finish it with a tape.

First you'll need to remove the original hem seam line with a seam ripper.  Completely unfold the fabric and press the crease out with a hot steam iron (tip - a little vinegar dabbed on the cloth can help to remove crease lines).

Next, open a piece of single fold bias tape along one side and pin the to the raw edge, right sides together.  If you're using hem tape, simply pin it in place, right sides together. 

Next, run a line of stitching about 1/4" to 1/2" from the raw edge.

Lastly, fold the tape to the inside of the pant leg, being sure that none of the tape is visible from the outside.  Pin it in place and sew it down right along the upper edge of the tape.  Press.

 That's all!  A few washing should remove all traces of the the previous hem, and you're left with an extended hem that looks as good as the first, with an equally professional looking inside.
Note: You could, of course, always just take out the original hem and turn up the raw edge by 1/2" and sew it down, but you will end up with the fraying threads starting to stick out the bottom, not to mention that the tiny hem will not lay or hang as nicely as the wider, heavier hem.

2. Add a ruffle.  
This obviously is not the solution for every hem, but it does work very nicely on little girl's pants, or a ladies dress.  It's pretty simple - find a matching or contrasting fabric, cut a strip that's roughly 2x the length of the hem, gather one edge, and attach.  You can make it as wide or as narrow as you need to lengthen the hem!

3. Repairing a frayed hem.
        This technique can be used on boys or girls pants, but is probably NOT one you'd want to try on a pair of dress or suit pants.  It involved cutting off the original, ragged hem, and covering the raw edge with a band of fabric.  Like the ruffle, this can be a matching or contrasting fabric.  For boys, try denim, corduroy, or canvas.  For girls, try something in bright colors or floral prints.
Here's a closer look...
First, cut off the old, yucky hem.

Next, cut a strip of fabric 2x the length you want, plus 1".  For example, if you want the finished leg to be 2" longer, you will want to cut a strip of fabric that is 5" wide.  The length should match the width of the leg, with a little extra.  Press under 1/2" along one edge.

 Now, pin the unpressed edge to the raw edge of the pant leg, right sides together.  Start at the inside seam, and be sure to turn back at least 1/2" of the bottom side of the fabric strip.  This way no raw edges with show when you're finished.

Now sew 1/2" from the raw edge all the way around.

Next, turn the whole strip to the inside, matching the pressed edge to the seam line on the inside.  (You should be folding the strip in half lengthwise)  Pin in place.  On the outside, topstitch along the top edge, just a little way from the fold.

To finish, simply press everything well.