Tutorial: How to Hem Jeans Like a Pro

The Backstory
I am short. All the jeans I buy are too long for me. But I sew. So I thought I could cut off the excess length and rehem the jeans, no problem. I was wrong--they looked awful and hand-sewn. In addition, I often broke a needle or two in the process--even thick needles labeled for leather and denim. I tried all sorts of gadgets invented for the home sewer hemming jeans, including a hard-to-manage plastic plate called "Jump the Bump" (I'm not kidding), but nothing worked.

Over time, I realized my inability to get a professional hem was because I do not have (a) an industrial sewing machine capable of sewing through several layers of denim, or (b) a professional sandblasting machine which gives the original hem that lovely worn look.

Then one day a college roommate, who was also short, plunked down a hundred or two for a pair of designer jeans and changed my life. Like most high-priced items, the schmancy store was willing to alter them (re: shorten them) for her for free. They still had that professional look. I couldn't figure out how the store tailor had achieved it as I doubted he had a sandblasting machine back in his little corner. So I asked to look at them. Up close. She obliged. And what I discovered on closer inspection was...

They were cheating!

And since then, I've been cheating, too. I've also converted several other people to the cheater's method. I once derailed an entire baby shower by mentioning this technique in a side conversation to someone who was bemoaning her inability to find jeans short enough and others overheard me and asked me to explain it and, well, derailment ensued.

So, since I bought a new pair of jeans yesterday, I finally decided to document it in pictures. I did not invent this method. I think you'll find others on the internet touting the same thing. But here's my take on it...

Step 1: BEFORE

Put on your new jeans. Look at the elephant legs their excess length creates. Shed a few tears over not being 6 feet tall. Mourn the NBA career you will never have.

Step 2: Cuff jeans to desired length.

Make sure the bottom of the cuff grazes right where you want it to. Also make sure you are wearing the type of shoes you plan to wear with your new jeans. Here, I am wearing flats as I plan to wear mostly flats and sneakers with these jeans. Notice how I still have it skirt the ground a little bit--don't get greedy and go too high. This is especially true of bootcut jeans*, like these ones, or straight-leg jeans--if they are above the ground, they will look like high-waters. If you wear skinny or cropped jeans, you can take them to the ankle if that's how you like it.

Step 3. Measure the cuff.

For this measurement, you want to go from the bottom edge of the cuff to the end of the original hem. In other words, you want to INCLUDE THE HEM in this measurement (it will be different for the next one; don't mix these two up). Here, mine worked out to be 2 inches from cuff to hem. This is the amount that I want to shorten the jean.




Step 4. Take that last measurement and divide it in half.

My measurement was 2 inches; therefore, half of that is 1 inch.

Step 5. Reduce cuff to reflect new measurement and pin.

Here, I reduced the cuff until it was only 1 inch from the edge of the cuff to the hem. This time, DO NOT INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL HEM in your measurement. Pin along the inner edge of the hem as shown below.

Step 6. Sew along the inside of the original hem using a straight stitch.

Here, I am using a zipper foot so I can get as close to the original hem as possible without actually stitching through any part of it.

This is the brainchild of the cheater's method--because you are only going through two layers of denim instead of three, it is much easier on you and the machine. The original hem also provides a perfect guide for your stitch (although, in the process, you may discover the professionals are not as precise as you assumed).

It will still be a little rough going over the leg seams (particularly the inner one), but far easier than if you had the fabric doubled up again.

If you have a bootcut or cropped jean, the original hem might not be the same width as the part of the leg to which you are sewing it. Fortunately, most of these cuts of jeans also include some stretch--just pull on the shorter part as you go to make it work.

Step 7. Turn the cuff into the leg.

Once you have done this, here is how it looks on the outside of the jean...

... and here is how it looks on the inside....

Step 8. Stitch in the ditch.

Place the leg back on the sewing machine as pictured below. Using thread that relatively matches the denim (nobody will get close enough to see it), stitch about one inch in the ditch of the leg seam, tacking the cuff you've created into the leg. Reinforce this stitch by going over it again in reverse.

Repeat for each leg seam (i.e., twice per leg, four times total).

You might be tempted to skip this step, but if you do, the cuffs you've sewn will forever be falling out and exposing themselves. If you were going for that look, you might as well have just rolled your jeans.

Step 9. Press seam.

When you are finished, it should look like this:

I brightened this picture so you could see the seam I created. However, none of your friends will ever get close enough to your leg to notice it, unless (1) your friend has some serious personal space issues, or (2) you are in the process of kicking your friend in the face, in which case, I seriously doubt the hem on your jeans is going to be the matter that ends your friendship.

As you can see, the manufacturer's top-stitching and sandblasted hem remains intact.

Step 10: AFTER

Revel in your petite-ified look and intact sewing machine needle.

A few other notes

The cheater method is virtually idiot-proof. That is, if you measure wrong, you can take out the stitches and start over--you didn't actually cut any of the denim off.

*I know that bootcut jeans are passé, but I have bought no less than three pairs of skinny jeans and, after wearing each around the house for at least a day, have decided to grant mankind the favor of not wearing them in public.

Writing this blog post took about 5 times longer than hemming the jeans did.

Am I the only one who's having serious paragraph-spacing issues on Blogger lately?