In some cases, the hem of your pants needs repairing. Due to unexpected weight or height changes, your bodies can outgrow your favorite set of pants or sometimes the opposite. But never fret, since just like any type of clothing, pants can be subjected to all sorts of alterations and repair. You can always make it look thinner by reducing the inseam, trim the waist line and make alterations with the hem – just to name a few. This article will guide you through the general cost to hem pants and the recurring factors you need to consider especially when you are to spend a few bucks from pockets in solving this kind of concern.
Apparently, there are only a few factors that will largely affect your concerns when it comes to the espenses you have to indeed pay. Moroever, you don’t need to spend quite a large amount of money in this case. You only have two options in creating a solution for hemming your pants. These options are actually the main factors to consider since these will largely vary on your expected pant hemming price.
Firstly, your primary option is to actually hire a service from a good tailor or seamstress for the convenience and efficiency of the work. Services and companies who cater and offer such kind of service are actually rated on different basis. There are companies, services, and freelancers who base their fees on the complexity of the job but most of the time it is just rated on a fix price.
On the other hand, if you do have a lot of time and patience and tend to spend a little less from the casual fixed rates of tailor services, you can actually hem your pants on your own. However, it may require you some skills and knowledge in doing so since there are actually proper ways to trim and hem pants.
The Average Cost to Hem Pants and Factors Affecting It
Normally, it will cost you at an average of $20 to $50 to hem a pant depending on the tailor or seamstress. Different seamstress charge different rates, more reputable ones can go up to $50 and more while you can save some for others that may charge only $10. These rates also depend on the intricacy of the job and the amount of time rendered to finish the job. If you want it to be done as soon as possible, expect to pay an extra charge.
Another factor that will affect your expected average hem pants cost is the type of pants. This means thinner type of cloth such as slacks and the like will require only small amounts while thicker types of pants such as denim is likely to cost you a much higher rate.
The locations of the prospect tailor and seamstress will also affect the costs. Seamstress working for a business with a name, for example a dry-cleaning company, usually they will charge you $10 to $20 while tailors located in malls and stores offer a heftier prices that typically starts from $35 and above.
Other factors to take into consideration (before you start scratching your heads with the unexpected and additional cost to hem pants) include: average city living costs, mall or storefront rental rates and taxes, seamstress level of experience, and the complexity of the tailoring job.
Doing It Yourself: Hemming Your Pants
For those who are blessed with skilled hands, they can save a lot of money compared to having it done by professional tailors. This takes a huge amount of time and patience though but if you are not that knowledgeable about altering clothes might as well skip the “doing it yourself” mindset and head straight to a seamstress.
If you are really down for the job, then you will need a sewing machine. However, if you don’t have one, a simple needle and thread will suffice.
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Using Sewing Machines or Needle Thread
Mark your pants with cloth chalks up to the preferred length and size. Once you are done with marking your pants, you may need to roll over the cut ends of the pants’ fabric to secure them if you are doing the sewing manually.
You will then need to mark half on the hem of the pants so that it can be pressed tightly to the edge where the sewing will be done. Afterwards, cut the excess of the pants. Keep in mind to keep the pants flat while you start sewing. You can then start manually stitching on the inseams of the pants to secure the edges or might as well use the zigzag stitch of the sewing machine.
Making the stitches large will render the stitching job to work weakly and may not encase the entire edges. On the other hand, making the stitch too small will end up stretching the cloth of the pants making it more difficult when sewing up the hem for the final adjustments.
Now, be sure that you sew all the way up and that the stitches overlap. Once done, lightly press the fabric and observe any stretched areas in the cloth of the pants. While doing this, be cautious not to press around the hem line. With this, you can already sew your hem starting from the inseam and folding the fabric to the hem line.
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Hem Tapes
Another alternative can also be done without the use of a sewing machine. This option also has a much lower pant hemming price and certainly less time consuming. You will only need the use of an iron and a no-sew glue or an iron down hem tape.
The glue may be purchased easily at any grocery store around and through Amazon which costs approximately $15. The iron down hem tape is stronger than the glue and is luckily less expensive, costing only $5.45.
When doing this, the first step is to iron the pant’s legs, although this is only optional. After doing this, you need to lay your pants on a flat surface. Next is you have to spread the glue on one side of the pant’s original hem. Make sure to only do both of the legs one at a time.
Next, fold the pant’s legs over one another and press firmly to be assured that the glue is correctly set in place. Afterwards, flip the pants over and repeat the same process on the other side, making sure that both sides match.
After gluing both sides perfectly and evenly, put anything heavy on top of the glued parts to hold them in place while waiting for it to dry completely.
An advantage of gluing the hems of your pants is that the glue is able to withstand gentle wash cycles – so with this, you are assured that it will not tear off that easy. If choosing to make use of the iron down hem tape, just do the same process mentioned above substituting glue with the hem tape.
Hemming Pants Today
The average hem pants costs can be very cheap and expensive at the same time. It will only rely on your preferences and choices of actions. If you intend to keep on a tight budget then you may prefer doing the hemming procedures on your own, but if you are willing to spend a little more for assurances and conveniences, then you may go straight to the nearest seamstress or tailor on your location.