Most too-short jeans still have a good deal of wear left in them. The problem is usually only a missing inch or two at the hem. This repair adds that length by setting a fabric panel into each leg above the original hem. The original hem stays in place, and the new fabric can be chosen to blend in or to stand out as a deliberate contrast.
How the insert works
A panel insert is not a cuff added to the bottom of the leg. The leg is cut through, the panel is sewn between the upper leg and a short lower section, and the original hem remains attached to the lower section. The finished height of the panel is the added length.
This method works best for additions of about two inches or less. If you need more, cut two insert sections and space them below the knee, or lengthen another pair using the same panel in two places.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash.
Choose the fabric
The panel fabric should have the same body as denim. A firmly woven cotton twill, cotton duck, or piece of lightweight denim is ideal. Thin quilting cotton will pull at the seams and wrinkle around the ankle. If the jeans are stretch denim, use a non-stretch woven fabric for the panel; the panel itself will hold its shape against the stretchy leg.
What you will need
- too-short jeans
- contrast cotton fabric (denim weight)
- sewing machine
- denim needle, size 90/14 or 100/16
- seam ripper
- tailor’s chalk or fabric marker
- ruler
- pins or sewing clips
- matching thread, or topstitching thread for contrast
Measure the needed insert
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Put the jeans on with the shoes you will wear with them. Ask someone to mark the desired hem on the side of one leg. If you are working alone, pin the hem and use a mirror to check the length. Measure from this mark down to the existing hem. This is the amount to add; call it L.
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Mark a cut line around each leg, parallel to the floor, at least L plus 1 inch above the original hem. For example, if you are adding 1 1/2 inches, place the line 2 1/2 inches above the hem. This keeps the lower seam of the panel away from the hem fold. Chalk a small arrow on the front of each lower section so the leg does not twist when you cut and sew.
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Decide whether to open the outseam. If the side seams are very thick or the machine struggles to cross them, open the outseam for about 3 inches on either side of the cut line with a seam ripper. You will sew it closed later. If the jeans are soft enough to work around, leave the outseam intact and open only the hem’s side stitches if you need a little more room. The important thing is to keep the lower section and its original hem together.
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Cut along the marked line through both layers of the leg. Cut slowly; the line can shift as you pass over the inseam. Do not cut into the original hem.
Prepare the panel
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Measure the circumference of the raw edge on the lower section. Cut a rectangle of contrast fabric with this width plus 1 inch for two seam allowances, and with a height of L plus 1 inch for two 1/2-inch seam allowances. For example, for a 1 1/2-inch addition, the panel height will be 2 1/2 inches.
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Fold the rectangle with right sides together and sew the short ends with a 1/2-inch seam. Press the seam open. You now have a fabric tube that matches the leg opening.
If the jeans taper sharply, make the tube slightly narrower at one end before joining it: measure the leg at the cut line and at a point 1 inch below it, then trim the lower edge of the panel to match. On most jeans the difference is small, and a straight tube gives the cleanest result.
Photo by TuanAnh Blue on Unsplash.
Sew the panel in
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Turn the jeans inside out. Slide the fabric tube over the lower section, right sides together, matching the raw edge of the panel to the raw edge of the lower leg. Pin all the way around, aligning any seam with the inseam or outseam if you prefer.
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Sew around the leg with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Go slowly at the original side seams; the denim may be several layers thick. Use the handwheel to ease over the bulky points rather than forcing the fabric.
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Turn the upper leg down over the panel and pin its raw edge to the other raw edge of the panel, right sides together. Sew around with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
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Turn the jeans right side out. Press both seams toward the panel, then press the panel flat. Clip the seam allowances at the thickest points if needed, but do not cut through stitching.
Finish and topstitch
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Sew a row of topstitching on each side of the panel seams, close to the fold, from the right side. Use a denim needle and a longer straight stitch, about 3 mm. If the machine skips over the thick seams, lift the presser foot and turn the handwheel, or place a folded scrap of fabric under the back of the presser foot as a ramp.
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If you opened the outseam, close it now. Pin the seam together, stitch it, and press. Topstitch the closed section to match the original flat-felled seam if you can; a simple topstitch on both sides of the seam is enough.
Photo by Luba Glazunova on Unsplash.
Mistakes to avoid
- Cutting the panel too short. Always add seam allowances to L. The visible panel height is L only after both seams are sewn.
- Using a fabric that is too light. A panel that cannot support its own weight will sag at the hem.
- Twisting the leg. Use the chalk arrows and pin the lower section to the upper section before you cut if you are worried. Once cut, the lower leg can rotate easily.
- Placing the panel too close to the hem. The lower seam should not rest on the hem fold. Keep at least 1 inch of original denim below it.
- Forcing the machine through thick seams. Raise the presser foot, turn the handwheel, and use a denim needle. A slower stitch line is more durable than a broken needle.
A fabric panel repair will not be invisible. That is part of its usefulness: it acknowledges the alteration, keeps the original hem, and gives the jeans a little more time. Choose a contrast that you can live with, and the seam will read as a deliberate detail rather than an afterthought.