| How to Shrink Shoes Posted: 08 Jul 2022 01:00 AM PDT Finding a pair of shoes that fits perfectly and matches your personal style can be pretty difficult. Luckily, whether you bought a pair of shoes that are just slightly too large or your favorite pair of shoes are stretched due to wear, you can shrink them to get a better fit. To shrink leather, suede, and canvas shoes, you can wet the fabric and apply heat to make the material shrink. To get a better fit in more structured shoes, like heels, dress shoes, sneakers, and boots, you can add inserts. [Edit]Shrinking Leather, Suede, and Canvas Shoes - Try on the shoes to see which parts need to be smaller. Put the shoes on and stand with your feet flat on the floor, and then take a few steps. Check to see which places on the shoe aren't touching your foot, and decide which parts need to be smaller for the shoes to fit more snugly.[1]
- If you bought the shoe in your size, you probably won't need to shrink the entire shoe. Instead, you're just going to be focusing on shrinking one area of the shoe at a time.
- For instance, you may want to make the sides of a canvas shoe slightly smaller so your foot doesn't slip out while you walk.
- Dab an ill-fitting area of the shoe with water until it is damp but not saturated. Dip your fingers into cool water and pat the water onto the shoe. Continue this until the fabric is damp but not dripping wet. Focus the water on the areas that are the most stretched.[2]
- Avoid getting water on the insole of the shoe, as this can cause it to become smelly, cracked, or discolored.
- For a leather or suede shoe, focus the water around the top edge of the shoe, which tends to be the stretchiest area.[3]
- Adding water and heat to shoes like patent leather heels, coated leather sneakers, or larger shoes, like boots, won't be effective for shrinking them. In those cases, you'll need to use inserts to get a better fit.
- Apply heat to the wet fabric with a blow dryer on the medium setting. Hold a blow dryer about away from the area where you applied the water. Turn the dryer on and set the heat at the medium level. Leave the dryer on until the fabric is dry to the touch.[4]
- Don't hold the blow dryer too close to the fabric. The concentrated heat from the dryer discolor lighter canvas fabrics.
- For leather and suede, continuously move the dryer around the top edge of the shoe to heat the leather, causing it to contract and shrink. If the leather starts to smell or crack while you're applying heat, turn the blow dryer off and let the shoes air dry.[5]
- Put on the shoe to see if the fit has improved. Once the area is dry, put the shoe back on your foot and stand up with your feet flat on the floor. Take a few steps to see if the the fabric feels tighter. If it does, your shoe has shrunk.[6]
- If it still feels loose, re-apply the water to the area and continue blow drying.
- If they feel too tight, wear a pair of thick socks with them to stretch them out slightly without making them too large.
- You may need to shrink multiple areas on the shoe, like the sides and the top lip, before you start to see results.
- Use leather conditioner to protect leather and suede shoes. Put a pea-sized amount of leather conditioner onto a clean cloth. Then, rub it all over the shoes to restore moisture to the material. Check the packaging to see how long you should let the conditioner soak into the material before you can wear the shoes.[7]
- You can purchase leather conditioner at most supermarkets or shoe stores.
[Edit]Getting a Tighter Fit in Sneakers, Boots, and Dress Shoes - Put on a pair of thick socks for a tighter fit all around. If you're wearing tennis shoes, boots, or other shoes where your feet are covered, you can fill the extra space with your socks. Look for a thick pair of hiking socks, or put on 2 or 3 pairs of thinner socks before you put on your shoes.[8]
- For shoes like heels or ballet flats, this might not be a good option because your feet are mostly exposed.
- Place a cushion at the back heel of the shoe if the shoes are too long. Heel cushions are normally used for making shoes feel more comfortable, but you can also use them to inconspicuously improve the fit of a pair of heels or dress shoes. Pull off the protective paper from the back of the cushion and stick it along the back side of the shoe, where the back of your heel would normally touch the shoe.[9][10]
- The cushions are about thick, so they take up a small enough amount of space that it won't look like there's a big gap between your heel and the shoe.
- You can find heel cushions at most supermarkets, pharmacies, and shoe stores.
