letting down a hem

filigree_2

It only seems like five minutes since I took up my son's school trousers now I need to let them down again! Does anyone know how to get rid of the crease that will result?

I should have been more careful about not ironing the cuffs so much

jenniferpa

You could try white vinegar - dab lightly on the wrong side and then press. Check on a hidden part first.

Jennifer

needmoney

It's really hard the best I can suggest is a well rung cloth and press ove that. Best of luck,

Sarahsaver

If your son has ankle boots then get him to wear those - works every time for me, makes the trousers look long enough again.
Could shorten them into long shorts (à la AC/DC, bash street kids...) I think that's in now, especially with your underkeks showing LOL

ChocClare

You should be able to press it out with a wet cloth and lots of steam, but if that doesn't work and it looks awful and you're desperate (and you've got enough material to play with) you could always make mock turnups:

With the trousers right side out, turn all your let-down material back up the leg of the trousers and machine just below where the old hem was, about an quarter of an inch from the fold - half an inch, if you've got enough material to spare.

Turn the material back down along the old crease and hem in the usual way. You now have what looks like trousers with turnups, with the old crease for the hem as the top of the turnup and a tuck of material inside the trousers (machine stitching won't show on the outside). The difference between these and real turnups is that obviously these turnups are only a quarter of an inch deep on the inside, though they look as if they are the usual inch or so on the outside. You might just want to catch the "turnups" to the seams or even slipstich round to stop them coming down.

I do hope you understand what I'm talking about here! A picture would be so much easier, but I don't know how to draw on this!

maryb

I've found it helps to press the crease over a bit of fat cord (the sort that goes in bias binding for upholstery). It enables you to get at all sides of the crease at once and it relaxes more easily into a gentle curve than trying to get it flat all in one go

hope this helps

filigree_2

Thanks for the tips everyone - I might have known that vinegar would feature somewhere! I ironed the trousers when they were still wet from the machine (clouds of steam) and that seems to have done most of the trick.

I saw an interview with Maggie Thatcher once, and her wardrobe tip was don't iron your hems too enthusiastically because it leaves a mark. I never thought I'd see the day when I took household tips from old Maggie!