Getting Hemmed Jeans to Look Authentic

[escarole]

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it, but in my decade plus of denim addiction I still haven't figured out a reliable way to shorten non-raw jeans. I've got a pair I want to work on that has a bit of taper, so the original hem idea is out - plus, original hems always look like **** anyway. I feel like nobody is fooled by that technique.. So my question is whether there is any way to get normal hems to look "new." Is repeated washing the only way?

 

[graphicd]

Is this what you're referring to as the "original hem idea"? I don't think the results are bad at all if done properly.

 

[entrero]

I've had a few jeans hemmed that way and yes if done properly you won't notice it, also depends on how much you want it shortened. But I've always wondered if its possible to recreate that original hem look...

 

[Scooba]

I do that procedure on all my jeans with my own sewing machine. I am only a 30 inch inseam so all denim is too big for me. No one can tell its been done. You can only do it on straight legs though so i am curious about doing it on tapers since I want a pair of APC NS or N&F Weird Guys

 

[entrero]

It turns out for RAW denim to get that roping effect, hem has to be chain-stitched and of course the jeans should be washed. On non RAW the whole shrinking process is already over, you won't be able to "recreate" the original look.

 

[Ludeykrus]

Originally Posted by entrero

It turns out for RAW denim to get that roping effect, hem has to beain-stitched and of course the jeans should be washed. On non RAW the whole shrinking process is already over, you won't be able to "recreate" the original look.

Turns out this actually isn't correct. A straight lockstitch will also cause roping. Whodini has posted pics in the past of his RRL's, IIRC, which had great roping with a normal straight lockstitch.

I've been sewing a lot of really thick stuff lately, and I believe it's confirmed that the distorted fabric causing good roping is from a relatively high presser foot pressure/tension. What happens is the feed dogs on a sewing machine pull the lower fabric layer backwards in the feeding process, while the presser foot presses down on the top layer and holds it back a bit. This uneven feeding of the fabrics causes the twisted roping phenomena. Here's a few crappy pics from a recent project showing it:

I'm actually now curious as to how the chain stitch/roping urban legend came about.

 

[KitAkira]

Well modern machines work to eliminate that problem, so likely it was originally only seen on jeans that were chainstitched since the old chainstitching machines would cause that uneven pulling (you will also tend to see the seam not lining properly when upturned at the hem)