- Use ball of foot cushions to fill the toe area of the shoes. If your dress shoes or heels aren't fitting well, you might have too much space in the toe area. Peel the protective paper off of the back of the cushions, and stick them to the insole of the shoe where your toes normally rest in the shoe.[11]
- This helps to keep your toes in the same place when you walk. If you have a lot of space in the toe of your shoe, the ball of your foot can slide forward into the shoe, causing the heel of your shoe to slip off when you walk.
- Add an extra insole into the shoe to elevate your foot. If there's a gap between your foot and the top of your shoe, your foot can slip out of the shoe. To fix this, take an insole out of a different shoe of the same size and style, and lay it on top of the insole that's already in the shoe. Then, try on the shoe to make sure your foot touches the top of the shoe.[12][13]
- If you don't have an extra insole, you can purchase inserts at the supermarket, pharmacy, or shoe store.
- This is a useful method for tennis shoes, boots, dress shoes, and heels since no one will be able to see the insole in the shoe.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Fixing Stretched Out Shoes [Edit]Shrinking Leather Shoes - Water
- Blow dryer
- Leather conditioner
[Edit]Getting a Tighter Fit - Thick socks
- Heel cushions
- Insoles
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Fold a Paper Rose Posted: 07 Jul 2022 05:00 PM PDT Folding a rose is an intermediate origami project that results in a beautiful, decorative flower. It all starts with a simple square that's carefully folded into a spiral pattern. The rose comes together as four petals tightly twisted around a square base. Once you make your first rose, you'll want to make several more so you can create an entire bouquet of these pretty paper flowers. Become an absolute expert. Take our wikiHow Origami Course! [Edit]Making the Base Folds - Get a square piece of paper. This paper rose starts with a simple square, as most origami projects do. Choose any color you'd like, so long as the two sides are different in color or texture.[1] Glossy paper makes for the most realistic-looking rose.
- Fold the paper in half (Start with the colored side down, white side up). Bring the bottom edge of the paper up to meet the top edge. Crease the fold with your fingers, working from the center outwards.
- In the origami world, this is known as a "valley fold," because it creates a little valley in the paper Almost every origami project begins with a valley fold or its opposite, the mountain fold, which creates a ridge.[2]
- Unfold the paper. When you open the fold, you'll see the crease you've made running right through the middle of the paper, creating a horizontal line.
- Orient the crease horizontally, with the red side down.
- Fold the bottom half in half. Line up the bottom edge of the paper to meet the horizontal crease in the middle. [3]
- Crease the new fold with your fingers.
- Fold the top half in half. Bring the top edge of the paper to meet the lower horizontal crease.[4]
- Crease the new fold with your finger.
- Unfold the paper. Now there are three horizontal creases in the paper making four equal sections.[5]
- Fold the bottom in three-quarters. Make sure your paper is oriented so that the three creases you created in the previous step are horizontal, with the red side down. Take the bottom edge of the paper (The side closest to your body) and drag it up across the surface of the paper until it meets the crease that is closest to the top. The crease you are trying to get the bottom edge to meet with is located one fourth of the way down the paper from the top.[6]
- Crease the new fold with your fingers or a bone folder.
- If you've done the fold correctly, the area between the crease in the middle of the paper and the crease three-fourths of the way down the paper has been split in half with your new fold.
- You can unfold the crease you just made to make sure you did it right. However, make sure to fold it back into place before moving on to the next step.
- Fold the bottom-right corner in. Take hold of the bottom-right corner (as made by the bottom crease) and make a small diagonal fold at a 45 degree angle. The corner should fold upward so that a small portion of the right edge of the paper aligns with nearest crease.[7]
- Unfold the paper. You should see four horizontal creases. Of your four original areas, the one second from the bottom should be divided in half by one of these horizontal creases. Additionally, in this same area, you should see two small diagonal creases on the right side.[8]
- Of these two diagonal creases, one should be going up at a 45 degree angle from the horizontal crease, and the other down at the same angle.
