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Sewing (Sort of) Help Needed
Topic Started: May 17 2011, 04:58 AM (216 Views)
Casey1
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Magical Leopluridon
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Does anyone here sew???

I have to hem my camo pants (I hate camo) for the hunt test. I decided I did not want to pay a tailor. A friend suggested hemming tape. This I 'think' I can do. These are not 'cheap' pants, and actually they fit AWESOME except for the length but when ones legs barely reach the ground..... I got them from SHE Safari. Nice stuff if you like that stuff.

ANYWAY.... I have pinned the pants (with safety pins, don't own straight pins) and I have tried them on and like the length. I did pretty good there. I have about 5" of material now at the bottom of which I think I need to cut some off. The pants are a nylon (waterproof) blend. Do I need to do something to the bottoms before I use the hemming tape? Would the hemming tape keep them from fraying? Have I bit off more than I can chew?

Part of me is trying to decide if I should finish this that I can do it. Another part of me says, take them to the tailor.....

Ann
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doubledare
Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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I think it costs me less than $10.00 to get pants hemmed at the local dry cleaner. I don't hem anything.
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gunnar
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You're BANNED!
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At 5 11 I am not a Hemmer! Sorry!
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Casey1
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Magical Leopluridon
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doubledare
May 17 2011, 05:34 AM
I think it costs me less than $10.00 to get pants hemmed at the local dry cleaner. I don't hem anything.
My cleaner does not hem... they sent me to the tailor. Who does great jobs, but I think he has been $15-$20 for hems. Just not sure I want to pay that.

I guess I will have to... wonder if he can take it from my safety pins.... I have to go soon if I want to get them back in time.

Ann
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MyGiantPony
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Is the meadow on fire?
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Nylon is NOT a fabric for a novice to mess with.

Spend the few bucks and have them hemmed by a pro.
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OpticalIllusion
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You're BANNED!
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MyGiantPony
May 17 2011, 07:14 AM
Nylon is NOT a fabric for a novice to mess with.

Spend the few bucks and have them hemmed by a pro.
This. Nylon snags very easily in the sewing machine.
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Casey1
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Magical Leopluridon
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I wouldn't be sewing.... I was going to use hemming tape and an iron. My concern is how to keep the fabric from unraveling when I cut the excess off.

I don't own a sewing machine, or a needle and thread.

Ann
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doubledare
Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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I think you can melt nylon too if you get it too hot. Not sure though.
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MyGiantPony
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Is the meadow on fire?
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Nylon is difficult to cut - you'd want to use pinking shears. It can fray easily, it's hard to get a straight cut without it slipping. And it WILL melt if your iron is too hot.

If you really want to do this, practice with the tape and iron on a piece you trim off.

But if these are pants you really want to keep, I'd spend the money to have them professionally done.
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goodhors
We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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I would agree that you will be MUCH happier having the tailor do the pants. Nylon melts, could fray, may not hold with the hemming tape if you can't get it hot enough. Sounds like you paid well for the pants already, so have the tailor finish them nicely to wear at competitions.

If you were doing jeans, I would say 'Go for it", because jeans are cotton and will take a high heat to melt the hemming tape so it holds well.

There are SO MANY kinds of nylon, but they ALL do melt at fairly low temps, even the mixed fabric types. Most synthetic materials also melt at pretty low temps, which can make ironing them difficult. The iron-on sewing tools just don't work well here. Sewing machine works better on synthetics for alterations and repairs. We do love them for easy care, quick drying, no wrinkles, but they do have down sides too.

I have a Farrier husband who MUST wear cottons, wool, natural fabrics, so he doesn't melt holes in them during the work day. Getting so it is VERY hard to find 100% cotton blue chambray shirts with buttons. Lots with western snaps, but snaps get hot by the forge and burn him, so he won't wear them. Evidently Farmers don't wear them much anymore, even Penny's doesn't sell them now. Same kind thing with sweatshirts for winter. Most are 50-50, cotton and synthetics which melt when sparks or hot metal chips hit them. SO FAR, Levi jeans are all cotton, no problem there.
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