How to Hem a Pair of Jeans

If you have children, you know that it is not always easy finding clothing that fits them perfectly--especially jeans. For some children, it is normal to require a bit more room in the waist, than in the length. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to find jeans that fit the bill. At times hemming will be required, and the traditional way of just turning a hem under and ironing it is not always aesthetically pleasing. There is a way to shorten jeans that will allow them to look as if no hemming has been done at all. Read on to learn how to hem a pair of jeans.

Things You'll Need

• Jeans
• Measuring tape
• Sewing machine
• Heavy duty sewing needle
• Heavy duty sewing thread
• Iron
• Pins
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Measure the amount of hemming that will be required for the jeans to fit properly.

2. Now, divide that amount in half. Keeping the jeans on their good side (not inside out), turn your cuff up.

3. With your measuring tape, measure the same amount of hem width all around the leg, and pin in place.

4. Place your jeans on the sewing machine, and begin to carefully so the cuff just below the original factory hem.

5. When you have sewed all the way around the cuff, remove it from the sewing machine and trim any remaining loose threads.

6. Now turn the factory hem back down, and the newly sewn portion under towards the inside out side of the jeans. It should now look like no hemming was done at all.

7. The hem can then be flattened with a hot iron, and it won't even look like the jeans were altered at all.

Tips & Warnings

• Proper measuring is required to achieve a good result.

• Sewing at a slower pace, will increase your accuracy and better your chances of creating the perfect hem.

• Remember that this is hem is different than a traditional hem. With the old form of hemming, you turned the cuff up on the jeans while they were inside out. This created an obvious alteration without the factory hem. With this type of hemming, you are always working on the good side of the jeans, creating the illusion of no hems.