- Mark the creases. Using a pen or pencil, draw lines along your creases.[9]
- Rotate the paper 180 degrees and repeat. Turn the paper so that the top becomes the bottom. Then, repeat steps 7 through 10.[10]
- Rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat. Turn the paper one quarter of a turn, then repeat steps 2 through 10.[11]
- Rotate 180 degrees and repeat. Turn the paper another half-turn, then repeat steps 7 through 10.[12]
[Edit]Making the Diagonal Folds - Fold the paper in half diagonally. With the red side still down, take the lower right corner and bring it to meet the upper left corner. Crease the fold with your finger.[13]
- Unfold the paper. Open it up to reveal a new diagonal crease.[14]
- Fold the paper on the opposite diagonal. Rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat the previous two steps.[15]
- Unfold the paper. Open it up to reveal two diagonal creases that form an "X" through the paper.[16]
- Fold the top-left corner. In each corner of your paper, you should now see a small square that is divided by a single diagonal crease. Take hold of the top left corner and fold it inward, creating a crease that is perpendicular to the original diagonal crease.[17]
- The corner of your paper should align with the bottom-right corner of the small square.
- Unfold and mark all the new creases formed. You should now see a small "X" in the top left corner. Draw a line along the new crease.[18]
- Fold the bottom-right corner up to the new line. Take the bottom-right corner and bring it up so that the point of the corner just touches the new line you drew in the previous step.[19]
- This should create a new crease that runs parallel to one of the lines making up the big "X," specifically the one running from bottom-left to top-right.
- Unfold and mark. Unfold and draw a line along the new diagonal crease.[20]
- Rotate and repeat. Turn the paper 180 degrees and repeat the previous four steps.[21]
- You should now see three lines running parallel from the bottom-left corner of your paper up to the top right.
- Rotate and repeat, again. Now turn the paper 90 degrees and repeat steps 5 through 9 (of Part 2).[22]
- When you are done, you should have three parallel lines running from bottom-left to top-right and three running from top-left to bottom-right.
[Edit]Creating the Structure - Fold in the four corners. As in step 5 of Part two, fold in all four corners. You should not need to make any new creases to do this.[23]
- The end result will be an octagon.
- Turn the paper over. The red side of your paper should now be face up.[24]
- Locate the small triangle. Along the bottom edge of your paper, you should see a small creased triangle. It has a crease down the middle, making it look like two smaller triangles that share a vertical side.
- If you have trouble finding it, look for the triangle's right-most corner. The triangle's right-most corner is in the spot where the bottom edge of the paper, which is horizontal, meets the bottom-right edge of the paper, which is diagonal.
- If the small triangle isn't there, check to make sure you did step eight of part one correctly.
- Make an inside reverse-fold in the bottom. If you don't know what an inside reverse-fold is or forget how to do an inside reverse-fold, follow the steps below[25]
- Fold the center crease of the triangle you located in the last step gently inward, creating a small valley fold.
- At the same time, fold the two diagonal sides of the triangle outward to create small mountain folds.
- This should result in the small triangle creating a small "notch" on the side of the paper.
- Then, create one more mountain fold along the crease extending from the tip of the triangle.
- This is called an inside reverse-fold.[26]
- Make another inside reverse-fold. In what was once the bottom left corner, you'll need to fold another notch of a slightly different shape.[27]
- Directly to the right of the small triangle (The one you just made an inside reverse fold with) is another crease. It runs parallel to the right side of the smaller triangle and is perpendicular to the side of the octagon.
- Push gently inward along this crease to create a valley fold.
- Then, as before, push the sides of the triangle gently outward, creating small ridges.
- Finally, create one more valley fold, pushing inward the nearest horizontal crease that runs parallel to the horizontal side of your new "notch."[28]
- This last crease should run out to just past the center of your paper, creating one side of the small square in the center that you can see marked out on the reverse side.
- Rotate and repeat. Turn the paper 90 degrees and repeat Steps 3 and 4. Do this for the 3 remaining sides.[29][30]
[Edit]Creating the Petals - Use the valley fold on each petal's edge. Now that the basic structure of your rose is in place, it's time to start working on the petals. As your first step, you'll need to add a valley fold the outside edge of each one.[31]
- You'll see that, if you look a your rose from above, it has four long valleys extending out from a square in the center. On the right side of each of these is a large, flat surface. Grasp the edge of this surface and fold it inward.
