Pearls in the Mud: Long-Legged Love Tutorial: How to Lengthen Jeans

So I married a skinny (and very handsome (:) man with long-ish legs. When I say skinny, I mean skinny. I can buy him clothes from the boys department still, which is awesome because those clothes tend to be much cheaper than the mens. The size that fits him the best is a 29x32. The problem we run into the most is that the small waist sizes usually accompany a shorter inseam- because skinny people must be short too I guess ;). We were talking the other night and my husband showed me a stack of pants that he is certain he would wear more if they didn’t hike up to his shins when sitting. So I figured I’d help him out, as well as save us some money that we would spend on a new pair of jeans.

So, to start, you will need the following:

-Tape measure or seam gauge

-Hem Tape- I prefer the skinnier stuff

-Scissors- I prefer ginghers (:

-Jean thread- heavy top stitching thread works too

-Blue thread bobbin

-Denim needles (size 100)

-Not pictured: Seam Ripper and sewing machine

First, you will need to take out the bottom hem seam. Here’s a trick for removing the thread quickly:

Pick out every 3-4 stitches on one side of the pant, so the inside or the outside (see top). When you’ve done this all the way around, go to the side you didn’t pick out and pull the top thread. It should easily come right out (see bottom).

Take out the thread and unfold the hem. I was able to get about an extra 1 ¼” , so rather than a 30” inseam, my husband will have a 31 ¼” inseam! With this I want to add a little disclaimer- there is only going to be so much you can lengthen jeans and still have them look wear-able. I was lucky with this pair, because the original hem was wider than normal. Generally, you will be able to get about 1” maximum. So the trick is when you buy the jeans. Get as close as you possibly can to the length you need and expect to only be able to lengthen by an inch. Its not much, but it can make a big difference. It is much easier to shorten, because you are not worried about how much fabric there is and the possibilities are endless. It’s a sad, sad world for long-legged people. I, like my husband prefer a 32” inseam, but when I find jeans at good prices, I kind of just have to buy what’s there. That’s where this lengthening ability comes in handy!

That being said, let’s move on! I pressed the hem. Denim responds very well to pressure, heat and steam. So don’t be afraid to put a little force behind the pressing- you won’t be disappointed with the results. Plus, a good pressing job can make sewing soooo much easier!

So, I let the 1 ¼” down, but I had an additional ¾” on top of this (which is super awesome for jeans—it really helps to be able to lengthen more.)

Rather than lengthening the pants 2” additional, I am only going to do the 1 ¼”, and use the additional ¾” to fold under and create a new hem. You can however use the whole 2” if you need it, you will just press the hem tape under enough with about 1/8” of the denim so the hem tape isn’t visible on the outside.

After this, I turned the pants inside out. For me, it is easier to get to the part I need to sew when the pants are inside out.

I put the hem tape overlapping my ¾” lip of denim, leaving about ¼” near the fold, and edge-stitched the hem tape with a 3.5 stitch length (I never use anything smaller than a 3 stitch length—anything smaller than that is a bugger to pick out again!) I used the denim needle, but used navy blue all-purpose thread for this part, so it would blend better with the hem tape and denim. I don’t see the need for the hem tape to have the jean top stitching on it, because it is going to be tucked under anyway, not to mention I think it would look tacky.

***If you are using the whole length of denim, you will sew the hem tape right sides together with the denim. There is a seam allowance on the hem tape of about ¼”. Unfold this part when sewing right sides together- then fold it back under and the hem tape will fold easier. If you have further questions on this method, let me know and I can get some pictures up of what I am describing. ***

After I finished sewing on the hem tape, I folded up the hem tape and the denim and pressed it again.

I then was ready to top stitch my hem. This is the point I put my top stitching thread on. The bobbin should be all-purpose navy thread- it will blend in the backside of the denim. Plus, you should never put top stitching thread in the bobbin. This will screw up your sewing machine BIG time. This is also where it is important to have the right needle. If you are just using a regular needle, the top stitching thread will break it. Your thread size and needle size must be consistent, on anything you’re sewing. If you keep having an issue with thread breaking, try changing to a lighter-weight needle before you start messing with the tension. In my experience, it is usually a simple fix like that.

I still have the pants inside out. I also folded the hem tape in have and folded it over the denim, to create a nice finished look and to get a nice thickness for the top stitching thread to go through.

I turned the pants right side out and pressed the hem one last time. And Voila! I am finished! No more funky tan lines for the hubby caused by high waters when he sits!

Check out the before and after pics:

BEFORE!