How to Hem Jeans
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Learn how to hem jeans by measuring the desired length, cutting off the excess fabric, and sewing a new hem. It’s a beginner sewing project!
Buying clothing from the store is great except that it fits an average measurement that doesn’t actually exist. It’s always hard to get the exact right length of jeans so it’s great to know how to hem jeans.
The great thing about this hem is that it will make the hem look brand new and it won’t look faded or worn at all. This is great for nice looking jeans or if you like to cuff your hem.
Jeans are made out of denim or stretch denim fabric. There are all kinds of different colors of denim, but the most common color is and indigo navy color.
Denim is made with a twill weave that actually looks makes the fabric look like it goes diagonally. Here are some tips for sewing denim fabric.
Denim jeans are a staple in any closet and can be found to look dressy or casual, but almost all denim comes with some wear already added in high stress areas. This is the part that can make the jeans look expensive and high quality.
Do you love to sew and alter? Try some of these sewing projects:
- Sewing and Alterations you can do
- How to hem jeans with the original hem
- How to lengthen pants
- 7 Ways to hem
- Upcycled jean fabric basket
- How to take in the waist of jeans with elastic
- How to hem shorts with a cuff
- How to Cut Pants into Shorts
How to Hem Jeans
Supplies
- Jeans that are too long
- Fabric scissors
- Marking tool
- Ruler
- Hammer
- Topstitching thread that matches the jean topstitching thread
- Denim sewing machine needle
- Sewing machine
How to Measure
Put the jeans on with the shoes you’ll be wearing. Before you bend over to mark, hold the jeans at the knee to keep it in place. Then bend over to mark how short you want the jeans to be.
You need to hold the jeans in place because when you bend over it’ll pull the jeans up higher and your mark won’t be accurate.
How to Sew
Take the jeans off. Measure from the bottom of the pant leg up to the mark. This is the amount you want shortened.
Mark that measurement from the bottom of each pant leg all the way around. This is the hem line. Mark 1.25 inch below the hem lines for a 5/8 inch double fold hem. This is the cut line.
Cut both pant legs on the cut lines.
Fold the pant legs up 5/8 inch up. Then fold the pants legs up another 5/8 inch up. It should be folded at the hem line. Pin the legs in place.
Hammer the four side seams of the hem to smash the fabric down and make it easier to sew through.
Sew around each pant leg 1/2 inch from the bottom. The topstitching thread should be in the sewing machine needle and regular thread should be in the bobbon.
Backstitch when you start and when you stop.
Trim the thread tails.
Press the new hems in place all the way around the pant legs.
You finished!
How to Hem Jeans
Learn how to hem jeans by measuring the desired length, cutting off the excess fabric, and sewing a new hem. It's a beginner sewing project!
Materials
- Jeans that are too long
- Topstitching thread that matches the jean topstitching thread
Tools
- Fabric scissors
- Marking tool
- Ruler
- Hammer
- Denim sewing machine needle
- Sewing machine
Instructions
How to Measure
- Put the jeans on with the shoes you'll be wearing. Before you bend over to mark, hold the jeans at the knee to keep it in place. Then bend over to mark how short you want the jeans to be.
- You need to hold the jeans in place because when you bend over it'll pull the jeans up higher and your mark won't be accurate.
How to Sew
- Take the jeans off. Measure from the bottom of the pant leg up to the mark. This is the amount you want shortened.
- Mark that measurement from the bottom of each pant leg all the way around. This is the hem line. Mark 1.25 inch below the hem lines for a 5/8 inch double fold hem. This is the cut line.
- Cut both pant legs on the cut lines.
- Fold the pant legs up 5/8 inch up. Then fold the pants legs up another 5/8 inch up. It should be folded at the hem line. Pin the legs in place.
- Hammer the four side seams of the hem to smash the fabric down and make it easier to sew through.
- Sew around each pant leg 1/2 inch from the bottom. The topstitching thread should be in the sewing machine needle and regular thread should be in the bobbon.
- Backstitch when you start and when you stop.
- Trim the thread tails.
- Press the new hems in place all the way around the pant legs.
- You finished!
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If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!