- Specifically, grab the three sides of the outside edge and fold them in such that a small tab shaped like a trapezoid is formed.[32]
- Fold in the corners. Looking at your rose from the side, you should now see that you have four shapes that look like triangles with one corner chopped off (along the area you just valley-folded). Protruding from the base of each of these you should see a small triangle of the white side of your paper. Fold in the right-side point of each of these "chopped-off" triangles.[33]
- Draw an imaginary line straight up from the bottom point of the "white" triangle, and make a valley fold along it.[34]
- Unfold the corners and reverse fold them. Unfold the valley folds you just made to the tips. Then, reverse fold them such that each tip disappears inside the rose.[35]
- If you've done this correctly, the white triangles should no longer be visible.
- Add tiny valley folds. Your "chopped off" triangles should now look like they have two points chopped off: one on the left and a tiny one on the right, created by your reverse folds. You'll now fold up the tiny "chopped" side at a 45 degree angle from the base of the "chopped" triangle (i.e. the edge of the paper).[36]
- Unfold and reverse fold. Unfold the valley folds you just made, and then reverse fold along the same lines, folding the tiny triangle you created in the previous step inside the rose at all four points.[37]
- Fold down the edges. Your "chopped off" triangle should now have reverse folds at each "chopped" edge. These will allow you to make a small valley fold, horizontal to the base of each triangle, folding the resulting tab outward. Do this to all four petals.[38]
- Create legs. Bring the petals together to create "legs." For each set of petals, pull them close together such that the right-side one sits just behind the left-side one. Press down on the creases to hold them in place. The result should be four pointed and fairly sturdy legs.[39]
- If you've done this right, you should be able to see little or no white-side surface on the legs when looking at your rose from the side.
- Turn it over and fold the legs in. Turn your rose over such that you are looking down into the white interior. Then, one by one, fold down each of the triangular legs.[40]
- Insert the ends into one another such that you close off the opening of the rose.[41]
- Turn the rose over. The square that you are looking down on will become the top of the rose.[42]
- Push in the quadrants. The square on top of your rose should be divided into four quadrants by creases. With your finger, gently push in each quadrant, leaving in place the ridges that form an "X" over the top of the square.[43]
- Rotate. Place a finger into each of the four quadrants around the "X" and gently rotate.[44]
- This should give the top of rose a more swirled, organic feel, as opposed to the hard lines of the "X."
- Make a swirl. With a pair of tweezers, grab the center of what was once the "X," and slowly but firmly continue to rotate, being careful not to tear the paper.[45]
- As you do this, the center of the rose will sink inside, creating a more realistic look.
- This may take several tries to get right.
- Curl the petals. Using two fingers, take each petal by the point and roll it toward the center, then release. This will create nicely curled petals.[46]
[Edit]Adding a Stem (Optional) - Get a new piece of paper. If you want to add an origami stem, start with a fresh piece of paper, preferable green.
- Start with the white side up and fold it in half. Valley fold the paper, from corner to corner, creating two triangles, then unfold.[47]
- Fold the corners in. Create two more valley folds, folding the left and right corners in toward the center crease, creating a kite shape.[48]
- Repeat. Fold the corners in again toward the center crease. Then do it one more time. You should now have a very skinny kite shape.[49]
- Turn it over and fold upward. Flip your stem over so that the edges of the paper all face hidden, then fold the bottom point up to the top one.[50]
- Fold it in half. Now, fold the stem in half along the vertical axis.[51]
- Fold down the sides, then reverse fold. Fold the outer part (which will become the leaf) of the paper outward, away from the inside (stem), creating two diagonal creases. Then, reverse fold the leaf out and away from the stem. It will have crease in the center.[52]
- Attach the stem. Put the pointed end of the stem through the small hole in the underside of your rose where the "legs" all meet.
- Make sure your folds are sharp and precise. Line edges up carefully before making the crease.
- Your folds need to be straight as possible or it will not turn out right.
- You can also make a stem from green pipe cleaners or wire, if you don't want to make one using origami.
- You don't have to use colored paper, but it will make your rose look much better. By using two different colors, it will make it easier to keep track of where you are at in the process.
