How to Hem Jeans So It Doesn’t Look Like You Hemmed Them

I’m short.  There’s no getting around it, and I came by it honestly.  I’m 5ft even, and that’s just a wee bit taller than either my mom or my grandma was. 

One of the repercussions of being vertically challenged is that virtually every pair of pants I ever put on is too long, even the petite length.  So, I hem them.  Usually that’s not a big deal, except for jeans.  If you hem jeans like a regular pair of pants, you lose the original hem and the fading that came with it, and it just doesn’t look right.  When I was a teenager, I used to just cut the bottoms off and let them fray.  During some phases, I tight-rolled them.  Neither one is a look I want now.

Some time ago I got looking online and found an ingenious and quite simple solution to this problem.  I don’t know who originally figured this out, or even where I first found it, so I can’t give credit to any one person.  However, I found another tutorial here in case you would find it helpful to have more than one voice explaining it.

First, determine how much length you want to take off.  You can do this by putting on the jeans and putting a pin or chalk mark at the desired length.  (I like my jeans to hit just above the floor at the back of my heel; that gives me enough leeway that they aren’t dragging the ground if I’m wearing flip flops, and they aren’t riding high when I wear shoes with more height to them.)  Next, take them off and measure from the mark to the bottom edge.

Divide that measurement in half.  I needed to take 1.5” off, so my number was 3/4”.  Cuff the jeans and pin all the way around, measuring as you go.  Do not count the existing hem in your measurement!

As you pin, be sure to line up the vertical seams. 

Next, you’re going to sew the fold.  The needle should run right alongside of the manufacturer’s hem, without sewing through it.

 

Once you have sewn all the way around, you will have created a fold of fabric on the inside of the leg.

Press this fold up into the leg.  You will most likely have to iron this every time you wash the jeans.  You could try tacking it up with a couple of hand-stitches and see if that helps.  I haven’t done that, so I can’t say whether that would eliminate the need for pressing or not.

 

Now your jeans are the right length, and unless you show them, nobody will be able to tell that you hemmed them yourself!

 

If you are a tall person who never has any trouble finding jeans that are the right length, you will not be able to appreciate how awesome this is.  If you are taller than the average woman, and can’t find jeans that are long enough, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.  If you are shorter than average, I think I may have just rocked your world!  I know I’m still geeking out about it!