How to Alter the Original Hem on Bootcut Jeans

Use heavy-duty thread when hemming your bootcut jeans.

If you've purchased a pair of bootcut jeans that are a bit too long, you don't need to pay a tailor to take up the hem for you. You can alter the length yourself, while keeping the original hem. Bootcut jeans are supposed to hit the top of your feet, so make sure you don't hem them too short.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine
• Demin needle
• Straight pins
• Heavy-duty thread
• Iron

Instructions

1. Pull on your jeans, and decide what length you want them to be. Using straight pins, tuck the pins where the new hem line will be. Where you place the pins will become the line you will eventually stitch.

2. Lay the jeans flat and right-side out. Fold up the original hem until it's slightly above the straight pins. Using a sewing machine with a denim needle and heavy-duty thread, stitch each leg right above original hem’s fold.

3. Fold the extra material into each pant leg. Iron both pant legs to flatten them.

4. Turn the jeans inside out and lay them flat. With a denim needle and heavy-duty thread, stitch each pant leg -- where it's been folded under -- to the side seams. This prevents the folded-under sections from dropping.

Tips & Warnings

• You don't necessarily need denim thread for this project, as all the stitching is hidden and you're keeping the original hem. However, heavy-duty thread is necessary, because denim is harder to hold than other fabrics.

References

• Sewing.org: Hemming Jeans
• Just Something I Made: Hemming Distressed Jeans