Mending ideas?

**mommy4ever** · 02-26-2009, 11:25 AM

Ok, I have 2 pairs of jeans that I need to mend. They were hemmed too long and I"ve worn out the hem. I can take it up a smidge but the fabric is so delicate I don't know that it would work.

These are wide leg trouser style jeans. I wear them every day. Or almost..lol. I don't want to buy any right now as I'm currently losing weight, and will need to replace pants for the summer. No point on spending now. THey still fit respectably, although some what loose.

THe hem is frayed. Any suggestions on how to fix it?

**McD** · 02-26-2009, 11:34 AM

OHH!!! Hobby Lobby has this awesome stuff called stitch witchery. It's an adhesive that you can use to hold the hem. I think it was about 3.99$.

I used ti on a pair of 80$ pants last night and you know what? They look just as awesome as the pants I've had professionally tailored.

**mommy4ever** · 02-26-2009, 12:09 PM

I have stitch witchery, but that isn't the issue, i need to repair the fabric, not rehem.

**frugalbabe** · 02-26-2009, 12:41 PM

Well, something I've done that sounds kind of strange but looks pretty cute is cut off about 3 or 4 inches from the bottom of the cuffs and replace them with a contrasting band of fabric or a wide ribbon. I pick a pretty neutral color like khaki or whatever. Or you could iron on a matching piece of denim where your material is thin on the inside of the pants that should strengthen it enough to be able to hem if you want to take it up a bit. Hope you find something that works!

**Patty A** · 02-26-2009, 04:01 PM

Walmart carries a "iron on" type tape and also a Bondex type stuff.
Check in both the fabric areas and the craft areas for it. It works great and will really hold the fabric together. (Bondex another one is Heat and Bond usually is a white sheet with little dots that look like glue on it!, the tape is black, at least the ones I have seen.)

**Lady_V** · 02-26-2009, 04:20 PM

Double folded bias binding tape wide enough to cover over the hem and up to a thicker/non-frayed area.

**boysnberries** · 02-26-2009, 05:27 PM

I'd try to add some fabric to the bottom hem. Find a nice print you like and that will work with the tops you have, and sew a couple inches on. I've done this with some of my boys' pants that had fraying on the hem. For jeans I usually use a piece of corduroy for trim and then use a tight zigzag stitch.

**Thevail** · 02-27-2009, 04:10 AM

I repaired my favorite pair of jeans when they finally got so ratty at the bottom that even I was embarrassed by them.

I got a pair of grey flannel (I'm just not a colorful ribbon sort of girl) cuffed dress pants (with the same or larger ankle opening) from a thrift store, they were way cheap because the zipper was iffy.

I cut the hem of the dress pants off about four inches up, lined it up with the bottom of the jeans so that the cuff part covered the ratty edge and extended a bit below it thus restoring the original length of the jeans.

That way I ended up sewing (with denim blue thread) onto a stable part of the fabric. Then I used the stitch witch stuff to stabilize the addition onto the jeans.

I also used the belt loops off the grey pants to replace the belt loops on the jeans just to make it all look deliberate. I got so many compliments!

You can do the same thing with a plain white shirt cuff and a worn sweater sleeve.