How to Cut Out an Original Hem on Pants

Most pants come with a standard hem length that only fits the average person. If you don't want to walk around in poor-fitting pants, you need to know how to take the hem out. Not only does modifying the hem in a pair of pants make them fit better, it can also add style to the pants.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scissors
• Straight pin or seam ripper
• Iron

1. Fold your pant legs so that the inside stitching of the hem shows. Some people prefer to turn the pants inside out. You may want to pull the seam away from the pants so you can clearly distinguish the pants from the hem.

2. Locate the anchor stitch in the crease of the pants. The knot in the anchor stitch secures the hem's stitches. You can cut any part of the thread to pull the hem out, but beginning at the anchor stitch allows you to work one direction.

3. Cut the knot with scissors. If you need to lengthen the hem, be sure you don't cut the material.

4. Use a straight pin or a seam ripper to pull the thread out of the hem. A seam ripper can cut through the thread and you can use it without cutting the anchor stitch's knot.

5. Work your way around the hem pulling the stitching out until you return to your starting point.

6. Fold the hem down and pull out any thread you missed.

7. Iron out the creases left from the hem.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not cut off the legs of the pants to cut out the hem.
• Make sure you cut the anchor stitch for the leg hem and not the side hem.