How to Hem Pants by Hand?

Perfection is the key to stitching a garment. Whether it is a dress, shirt, orpants, it should have a perfect finish so that it looks appealing to others. A perfectly stitched dress also boosts the confidence of the person wearing it.

One of the most common methods adopted to provide perfection to garments is hemming. Hemming has a dual role to play. Apart from providing a perfect finish to the garment, hemming also prevents the thread from fraying.

How to Hem Pants by Hand?

Hem Pants

The hemming is done by folding the edge of the fabric narrowly and sewing it. This provides a uniform finish to the edge. Since the edge of the fabric is tucked inside, there is no possibility of the thread getting frayed.

Hemming can be done with both machine and by hand. Hemming by machine is much faster and is mostly done by sewing companies where several garments need to be hemmed at once.

Hemming by hand is a time-consuming process, but it gives a perfect finish. This is mostly done for small projects or sewing work done at home.

Why Are Pants Hemmed?

Hem Pants

A Pant is a finished product. Then why do you need to hem it? This is a very common question which most of the people ask.

If the pant you have purchased is too long, then the only option is to cut the length at the leg. When this is done, the thread at the end frays off, leaving an unfinished look. To prevent the thread from fraying and to provide a perfect finish to the pants, hemming of the pant is done.

How to Hem Pants by Hand Without Cutting?

Hem Pants

If you want to increase the length of the pant in the future, then you can hem it without cutting. This is mostly done for kid’s pants so that you can adjust the length of the pant as they grow.

For hemming a pant, you need

  • A heavy-duty thread which is of the same color as the pant
  • A heavy-duty needle that can cut across the pant
  • Sewing pins
  • Measuring Tape
  • Scissors

Steps to Hem Pants by Hand Without Cutting

  • Step 1

Wear the pant whose hem you need to adjust. Carefully tuck the hem of the pant to your desired length. It is better if someone else could do this for you as the measurement may not be perfect if you do this on your own.

Once the hem is folded to the desired length, use the sewing pins to hold it in place.

  • Step 2

Carefully remove the pants without disturbing the pins and turn it inside out. Now using the measuring tape, measure from the top of the original hem to the place where you have folded. Now divide this measurement by half.

E.g., If the space between the top of the original hem and the folded area is 2 inches, your new measurement will be 1 inch.

  • Step 3

Take out all the pins and turn the pant to the right side. Now take the new measurement from the hem and fold it. If the measurement is 1 inch, then fold the legs 1 inch from the bottom.

Now pin the fold in place. While pinning, make sure that you consistently maintain the 1-inch gap throughout the leg. This ensures that the hem is even throughout.

  • Step 4

Now, you can start sewing. Thread the heavy-duty needle and start hand sewing very close to the already existing hem. You can use a backstitch for sewing as it is sturdy and very easy to do.

To sew the backstitch, first pull the thread through the fabric very close to the hem. Now push the needle through the back side of the original stitch and bring it to the front of the stitch. While doing this, make sure that both the layer of fabric is joined together. Otherwise, the very purpose of backstitching the hem is defeated.

Repeat this till the whole leg is stitched.

  • Step 5

Iron the fabric at the hem. This ensures that the fabric is neatly folded and is pressed against each other. This gives a perfect finish.

How to Blind Hem Pants by Hand?

Hem Pants by hand

A blind hem, as the name suggests, is an invisible stitch. Hence, you should do it with high precision so that the stitch is not visible from the right side of the garment.

To sew a blind hem, you need the same supplies as mentioned above. If you cannot get a thread of the same color as the fabric, you can use a darker shade. Never use a lightly shaded thread as it can stand out. You can follow the below steps for sewing.

  • Step 1

You should first measure the length of the hem before stitching. This is best done when you wear the pant. Once you wear it, measure the length of the pant and tuck it in. You can ask a friend to help you out as the measurement you take on your own may not be perfect.

Once the leg is folded to the right measurement, use safety pins or sewing pins to secure it in place. Carefully remove the fabric.

  • Step 2

Now, turn the fabric inside out and start marking using a pen. Suppose you want to fold a 1-inch fabric. The first mark should be ½ inch from the edge of the fabric. The second mark should be ½ inch from the first mark. So, the total length of the fold will be 1 inch from the edge of the fabric.

  • Step 3

Turn the fabric in the first ½ inch mark and then press it. Then turn the fabric under the 1-inch mark and again press it. Now you will get two pressed marks.

  • Step 4

Now fold the hem inside the garment till you reach the first ½ inch pressed point. Once this is done, you will be able to see 1/8-inch fabric outside the fold. Pin it in place.

  • Step 5

Thread the needle with a matching color thread. You should start stitching from inside the fold. Pull the thread out. Take one thread width of fabric from the outer portion of the garment and push the thread into the last layer of the fabric. This is the first stitch. Now make a stitch of 2-3 inches width and pull the needle to the right side of the garment. Again, take a one thread width of fabric and continue the stitch till the end.

Hem Pants

Once the stitch is complete, you will be able to see only small dots of thread from outside. If the thread is of the same color as the garment, then the stitch will not be visible at all. Now press the garment so that the folds stay in place.

Tips to Sewing Hem for Pants

If you want to provide a perfect finish to the hem, you should pay attention to the following

  • The markings on the fabric should be accurate. You should mark at different points of the leg to ensure that you get an even measurement throughout.
  • Always do the marking while wearing the pant. You should seek the help of someone else to do the marking. If you mark the hem by yourself, then the chances are high that the marking will not be accurate.
  • For a clean and professional look, it is best to remove the existing hem before marking.
  • You can use a template instead of a measuring tape to mark the pant. You can make the template with cardboard so that the measurement is accurate.

It is best to master the hemstitch on a piece of cloth before trying out on pants. This way, you will be able to avoid any error while hemming the pant.

Jessica

Jessica

I'm Jessica Flores, a professional fashion designer and an expert seamstress. Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years. I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills. It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.

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