Jeans alteration and repair is not for the faint heated. The thickness of the denim fabric, the kind of top stitching done on jeans with that special orange thread, distinctive hardware and the special type of seam used (flat fell seam) are deterrents enough.
What if it proves to be a colossal failure beyond any repair! But then there is no guarantee in life, as you already know. And sometimes you have to, to keep your favourite jeans.
Check out the ideas you can use if you find that the jeans you love is in need of some repair-love.
Common Jeans Repairs
Jeans gapes at the waist
This is a common scenario for those with large hips and small waist ie those with an hourglass bodyshape. The jeans will fit along well at the hips and thighs but will be loose at the waist
If you want a detailed post with more than 5 tips to repair loose jeans, go here.
If you agree to wear belts, this problem is non existent. Small differences can be mitigated by wearing a nice belt to tighten the waist.
If the gap is too big, you will have to tighten your jeans at the waist – Make a waist dart and tighten. Another method is to insert a piece of elastic inside the waistband to get that good fitting jeans.
Or you can try suspenders like this.
Jeans is too tight
This is a very usual problem – the jeans is fitting all right along the hips but you cannot button your jeans. Your tummy has grown on its own. You have nothing to do with it, ofcourse.
You have to alter the waistband section in this case – this is a complicated surgery that you should try only if you have nerves of steel. You can cut up the waistband and insert a piece of triangular piece of fabric on the waistband section. This will increase the width of the waistband but it is not for a non expert. And after you finish the work, you will have to wear that jeans with a long top, because the stitching will be obvious.
The jeans seams are difficult to let out due to the flat felled seam. If you want to increase the size along the legs you can let out the outer side seams and insert a piece of extra fabric along the outer seam.Â
If the jeans you have bought recently just happens to be a little too tight for your liking, wash it a couple of times before you do anything drastic. Most jeans expand a little with washing. Do not dry it for too long in sunlight – this will make it tight again
Read this post on How to alter tight jeans for step by step methods.Â
Your Jeans is too long
If your jeans is too long, and you have never repaired a jeans ever, you would think you have it easy- you can fold the jeans up as below or Just cut off the extra, fold inside and sew.
But it is never as simple as that. You have to account for the thickness of double-folded denim. When you reach the side seams as you sew the hem, your ordinary sewing machine needle wouldn’t even move ahead. The jean seams are very thick.
So what to do? You can try a short cut hem – ie alter the hem without cutting anything. Check out this post on the 5 methods of shorten a jeans after you find it is pooling on the floor.
You can repair the jeans button in two days – replace with a similar jeans button you get as a set.
Then another way is to make a jeans button with a regular button. You can find these two ways in this post on replacing jeans buttons.
Jeans is too wide at the hem or throughout the legs
Here I am talking about altering a flared legged jeans into a skinny one. Sometimes you have jeans with a perfect waist fitting but it baggy along the legs and you have an aversion to baggy. It is another matter that flared legged jeans is coming into fashion again but to each her own.Â
How to do the tightening? First and foremost, try on the jeans – try it on wrong side out. And then pinch what is in excess at the inner seam and place marks on where you need to sew. You can also pin the seam or make a basting stitch – this is easier said than done. It would be definitely better if you have help. Now remove the jeans – check that you can comfortably take it off. Now sew it up. Start sewing from the hem and then up. Try it on. If it is fitting all right, cut off the excess and finish the edges.
Jeans has holes
If you have ripped jeans and you love it, leave it. Ripped jeans has been in fashion for some time and will be for a long time.
But if you have had enough of the holes and you want your nice jeans back, you may want to repair the holes.
Not so difficult if you have remnants from some old jeans (which matches the jeans preferably) and some sewing skills.
You can check out this post on fixing holes on jeans here for more details on going about it.
The Fly zipper needs repairÂ
Count yourself unfortunate if your jeans zipper has shattered, or stopped locking or has started to fray apart. Replacing jeans zipper is very diffuclt. You can try to repair and salvage the existing zipper. Sometimes a rub of bar soap piece is all that is needed to move the zipper as good as new.
Try the methods of fixing zipper gone rogue mentioned in this post.
If after all your work the jeans is not good enough, then may be it is time for it to join the recycle pile. You can use old jeans to make bags, or make jeans skirts.
Related posts : History of jeans ; 45 different types of jeans; Parts of jeans ; Jeans embroidery; Embellish jeans ; How to buy jeans ; 10 Jeans recycle ideas
