How to Remove that Pesky Clothing Tag

Do your children ever complain about the size tag inside the neckline of their clothing "feeling scratchy?" If you cut it with scissors, it will just feel scratchier, so the best bet is to remove it at the source. There are many ways that the tag may be attached, but if you are dealing with a jersey knit tee or stretchy leotard, here's how you can remove it completely. Have these things handy:

• seam ripper
  
• twin needle 
  
• sewing machine
  
• matching thread
  

The pesky tag in question. (BTW--this does not look or feel the least bit scratchy to me, but the complaints have been epic.)

Tough to see with the black, but unpick the seam where the tag is attached. 2-3 stitches before and after will suffice. Be careful not to snap any garment threads.

Attach a twin needle, following the instructions in the manual for your sewing machine.  Most machines come with twin needles. If not, they can be found for a couple of dollars in any fabric store.

You will need two spools of thread for working with a twin needle. Consult your manual as to where the second spool should be seated. Every machine is different, even from the same manufacturer. If you no longer have your manual, most of them can be found online by starting at your manufacturer's website such as Singer, Janome, Brother, etc. You should be able to download a PDF for free.

Once you have two spools of thread in place, grab both strands and thread your machine as if you only had one thread. In other words, treat the two as one strand and thread your machine normally.

Once you get to the needles, put one thread through the left, one through the right. It does not matter if the strands have gotten a bit twisted while threading the machine. Double check that your presser foot is a zigzag-friendly foot. Turn your hand wheel once to make sure that the double needles will fit easily through the hole in your presser foot. It is very important to do that, otherwise you could be looking at a nasty crash!

Fold the hem back in place as if the tag was still attached. On the outside of the garment (facing up when sewing), stitch the hem closed. Backstitch a few stitches at the beginning and end of your seam to secure the new hem. The double seam will be facing you as you sew. The underside of the garment will be a crazy zigzag stitch that should look a lot like the rest of the seam on your garment. Practice the stitch on a scrap piece of fabric before sewing your garment to see what it will look like.

Congratulations! Your children will think you are a rock star. Or they may not acknowledge what you did whatsoever. At least you don't have to hear any more complaining about an itchy tag.