When I went on my little thrift store shopping spree last week I picked up a brand new pair of FUBU jeans for $4.99. They were a nice dark wash, straight legged, fit me well around the waist.
All in all they were a great find-I don’t have luck with jeans in thrift stores.
The catch? They were about an inch and a half too long!
So I decided it was finally time to put my money where my mouth was and to do the “Magic Hem” on a pair of jeans. I originally posted the link in my article “Frugal Skills, Sewing! How to Sew a Hem“.
The magic hem is a technique where you keep the original hem on the bottom of the jeans when you shorten it. Dacia Ray has an excellent photo tutorial on this technique. Although it looks confusing at first, if you have at least basic sewing machine skills it is easy! The process took me about 30 minutes (after I pulled the sewing machine out of the closet and threaded it, which added 15 min to the process).
I also needed to tailor a pair of classy looking black slacks I had purchased for the conference (again at the thrift store). They fit everywhere, but as is common with today’s pants that fall below the waist, the waistband was a bit too big to keep the crotch hanging where it was supposed to. I found this nice little tutorial on YouTube, and proceeded to take them in right along the back center seam. That probably took me another 30 min or so.
Lastly I had to hem the black pants. That was done by hand (and actually I have one leg left to do tonight) I probably spent 35 minutes on the one leg-but I was watching TV and kept looking up to see what was happening on my show (EUREKA!)
For fun I called a local tailor and asked them how much they charge for the same alterations. To hem a pair of jeans while retaining the original hem they charge $25, for a regular hem $11, and for the tailoring I did on the waistline $16.50. Of course I live in the country-I’m willing to bet that the prices would be quite a bit higher in a metro area such as New York City etc.
By doing the work myself I saved $52.50. Not bad for a little over 2 hours of work!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ll definitely have to take the time and learn the magic hem. My brother just spent £25 (sterling) having a pair of jeans taken up and rehemed to look like the original. Personally, I couldn’t have brought myself to pay that much, I would either have worn them too long and looked an idiot or had a go myself and made a pigs ear of them.
Thanks for this.
Knowing how to put a hem in should be something every kid should be taught.
My daughter’s short like me, so I have to hem up both our pants– well, if I catch hers in time. Sometimes she’ll walk holes in her jeans legs because she forgets to roll them up. However, I figured out a cute way to fix this.
I take pretty fabric ribbon (I scour red tag sales, or discount fabric places for neat ribbon), and sew it along the bottom of the pant leg, about an eigth of an inch above the hole– making a band where the hem would hit. Then I would go ahead and trim the rest of the pant leg off where the hole is– The ribbon’s hemming will stop any raveling, and since rough edges in clothes are the rage among the preteen, the little bit under the ribbon looks deliberate.
So instead of having too-long jeans that she’ll be constantly walking on and making worse, my daughter comes away with fashionable pants. If I have enough ribbon left over, I use it for accent– like sewing the top hem of the back pockets.
oh, and don’t throw the denim away. It can be used for quilts, or for patching knees… or put it in the compost bin.
I just stumbled across that magic hem tutorial yesterday. What a great idea! I am short and often need to hem jeans. I’ll definitely try this. And on top of saving the money, isn’t it a great feeling of accomplishment when you can do these types of things yourself? I love it!
Awesome! Now I just need to get a sewing machine and a place to put it…
I love finding a bargain at the thrift stores and sometimes i find something that looks so new I can’t believe t has been thrown out.
I have found many good boots this way and haven’t had to buy new for quite some time.
Ooh, can you post the link for youtube video on fixing the waist? Please please!
I too would like the link to the video for taking in the waist on pants. TIA
Wow! This is great. It is easier to learn when you can see it done, for me anyway. I bought some jeans at Walmart, and didn’t think of making sure it was the size it said, because it wasn’t. I wear 32×34, which is what it said, but after going around in highwaters, I made it into shorts. Is there a way to lengthen them without it looking too odd?
ACK!!!!!
I meant to hotlink to the video about tailoring pants. . . sorry folks! I've adjusted it. It doesn't show in great close ups or anything, but it gave me the confidence to try it. . .
Leanne-The magic hem is sooo easy to do once you try it. Just don't cut anything till you are sure it's right! Like a lot of things, it is so much harder to explain than it is to do. . . if you can use a sewing machine you will smack yourself on the forehead and say "duh!". Plus you can offer to hem your brothers for 15-you'll make a profit and he'll save. Everyone wins!
Starcrossed-I agree, everyone should learn to sew. Now sewing from scratch can be quite expensive these days, but alterations can save you a bunch of money and make your wardrobe look fabulous! Also the jean idea is great! I should try that for Princess. . .
rmlrhonda-I LOVE the feeling of doing it myself. I think in today's digital day and age the feeling of physically accomplishing something where you can see the results is important. Hence the popularity of crafting. . .
Vic-I don't know how you wound up missing out on learning to sew. The other 3 of us did. .. but yes, you totally should learn.
Kate-The thrift store is one of my favorite places to shop. And I get lots of compliments on my clothes. Up here in the frozen north the best buy (to me) is kiddos winter coats and snowsuits/snowpants. Those things are freaking EXPENSIVE in the store, and way way cheaper at the thrift store. I'm going to do a thrift store vlog in the next few months.
Anon 1&2-Already addressed you guys, I'm fixing it!
Jenni-Hmm, too short is a problem because any addition would be obvious. I think the thing there would be to add something in and make it look like you meant it. . like a band of a contrasting fabric (patterned?) and then adding a touch more at the pockets or waistband. They may not match as much but they will look unique and exotic (and expensive if you do it right) with the right tops.