- At the end, just before rolling the petals, if you fold the 4 pointed tips inward it looks much more realistic.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Cook Diced Beef Posted: 07 Jul 2022 09:00 AM PDT Diced beef is a great addition to many delicious dishes. From stews and soups to pizzas and empanadas, it can add a dose of protein and flavor to various cultural staples. When it comes to cooking your beef, searing and sautéing are the most common practices. The former involves quickly cooking the outside of the meat, while the latter is similarly fast but with the goal of cooking the meat all the way through. The method you use depends on the way you like your beef and how you want your dish to turn out. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Sautéing Diced Beef - 1/2 pound boneless sirloin steak or pre-cut beef tips
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil, divided
- chopped rosemary
- dry white wine
[Edit]Searing Diced Beef - 1 pound sirloin steak (minimal grizzle) or pre-cut beef tips
- butter
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Oil
[Edit]Sautéing Diced Beef - Remove the fat from your meat. Use your kitchen knife to trim excess pieces of fat from the beef. Position your knife between the fat and meat. As your trim the fat, keep it taut and almost parallel to the cutting board for better accuracy. Use clean, smooth strokes and start from the top of the steak.[1]
- Slice the meat into diced cubes. Cut your steak into strips that are less than wide.[2] From here, you can begin cutting these into bite-sized diced beef strips. You can skip this step if you bought pre-cut beef tips.
- Remove any large chunks of fat, gristle, or silvery membrane that you missed from step 1.
- Mix your diced beef with flour, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add your diced steak bites in and toss the meat until they're covered on all sides.
- If your taste buds prefer marinated beef, add your choice ingredients into a shallow dish and put your meat in. Cover it and let them sit for at least 2 hours or overnight. Common ingredients include oil, vinegar, ginger, onion, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. [3]
- Heat oil on the skillet and cook your beef in batches. Heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 grams) of oil in your skillet on medium-high heat. Cook your bites in the oil in 2 or 3 batches for about 2 minutes per batch.[4] Be careful to not splash any oil on yourself and don't overcrowd the pan.
- Check to see that your meat is properly cooked. Use your spatula or food thermometer to ensure your beef bites are properly cooked through. Add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 grams) of oil as needed until they are no longer pink on the outside and cooked inside. Transfer them to a plate when finished.
- Your bites should be 125 degrees F (52 C) for the rarest and 160 degrees F (71 C) for medium-well. Medium-rare can be removed at 130 degrees F (54 C) and medium at 140 degrees F (60 C).[5]
- Create your seasoning. Cook your garlic and rosemary in the remaining oil over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Add wine and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 grams) each of salt and pepper. Scrape up the brown bits until your mix is reduced by half.
- Warm your diced beef. Add your diced beef bits into the skillet with your new seasoning. Move them around gently until they're warmed through. If you're unsure, insert your thermometer and ensure they're at least 135 degrees F (57 C).
- Pair your beef with your favorite sides. Fresh steamed vegetables, salads, and baked potatoes are common choices. You can also use your bites as the protein of other primary dishes such as stew, pasta, or pizza.[6]
[Edit]Searing Diced Beef - Trim the fat from your meat. Using a kitchen knife, cut excess pieces of fat from your beef. Always cut between the fat and meat, holding the fat taut and almost parallel to the cutting board. Start from the top and keep your strokes smooth and clean.
- Cut the meat into small cubes. After cutting, your beef should be in pieces less than wide. Now you can cut them up even smaller into bite-sized diced beef pieces. If you bought pre-cut beef tips, move on to the next step.
- Remove any pieces of fat, gristle, or silvery membrane remaining from the first step.
- Season your beef with salt and pepper. Sprinkle kosher salt and ground pepper generously over your meat. In order to coat the pieces thoroughly, toss the meat around until they're completely covered. Add in spices or seasoning for more flavor.
- To marinate your cubes, combine your beef and ingredients in a shallow dish. Cover it and let it sit for at least 2 hours or overnight. Popular marinating ingredients include oil, vinegar, ginger, onion, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Mix heated oil with butter. Pour oil into a frying pan. Always make sure that the oil coat is spread over the pan evenly. Afterwards, place the pan on medium-heat for approximately 3 minutes. As it heats, add 2 tablespoons of butter and wait until it melts and turns brown.
- Drop your meat into the oil and butter mix. Place your diced meat into the pan in one layer. You should hear loud sizzling as each piece hits the pan (if not, the pan isn't hot enough).
