Cuff hem jeans

Cuff hem jeans take a little longer to alter.  One of my subscribers asked about shortening a pair of jeans with the bottom of the jeans folded out. I can't put the link in because for some reason it throws all the typing out, but it is at a website called ezibuy.com.au and you will need to go to the jeans section for women.   I do not have a pair of these jeans to look at, but I have altered some before that had this feature, so I am assuming it is the same.

She wanted to shorten the jeans, but still leave the folded section on the jeans.

This is where the use of reference points comes into play in a big way.  You all know that I am a big fan of reference points.  It is how I can give my clients a guarantee that the garment will be altered to the exact measurements we both agree to.

Altering technique

Pin the jeans to the new length by folding the excess under.  What you are interested here is the new finished length, so don't worry about the folded section.  Just fold the excess up and under until you have the right length.  Pin the excess into place.

When the jeans are off the person, measure from the top of the band to the new length and write this measurement down on a piece of paper.  This is your finished outside leg measurement.

Measure the amount you have folded under and write this amount down on the piece of paper. (a)

Take the pins out so that the jeans are now down to the original length.

Place a pin on the original finished length.

Lower or unpick the folded section on the jeans.

Measure the amount the folded section is and write this down on a piece of paper. (b)

Below this amount write + HEM ALLOWANCE (c)

So to recap we have

(a)   The amount the jeans are being shortened by

(b)   The amount that is folded up (it is folded twice so make sure you have to total amount)

(c)    Hem allowance which for jeans is 1.5 cm + 1.5 cm (5/8" + 5/8")

Measure from the original length (you have a pin in it) up (a), then come down from this amount for (b), then come down again from there towards the hem for (c)

You will have three chalk marks for (c).  Cut on the bottom line.

Do your normal jean hem, and then fold it up twice as per the original way it was.

To ensure the amount stays folded, you should stitch in the ditch on the inside and outside leg seams.

Happy altering

Judith aka genie