Hemming Jeans

I know that hemming jeans can be a bit tricky...finding the perfect matching thread and stitching over the side and inseam lumps.Trying to maneuver the presser foot over them without either breaking a needle or skipping stitches or bunching up the thread. Some home sewers keep a hammer nearby in their sewing room to pound those lumpy spots into sewing submission. Well, you can put down your hammer and pick yourself up one of these babies... 

My mom gave me this little gadget for Christmas one year. The only part of this little jig that I actually use is the notch you see in the end.(on the right) You see, when you try to sew over a bulky seam, the pressure foot gets tilted and no longer has an even pressure and therefore skips stitches, bunches or breaks the needle.

To use: start stitching your hem until the pressure foot reaches the bulky seam

then stop but leave your needle in the down position

raise the pressure foot and slide the slotted end under the pressure foot from behind
the needle fits into the slot

Now, slowly stitch over the seam, stopping while the pressure foot is still on the seam but the needle is in the down position and just this side of the seam. 

Raising the pressure foot,  remove the jig from the back and slide it under the presser foot in front. Lower presser foot. The notch  will allow you to take about five more stitches by which time the presser foot should be clear of the bulky seam.

And that's it! This is the easiest way I have found to hem jeans at home.

*UPDATE! My mom just read this post and told me to read the words on the gauge that say... BUTTON GAUGE...Oh...I didn't see that. You could use it for sewing on buttons too..I guess. Whatever. So this really is a new use of this little jig.