Things You'll Need:
- Thread that matches your fabric
- Sewing needle
- Fabric you wish to hem
- Scissors
- Iron
- Measuring tape
- Sewing pins
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Step 1
Determine how much of a hem you will need to stitch. For the purposes of this demonstration we will assume you need to take 1 inch of length off the fabric.
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Step 2
Place the piece of fabric on your ironing board or table with the rough side facing up.
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Step 3
Start by folding the unfinished edge up 1/2 inch all the way across the area that needs to be hemmed. This 1/2 inch represents half of the total one inch hem you will be making.
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Step 4
Using the iron and the measuring tape to ensure accuracy crease the 1/2 inch fold.
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Step 5
Now you will need to finish preparation for the hem by folding the creased edge of the fabric over on itself another 1/2 inch. This will give you a finished edge that won't fray and will be easy to hand sew.
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Step 6
Using the iron and measuring tape once again crease the folded edge.
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Step 7
Depending on how large the area is you will be hemming, you may need to secure the hem for the time being with sewing pins.
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Step 8
Cut the desired length of thread to complete the project. The hem stitch you will using is called a lock stitch and requires the thread to be longer than other types of hem stitches. A good rule of thumb is to measure the length of the area you will be hemming and use twice that length of thread.
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Step 9
Thread your needle and knot the thread at the end a couple of times.
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Step 1
With the needle in your left hand and the fabric in your right begin the stitch with a starting knot. To do this put the needle through the area are of fabric that had been folded over and pull the thread all the way through until it reaches the knot you tied.
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Step 2
Repeat this process twice in the same area so that you can make sure the end of your hem will be secure.
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Step 3
Now place your right thumb next to your knot stitch along the edge of the fold you are securing. This will be the width of your hem stitch.
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Step 4
Put your needle through a small portion of the fabric that is not folded over and through the folded over hem.
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Step 5
When you have pulled half to 3/4 of the thread through take your needle and run it through the loop and pull the stitch tight.
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Step 6
Complete this process across the remainder of the piece of fabric using the same procedure outline above. The distance between your stitches will be the width of your thumb.
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Step 7
When you reach the end of your hem knot it off by completing several of the lock stitches in the same area.