- Sear your beef cubes. Let them sizzle for 30 to 45 seconds. Once the pieces are brown on one side, flip them over with your spatula. After flipping, let them sit for another 30 to 45 seconds until the outside is seared (but not cooked on the inside).
- Use your food thermometer to check the temperature. At least 145 degrees F (63 C is ideal).
- Transfer your diced meat and add your butter. Place your diced beef onto a clean plate and repeat steps 3 and 4 until you get through the remaining pieces. When all of them are browned and plated, pour the remaining butter onto them.
- Finished.
- Cut your beef bits into roughly the same size to ensure they cook through evenly.
[Edit]Warnings - Keep the frying pan handle facing the stove to prevent it from getting knocked to the floor.
- Never throw water onto a grease fire or into hot oil.
- For safety, always make sure that the internal temperature of your beef is at least 135 degrees F (57 C) prior to eating.
- When using hot oil, keep pets and children out of the way. Handle pans with oven mitts and always keep an eye on the cooking process.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Sautéing Diced Beef - 1 kitchen knife
- 1 medium-sized mixing bowl
- 12-inch heavy skillet
- 1 spatula
- 1 tablespoon set
- 1 food thermometer
[Edit]Searing Diced Beef - 1 kitchen knife
- 12-inch heavy skillet
- 1 medium-sized mixing bowl
- 1 spatula
- 1 tablespoon set
- 1 food thermometer
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Hem Jeans Posted: 07 Jul 2022 01:00 AM PDT Finding jeans with just the right leg length straight off the rack is nearly impossible. If you've found jeans that fit but are too long, then you can take them to a tailor or sew a new hem yourself. You can either keep the original hem, or you can create a new hem. Keep in mind that working with denim can be tricky, so there are a few strategies you may want to use to ensure a successful project. [Edit]Keeping the Original Hem - Decide where to hem. Try on your jeans and decide where you would like to hem them. Generally, jeans should fall about an inch above the floor. This will prevent you from tripping and also avoid making your jeans look like they are a size too small. Feel free to alter the length to meet your personal preferences though. Professional tailor Andrea Beaulieu suggests "marking the length you want with chalk or a pin."
- Fold up the bottom. Create a cuff where you want the jeans to be hemmed. Crease the fold so it lies flat and double-check that you've folded it up by the correct amount. Once you've done this on one side, measure just below the preexisting hem and use that measurement to create an equal fold on the other leg.
- Pin the hem in place. Place straight pins around the circumference of the pant leg to hold it in place. Check to be sure the seams line up on each pant leg as well as that they are even with each other.[1]
- Sew the hem. Stitch around the circumference of the pant leg just below the stitching for the existing hem. You can use a sewing machine or do this by hand. To be clear, you will be sewing the cuff to the pant leg and later will fold it inside the leg. This will allow you to take out the hem later if you grow taller or want the pants longer at a later point in time.
- Unfold the hem. Tuck the excess fabric of the folded cuff up into the leg of the jeans, folding the original hem down so its outer side shows once again. This should leave you a small loop of fabric along the bottom edge of the jeans inside the leg. Try on the jeans to make sure they are at the correct length.
- If you don't expect to want to lengthen the jeans at any point, then you can also cut the excess fabric. Cut the excess fabric about 1 inch away from the new seam you have created.[2]
- Iron the jeans. Use an iron to flatten out the hem you've created along the bottom edge. This will smooth out the loop of fabric tucked into the leg, and leave your jeans looking the perfect length with no tell-tale hemming signs.
[Edit]Creating a New Hem - Mark your jeans where you'd like the new hem to be. The best way to do this is to put your jeans on (or have the person who will be wearing the jeans put them on) and fold the cuff under until the jeans are the length you'd like them to be. Then, use a piece of chalk to mark the spot where the new hem should end.[3]
- Measure and mark two more lines. Measure from the hem line and draw a line above it that is running parallel to the first one. Then, measure and mark another below the original line and draw the line so it is parallel to the original one as well.[4]
- Now you should have three lines total. These lines will serve as a guide for you to sew the new hem.
