Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To expect the hem on M&S trousers to stay up a bit longer than this?

18 replies

mosschops30 · 02/10/2009 16:12

Just noticed that the hem on ds's school trousers has come down already.
He's only been in school since 8th sept and has 3 pairs so cant have worn them that much!

Can I take them back for another pair or not?

(oh and dont suggest I do it, because I cant sew - at all )

OP posts:

southeastastra · 02/10/2009 16:15

that always happens to my sons, without fail, within a few weeks, whatever the make.

ConnorTraceptive · 02/10/2009 16:17

Same here, both pairs, both legs and the hems are down after just three weeks of school. Not even full time school! Have just bought some hemming web. Can't sew for toffee

moaningminniewhingesagain · 02/10/2009 16:18

i had 3 pairs from there and all hems fell down after a couple of wears.

I took them back and they offered me a part refund, and keep them, got some iron on stuff to sort them out. I got about £4 back per pair.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 02/10/2009 16:26

This is happening to ours too.

The iron on stuff has never worked for me. I will pretend I don't notice for a few weeks and then relent and sew them up

Original poster

mosschops30 · 02/10/2009 16:29

i dont have the receipt as bought online, can I just take them in with my cc bill which will say M&S online?

OP posts:

Original poster

mosschops30 · 02/10/2009 16:30

Am pretty disgusted actually, only bought from M&S because had a code and worked out cheaper.

Last year bought from asda and lasted all year, so thats just crap quality IMO

OP posts:

hannahsaunt · 02/10/2009 16:39

Has happened here too. Last year's mothercares did the same but took much longer about it - these were nearly twice the price so am very cross.

Bramshott · 02/10/2009 16:45

Hmm annoying, but honestly, you barely need to be able to sew to tack up a trouser hem. Just turn them inside out, thread a needle, and loop it through in a diagonal fashion, with small stiches on the good side, and big stitches on the other side. Or running stitch (stitching in a straight line) very similar - big stitches on the back, small stitches on the front.

I can't view Youtube, but aparently here is a video showing you how to:
here

tassisssss · 04/10/2009 14:44

oooh, this has just happened to ds's M&S ones too.

bought the M&S ones last year too and they've handed on to a friend looking good as new.

i've already tried that iron on tape stuff but it's down again. v tempted to try asking for a refund! i don't sew. i'm not inclined to start as i think it's good not to be able to do everything!

doughnutty · 04/10/2009 16:01

If you take them back to a store that does alterations (usually in the mens dept) and speak to customer services they may offer to re-hem them.

The reason the hems don't take is because of the polyester fabric and the fact that when they are machine stitched it shows on the outside of the trouser. This shows a certain ammount of care from the manufacturer, but can mean that the hems aren't as secure as they could be.

Having said that, how lazy do you have to be to not try to mend them yourself. It would certainly take less time than returning them to the shop!

janeite · 04/10/2009 16:05

Hemming is really easy.

Having said that, I took a pair of ladies' trews back where the hem came down on first wear and they refused to refund/do anything as they said it was to be expected!

notagrannyyet · 04/10/2009 16:36

Surely simple hemming is not so hard.If you really can't sew why not try using some of that iron on tape. You do need to use a steam iron. They sell it with the cotton etc in most supermarkets.

I know I'm old but as a girl I was making wearable skirts and simple blouses in the last year of primary school (year 6).At secondary we were all taught proper dress making/tailoring.

I know they don't do much practial stuff nowdays. Textiles seems to be all about using a sewing machine to 'draw '.I made sure all mine 1DD & 5DS could at least sew a button on and do a simple hem.

notagrannyyet · 04/10/2009 16:40

Just reread last post....didn't mean to sound condescending honestly .

clutteredup · 04/10/2009 16:51

My DDs hem on her MandS dress came undone on second day of wearing - I hemmed the part that's come undone and now the rest has gone - what a load of crap - I'm goingback to Asda next year DDs dresses lasted all year- only not using as shes grown

tassisssss · 04/10/2009 19:24

ok all you "hemming is super easy" ladies, how come if I hem something you can see a wee line of stitches? is there a way to kind of only half go through the fabric or something?

alternatively isn't there some iron on stuff that actually works?!

janeite · 04/10/2009 22:03

I catch just a teeny tiny bit of fabric, so you don't see any stitches from the outside.

Bramshott · 05/10/2009 15:12

Tassissss - you can usually see a small line of stitches (even with machine-done hems), but you can usually get it fairly small by doing big stitches on the back and small stitches on the front, and by using thread as close to the colour of the fabric as possible. It always looks a million times better once you've pressed it.

Bramshott · 05/10/2009 15:14

NAGY does make an interesting point re sewing in schools. It used to be part of what you learned when I was at school - for both boys and girls. I was just thinking the other day that when I was DD1's age (less than 30 years ago ) we were doing cross stitch in class. Seems very arcane now - but also very useful!

Flip