Nick English of Stridewise dropped by our 67 West Street studio in the heart of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, entrusting us—the nation’s top-tier denim alteration specialists—with refining the fit of his jeans at the waist. Dive into our expert process through this video, and if you’re plotting a course to our doorstep, we’ve included some handy navigation tips to guide you right to us.
The goal of this tutorial video is to walk you through the complex process of determining the inseam of twisted-leg jeans. In contrast to measuring the inseam on a pair of typical jeans or pants, dealing with twisted legs adds an additional level of complication. When the legs of the jeans wrap around to the opposite side, the dilemma of whether to follow the inseam line arises.
The short answer is no. The key is to follow the natural shape of the jeans as though there were no twist. In this video, we show you step-by-step how to do this.
In addition, we explore some of the frequent mistakes that tailors and clients requesting hemming alterations make while shortening the inseam. This guide will educate you on why using a general request like “take off 2 inches” while asking for a hemming service may not be the best choice. Similar to this, we show how this approach can result in mistakes when shortening jeans for tailors who often align the hems of jeans before simply cutting them. Have a look at our video to enhance your understanding and skills with denim alterations.
There are two meanings when it comes to “tapered” as related to jeans, pants, and other garments designed to wear over the legs.
Example of use (related to alterations): I had my jeans tapered because the legs were too baggy.
Example of use (related to design or style): I bought tapered jeans because I wanted the leg opening to be small enough that the hem wouldn’t cover my shoes.
Do you want to know what sets us apart from the competition when it comes to denim alterations? In our latest TikTok video, you can see how we professionally taper the legs of a pair of jeans while also taking in the waist to make them fit just right.
@williamsburggar Denim heaven. The art of taking in the waist with tapering alterations on jeans. We perfect your fit. #denimyourway #denimhead #denimtailor #taperingjeans #jeanswaist #jeanswaistgap #selvedgedenim ♬ MAMBO OVER THE MOUNTAIN – Rick Hirsch
Make sure to follow us on TikTok to see more informative and entertaining videos. @williamsburggar
Denim nerds, get ready for a reality check. I’m about to debunk some of the myths and misconceptions about the Union Special 43200G that have been circulated for years by brands, publications, and online communities.
As is the case with many things on the Internet, exaggerated claims can quickly become folklore by the regurgitation of stories that weren’t well thought out from the beginning.
The well-told narrative that the twisting at the hem is caused by a technical error, feed dog flaw, or differential defect in the inner workings of the Union Special 43200G is flawed in and of itself. The roping effect has been overcomplicated to the point where denim fans who don’t know any better will believe that the Union Special 43200G is the only sewing machine capable of producing twisted and puckered hems with chain stitch hemming.
In my research into what denim enthusiasts are being led to believe, I easily discovered statements that I believe are misleading or false. Here are a few examples:
“Any Union Special without the folder will not create the roping effect.”
“There is only one way to chain stitch a selvedge denim hem and that’s on a folder equipped Union Special 43200g. Why you ask? These machines create a desirable roping effect on the hem which is actually caused by a feed differential defect.”
“Roping comes from the 45 degree angle of break-in that makes the hem look like a rope. It’s become part of true denim DNA. Without it, jeans don’t look right to us. And the crazy thing is this comes from a flaw in the Union Special that makes it create a slight twist.”
“Union Special company seems to have replaced the 43200G with other machines in a quest to replicate the same stitch and make it easier to use the machine but this has reduced the tension on the thread. This means you don’t achieve the same roping/puckering as you would with the original.”
The roping effect is simply caused by seams at the face and undersides of the hem not being lined up. Twisting occurs when the inseams shift in one direction, resulting in the roping effect. The effect becomes more visible with aging and washing. Sometimes factories do this unintentionally, and other times a brand’s designers may request a factory do it on purpose. Most factories make an effort to align the seams, which may be the reason why most jeans do not exhibit a significant degree of twisting.
Furthermore, the stitch type is not a factor in creating the twists and puckers, as seen in the reference example photo below. I, too, was once swayed by rumors and stated in my tapering video that the tension of chain stitching contributes to the roping effect.
Don’t misunderstand me. I think the well-beloved Union Special 43200G is a beautiful old sewing machine. However, production was halted for a reason. It was most likely not due to a differential flaw, cheaper lockstitching, or other nonsense being repeated or made up. The truth is that it only does one function. Although it performs well, some sewing machines can perform the same function as well as other operations.
Purchasing a sewing machine that only does one thing over machines that do multiple tasks equally well or better is a bad idea for factories that must make sound economic decisions. This is most likely why production was halted, as with most discontinued products.
Summary
Jeans hemming is the process of shortening the leg or inseam length of a pair of jeans by removing some of the fabric from the bottom.
These photographs demonstrate the before and after effects of hemming alterations made by Williamsburg Garment Company to shorten the inseam of jeans to demonstrate “what jeans hemming is.” The top photograph features a pair of Pure Blue Japan jeans. It displays the altered inseam and leg openings as well as the portions of the hem that was removed.
The below image displays a pair of raw denim jeans with their original hem and full inseam length. A chalk line on the jeans marks the hemming cut line, which also includes a 1/2-inch double fold (1-inch).
The majority of jeans are sewn with chain-stitched hemming. The average hem measures roughly 1/2 inch tall. A tailor or seamstress double folds the raw edge after cutting to the hem (leg opening). Since each fold measures approximately 1/2 inch, the inseam length must be increased by 1 inch to reach the desired length.
To see what we mean by double folding, and the process of hemming in action. Watch our video “Chain Stitch Hemming in 87 Seconds.”