- Cut along the bottom line. Cut off the bottom of the jeans and the old hem. To do this, cut in a straight line along the bottom line that you made. Discard the material that you cut off.[5]
- Fold the new hem under. Next, fold along the center chalk line to create the new hem. You may also want to pin along the new hem to hold it in place while you sew. Check to make sure that the hem is even all the way around before you sew.[6]
Professional tailor Andrea Beaulieu suggests "ironing the fold first and then tapping along the edge firmly with a hammer to get a neat edge on your hem."
- Sew the new hem. Using some gold denim thread, or the thread color of your choice, sew around the area you pinned to hold the new hem in place. Use a straight stitch and try to keep it as even as possible.[7]
- Remove the pins as you go.
- After you sew around both hems, your jeans will be ready to wear!
[Edit]Ensuring a Successful Project - Wash the jeans before you hem them. According to professional tailor Andrea Beaulieu, "Denim often shrinks in both width and length when cleaned, so it's important to work with jeans that are already washed and dried." Washing them first will help to ensure that you do not make the hem too short.
- Make sure to follow the instructions on the label for washing your jeans.
- Use a new needle. It is important to change your sewing machine needle after every four hours of sewing or after finishing a major project to ensure that it is sharp enough to do the job. If you have not changed the needle in a while, then put in a new needle before you begin sewing the new hem.[8]
- Go slow. Denim and other bulky fabrics can be a bit harder to sew. They may get caught more easily, or not move as efficiently through the presser foot. To ensure that your stitches are even and straight, sew slowly.[9]
- Start by applying very light pressure on the pedal to get the stitches started and then only increase the speed slightly if the fabric seems to be moving along well.
- If the fabric gets stuck, then you can always use the hand wheel to help move it along.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Solve Sudoku when Stuck Posted: 06 Jul 2022 05:00 PM PDT So you've filled in all of the numbers you can on a sudoku puzzle, but now you're stumped on what to fill in next. Even though you can always work out the solution for sudoku, you may have to try a few different strategies to figure out exactly where a number is supposed to go. If you want to know the best basic and advanced techniques to use when you're stuck, keep reading so you can learn how to finish the puzzle! [Edit]Notation - Writing down possible numbers for each cell lets you see your options. Since numbers can only appear once in each row, column, and 3 x 3 box in the puzzle, the candidates you can put in the empty squares are limited. Go through each cell and scan the row, column, and box that it's in to figure out what numbers could still fit there. Write all of the potential candidates in the cell lightly with a pencil.[1]
- If seeing all of the possible numbers in the cells looks overwhelming, only notate the squares that have 2 or 3 potential numbers instead.
[Edit]Sole candidate - If only one number fits in a cell, then it has to go there. After you fill in your notation, you might find some obvious cells to fill in that you missed earlier. Scan through each of the cells on the puzzle and see if there are any with just one possible solution. Since you know that no other numbers can fit there, that number is the only solution for that cell.[2]
- Once you fill in the number, check the row, column, and box that the cell was in and erase any other instances of that number.
- Be on the lookout for "hidden singles" as well. You can fill in a number if it isn't written down anywhere else in the same row, column, or box, even if there are other candidates in that cell.
[Edit]Naked and hidden pairs - Cells with 2 numbers in the same row, column, or box limit other cells. Check for 2 cells in the same row, column, or box that can only contain the same 2 possible numbers, which is known as a "naked pair." Even though you don't know exactly which number goes into each square, you can erase your notation for the other cells in the row, column, or box since they can never contain those values.[3]
- "Hidden pairs" are similar but a little trickier to find. The 2 cells are the only places where the numbers can be placed, but the cells may have notation for other potential candidates.
[Edit]Naked and hidden triples - Triples have only 3 possible numbers that could fit into the 3 cells. All 3 cells have to be in the same row, column, or box. "Naked" triples only have the 3 potential numbers while "hidden" triples have extra digits in the cells that make them harder to spot. All 3 of the potential candidates don't have to appear in each of the cells, which can make them a little trickier to find.[4]
- Example: If the cells contain 1 & 5, 1 & 8, and 5 & 8, the values 1, 5, and 8 have to go into those cells and can't be written in other cells in the same row, column, or box.
