Hemming Jeans the easy way

I can't even begin to tell you how many needles I've broken while trying to hem jeans. At one point I was going to don safety glasses to protect my eyes from flying needles! But no more! I thought there has to be a better way and today I will show you just what I do. I consider this my 12 Step Program to Hemming Jeans.

Step 1: Measuring

Start out by measuring from the inner crotch to how many inches long the legs need to be. My husband has short legs and needs his pants to be 27 inches. I need one inch to fold up so I mark 28 inches with a Sharpie.

Comments

[southernbelle1959]

Thank you so much, wish i would have checked this out before.

[Phil Dodd]

This is great - I'll try it with my 1896 Singer flying shuttle sewing machine !

You will be HORRIFIED at this next disclosure ! I wear black jeans as workwear, and was in a hurry to shorten them one morning. No time to get the sewing machine ready. I turned them inside out, put super glue all around the bottom quarter inch, folded the hem up and held it until it dried ! It worked ! For fabrics, only do it on one surface, though, and for hems the glue has to go all around the hem to stop the feet from catching in the hem when putting them on !

But my best jeans, I will hem in the way you describe - I promise !

[kansasa]

LOL! Actually my Dad used to use Speed Sew on his jeans! I came in one day and he was sitting on a telephone book with his jeans underneath and I said "What are you doing?" I guess once he spread the gluey stuff on he wanted to make sure it was good and stuck, lol.

[grannabug]

Excellent photos and concise instructions. Thanks! I like to use a notion called a "Jean-A-Ma-Jig" to go over really thick layers. Hancock's or Joann's usually has them for about $3.00

[mrmath]

The only thing I would add to this is that you can buy heavy duty "Jean" needles for your sewing machine. They cost a tiny bit extra, but are WAY worth it. With them, and a normal sewing machine, I've been able to hem jeans with no broken needles.

Yes, I'm a guy who sews. I sew the patches on the girl scout and boy scout uniforms. I hem jeans. I take in clothes that are too big. I even do my own laundry. Deal with it. :)

[christinacovert]

I taught my husband to sew and he loves it. He shortens his own jeans, makes his own wallets. Even knows how to put in zippers. And he does the laundry- ps even does the dishes if I have to work late. I just love him to death. I think I have a keeper.

[kansasa]

Wow! Yup he's a keeper all right Christina! :)

[kansasa]

Good suggestion mrmath.
I have a husband who doesn't even know how to put a dish in the dishwasher, even with the door wide open, so I am impressed when I learn of a man sewing or doing anything crafty LOL. :)

[mrmath]

If it weren't for The Guy Code, kansasa, I'd tell you that your husband does know how to put a dish in the dishwasher. He just likes to pretend he doesn't.

See, when I was about twelve, my mother took me into the laundry room, stood me in front of the washing machine, and said, "Can you turn that knob?" Then the drier, "Can you push that knob in?" "Good, here's how you do your laundry." We had 5 foster kids in the house, so my Mom needed all the help she could get. I did it myself through high school, all through high school, all through my bachelor years. Why should I stop just because I'm married?

My mom had my siblings and m cleaning off the table and loading the dishwasher since we were about 9 or so. I've done that my whole life, too. My wife an I share the dishwasher loading and unloading, but I do it. Even without being asked sometimes.

[kansasa]

"without being asked" Now that's something I wish everyone in my house would do! lol :)

[christinacovert]

Great job. I use to always turn them under twice til I started doing this to my jeans also. Isn't it so much easier? I don't have a serger either, so I just use the zigzag and it turns out fine. Glad you put this up so others can see how easy it is to do this.

[praise_song]

This is great. I've always wanted a serger, but wondered what on earth I'd use it for, besides the seams of garments I'm making. And I hardly sew my own clothes anymore, as it got SO expensive to do so. Now, I make draperies, bedspreads, etc. ..that sort of thing. Maybe I'll have to invest in a serger, after all.
When I hem jeans, I always turn under the obligatory ¼", and then turn up the hem allowance. And my Japanese friend's mom, who was a professional seamstress, taught me to use a HAMMER - yes, a real hammer! - to beat the bejeepers outta the seams, so they'd lie flat, and after flattening, they sail under the presser foot like a dream. Easy! but it's a lot of banging and noise. ha! So, this trick of yours sure does seem easier ... and a lot less violent. :o)

[kansasa]

Thanks praise_song. I've never tried the hammer trick but I tried a lot of other things before I started doing it this way. You can do it without a serger, just run a zig zag stitch all the way around to stop stop the fray.
Yes I have to agree with you about the cost increasing, it's been awhile since I was in a fabric store (we moved from the city to a small town) but whenever I'm near a Wal-Mart I stop in and just roll my eyes at the price of fabric! I used to make all my husbands shirts, the kid's sweatpants, and a bunch more stuff but it almost seems cheaper to buy and modify now.

[praise_song]

I used to make three-piece suits, designed and made my own wedding dress many moons ago, made most of my kids' clothes, and a good portion of my own clothes ... because I enjoyed it. Now, not at all. Too old to be getting up and down off the floor to lay out fabric, pin patterns, ets. LOL! I do enjoy making window treatments, though...something very satisfying about sewing and hanging a new, crisply ironed valance, that was made from an inexpensive remnant.
Thanks again for the jeans-hemming technique! And I do agree, that after you wash them a couple of times, with a little bit of shrinkage and re-blocking that the dryer does, the hem looks as authentic as the original thing.

[feral555]

Great idea! I have a light duty sewing machine and think this will be kinder to its gears than sewing through 3 or 4 layers of denim. I will try this tonight.

[kansasa]

I just did up a pair of my niece's jeans the other day and they turned out great. I like how fast the job is done and over with. I hope yours turned out good. :)

[atheniangirl0402]

I have about 7 pairs of jeans that are too long...they are all bell bottom style and I was afraid to even think about hemming them myself. I would like to this, only I don't have a sewing machine and do not know the stitching...I do love the step by step and you explained it very well.

Thank You.

[zalm]

Thank you for the tutorial. but what's the sandpaper for? I don't get it?

[kansasa]

Some people like the worn look and use sandpaper to distress the hem so the jeans look more authentic.

[zalm]

Ah, I see. Thanks!
I can't wait to get my sewing machine. I'm bookmarking this page to get back to. I have many pants that need shortening.

[mweiss2]

Thank you I have to hem or have my husband's pants hemed also :) This was helpful.

[kansasa]

Thank you mweiss2, I hope they turn out great. :)

[seamster]

Very nicely done!

Like mrmath, I'm also a man who sews. I love finding, fixing up, and then sewing on old machines. It adds another interesting level to my sewing projects when I can say "I sewed these pajamas with my 1917 Singer," or "I sewed this costume with my 1963 Bernina."

I'm kind of a sewing machine nerd. It's sorta like collecting classic cars . . . only much less expensive!

[kansasa]

That's great seamster! :)

[sunshiine]

This is awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[kansasa]

Thanks sunshiine! :)