Things You'll Need:
- Leather pants Shoes Seam ripper Fabric marking pencil Straight pins Needle and No. 12 thread or rubber cement Scissors Mirror
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Step 1
Use your seam ripper to take out the thread that is currently used to hem the pants. Then put on the pants and the shoes you intend to wear with them. Fold the hem so that it is 1/2 inch below your ankle and draw a line at the fold with your marking pencil.
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Step 2
Take off the pants and fold them up at the lines you marked. Pin the fold in place using two straight pins per leg, one at the top and one at the bottom of each hem. Put the pants back on, being careful not to poke yourself, to ensure that (A) they are at the exact length you want and (B) the hem is completely straight. Look at yourself in the mirror to determine that both of these things are true, adjusting the pins as needed.
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Step 3
Pick a color of No. 12 thread (which is very thick and will support the leather) that is the exact same color as your pants. Thread your needle and make a straight stitch all the way around each pant leg, beginning 1/8 inch from the bottom of the hem. Or, if you don't want to have any thread show through your leather pants, apply a thin layer of rubber cement to the inside of each leg ¼ inch from the bottom of the hem. Press the hem into the inside of the pants for five minutes so the glue has a chance to dry.