[Edit]Pointing pairs and triples - Eliminate numbers from a row or column if they're constrained to one box. Pointing pairs and triples are when there are only 2 or 3 cells with the same potential numbers in a 3 x 3 box. The cells must also be in the same row or column. Since you know that the number has to go in one of those 2 cells, you can erase any other time you notated the number in the same row or column.[5]
- Example: If A1 and C1 are the only cells in a box with 4 as a potential candidate, you can erase all other 4s from the first column.
- Example: If D4, D5, and D6 are the only spots in the middle box that can contain 8, no other cells in the D row can have 8.
- You won't know which cell the number goes into quite yet, but pointing pairs and triples should help narrow down your options for other cells.
[Edit]Forcing chain - Test a number in a cell with 2 digits to see how it affects the other cells. To use a forcing chain, look for multiple cells that have 2 potential numbers. You should be able to draw lines through the rows and columns to connect all the cells in the chain. Test each number in one of the cells and check how they fill in the rest of the chain. If there's one cell that uses the same number no matter which digit you filled in originally, then you can assume that it's the only solution.[6]
- Mark the square you started in so you can retrace your steps.
- The X-wing technique reveals numbers for cells in 2 columns and rows. To use an X-wing, check for a row that has a potential candidate that can only fit into 2 cells. Check for another row in the puzzle that has the same candidate in 2 cells that are in the same columns as the first row candidates. The potential number can only fit once in each of the columns, so you can erase it from any other cells in those columns.[7]
- Example: If a 2 could only be in the 1st and 7th columns in rows E and G, then you can erase 2 as a potential candidate from all other cells in those rows.
- You can eliminate numbers from intersections between rows and columns. Start by finding a cell with only 2 possible numbers to use as a "pivot." Check the same row, column, and box for "pincers", which are other cells with 2 potential candidates that share at least 1 number with the pivot. The second number in each of the pincers should be the same. Check the cell where the pincers would intersect on the puzzle to see if it shares a number with them. If it does, then you can eliminate it from the puzzle.[8]
- Example: A2 is the pivot with 3 & 8. The pincers are I2 with 4 & 3 and A6 with 4 & 8. The intersection between I2 and A6 is I6 with 4 & 5. Since 4 is in both of the pincer cells, you can eliminate it as an option from I6.
[Edit]XY-wing - Rule out numbers when 3 cells with 2 values each form an angle. The values should only have 3 different potential numbers between them. If one cell has candidates X and Y and the other 2 cells could be X and Z or Y and Z, then no other cells in the same row, column, or box can contain the Z value.[9]
- Forming an angle means that 2 of the cells are in the same row or column, but the third cell can be positioned anywhere that shares a row, column, or box with one of the others.
- Example: B1 could be 4 or 9, B5 could be 1 or 9, and D1 could be 1 or 4. The cell D5 couldn't be 1 since it would make filling in B1 impossible. That means you can eliminate 1 as a candidate from D5.
[Edit]Swordfish - Test the possibilities in a chain of numbers found in 3 rows or columns. Check your puzzle for 3 separate rows or columns where a potential digit can only fit into 2 or 3 cells in each. You should be able to connect the cells if you drew lines through the columns and rows. After you connect all of the cells you can erase the potential candidate from any other cells in those rows or columns.[10]
- Example: The only cells in rows B, E, and F that can contain 1 are B1, B7, E5, E7, F1, and F5. Since you can draw a closed loop connecting these cells, you can erase 1 from any other cells in the same columns as these cells.
[Edit]Unique rectangle - Unique rectangles work if 4 cells have the same pair of numbers. Every sudoku puzzle has a unique solution, but you might be faced with multiple possibilities if there are 2 sets of 2 cells in the same row, column, or box that have the pair of potential numbers. Check if any of the 4 cells have additional candidates in them. If so, then you can erase the original pair of digits since it would make the puzzle impossible to solve.[11]
- Example: 2 & 3 are the only potential candidates in D4, D5, and I4. I5 has 1, 2, 3, & 8 as potential candidates. With a unique rectangle, you can eliminate 2 & 3 as options from I5.
- Avoid guessing any of the numbers in the puzzle since there's always a way to work out the solution logically. Take a little extra time to scan through the puzzle again to see if you missed anything.[12]
[Edit]References |
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