Pants Too Long? 👉 Do This For A Clean Hem, by Susan Tips on YouTube. 11 min 28 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 28 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Put the trousers on with the shoes you plan to wear. Ask someone to pin the hem where you want it, or fold it up and check in a mirror.
Take the trousers off and turn them inside out. Measure the folded amount and mark the same length all around each leg with chalk.
Cut the excess fabric, leaving about 4 cm (1.5 inches) beyond your hem line for the fold.
Fold the raw edge under by about 1 cm and press it flat with a hot iron. Then fold the hem to your marked line and press again.
Pin the folded hem in place every few centimetres so it stays even while you sew.
Thread the needle and knot the end. Bring the needle up through the fold, catching only a few threads of the trouser fabric.
Take a small stitch in the folded edge, then a tiny stitch in the trouser fabric. Keep the stitches loose so the hem can move.
Work all the way around each leg with these small blind stitches. Finish with a couple of backstitches and trim the thread.
Press the finished hem from the inside with a damp cloth between the iron and fabric. Try the trousers on to check the length.
Tips and common mistakes
Use thread that matches the trouser colour so the stitches disappear.
Keep stitches small and loose, or the hem will pucker and pull.
Press the fold before sewing so the hem stays straight without pins.
Hem both legs at the same time and compare them before you sew.
Questions
Can I hem trousers without a sewing machine?
Yes. A simple blind stitch by hand gives a neat, hidden hem. It takes longer than a machine but needs only a needle and thread.
How much fabric should I leave for the hem?
Leave about 4 cm (1.5 inches) beyond your hem line. This gives enough fabric to fold under and sew without the edge fraying.
What stitch hides best on trousers?
The blind stitch or slip stitch works best. You catch only a few threads of the outer fabric, so the stitches barely show.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
