How to Shorten Jeans BY HAND and keep Original Hem, by Notches Sewing on YouTube. 8 min 13 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 13 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Put the jeans on with the shoes you will wear them with. Fold the cuff up until the leg hits the length you want, then pin it in place.
Take the jeans off and check both legs against each other. Do not measure from the bottom, because new jeans often have uneven legs and crooked hems.
Mark the fold line with chalk or a fabric marker. Measure the same distance up on both legs and adjust the pins until they match.
Turn the jeans inside out. Fold the leg up along the marked line so the original hem sits on the outside, then pin all the way around.
Thread the needle with a double strand of thread and knot the end. Start at an inside seam so the knot is hidden.
Sew a blind hem stitch by hand: take a tiny bite of the folded fabric, then a small stitch into the jeans just below the fold. Keep the stitches loose.
Work all the way around the leg, then knot off and trim the thread. Repeat on the second leg.
Turn the jeans right side out and press the new hem with a steam iron. Check the length and the stitch line in a mirror.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the blind hem stitches small and loose so they do not pull and pucker the denim.
Use thread that matches the denim, not the gold topstitching, so the hand stitches stay hidden.
Try the jeans on again before you knot off, in case one leg needs a small adjustment.
Press the fold firmly before sewing so the hem holds its shape while you work.
Questions
Can I do this without a sewing machine?
Yes. The whole job uses a needle and thread with a hand-sewn blind hem stitch. No machine is needed at any point.
Will the original hem look the same afterwards?
Yes. The factory hem stays on the outside of the jeans, so the worn edge and topstitching are kept. Only a small fold of fabric is added inside.
How much length can I remove this way?
It works best for small amounts, roughly 1 to 3 inches. Taking off much more makes the folded fabric bulky inside the leg.
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.
