How to Hem Jeans

It’s so hard to find jeans that fit, am I right? Whenever I find the perfect pair of jeans, they are always too long.  And if you have short legs and wide hips, you’ll never get jeans short enough. They must sell out fast. Anyway, luckily I can just buy jeans that are too long and then hem them up .  I hemmed up a pair of jeans just this afternoon, and took photos to share how I do it. Hope it helps!

What you’ll need:

• measuring tape
• inseam measurement
• chalk
• scissors
• ruler
• iron
• ironing board
• denim thread
• dark blue thread

 

First of all, you need to know your inseam. I wanted these pants to be 31″ long. So I measured from the crotch down 31″ and marked it with chalk. That’s the first line.

A jean hem is 3/4″ wide, so you double that and get 1 1/2″. Then you measure out from the first line 1 1/2 ” and mark it in chalk as well. So if you want your pants to be 31″ long, you mark a line at 31″ and at 32 1/2″.

Cut along the second line. Then add a third line in between the first two lines, 3/4 ” from either line.

Above I have the bottom of the pants cut off, and the hem line marked along with the centre of the hem. Remember to mark all around the hem, not just the side facing you.

Fold the hem under, wrong sides together, on the first line and iron flat, do this all the way around.

Fold under again so the raw edge is now inside the fold. This way nothing will unravel and the new hem will resemble the original.

The easiest way to actually sew the hem is to put denim thread in a matching colour on a bobbin, then use a regular cotton thread on top. I used black thread, however you can also use a colour that matches your jeans. It won’t be seen outside the pants, so it doesn’t really matter.

Turn your jeans inside out. Place the leg over the free arm of your machine. Sew super close to the edge. Maybe not necessarily as close as I did, but as close as you feel comfortable with. Don’t forget to sew backwards at the end. Repeat with the second leg. Turn back right side out and press flat with your iron.

All done, don’t forget to press flat.