Hem and Shorten your JEANS (5 Best and easy ways )

If you want a casual style like the picture above, fold up the hem and leave it at that – do not read further. But if you’re going to shorten your jeans, read on.

Being short is an inconvenience – especially when getting the right length of jeans. All the jeans I buy have some extra length. The extra length almost always ends under my heels, gathering all the dirt underfoot or bunched up near the ankle, looking horrible.

This length problem is one that many people have to deal with. The one with the best fit always ends up being too long for me.  

Another problem that made me hesitate before taking on the daunting task of changing the hem of my too-long jeans is what happens when I sew it. The denim is so thick that sewing over the side seams caused many swear words, skipped stitches, and sometimes broken needles.

If you have these issues, Checkout tips on these posts on sewing denim  and sewing thick fabrics on a normal sewing machine.

Since then, I have learned better. You can keep the original hem, or you can cut off the hem, shorten the jeans, and sew the hem a certain way.

Both methods are described below, but my favorite is the second one, as I love the distressed look of the jeans’ original hem and am lazy.  

Note : Do not forget to wash your jeans at least two times before altering them. For all you know, it might shrink enough to fit you by those washes.

Also, wear your daily use heels when measuring – you wouldn’t want a too short jeans. A little too long is any day better than a little too short. 

How to hem Jeans 

What do you need to have to hem jeans ?

1. A tape measure 
2. For the first method, Matching thread (not blue, but matching the other topstitching thread in your jeans. An orange color thread seen on commercial jeans ); For the Second method, a thread matching the colour of your jeans would do.
3. Sewing machine needle which will sew thick fabric (you will get denim needles or use leather sewing needles); A size 14 machine needle will sew through thick layers. Jeans needles are size 16.
4. A pair of jeans you always wanted to wear, but for the bunching up near the ankles, over the shoes. 
5. A sewing machine with stitch length adjusted to a little longer than what you normally sew with. Using the free arm of the machine is ideal as you can insert the leg and circulate it around as you sew.
6. Measure correctly : Make the person stand in front of you barefoot wearing the jeans when measuring.
7. You need to be very careful with tapered jeans with spandex in them (Read stretch jeans). It is a different animal. The hem will be narrower than your leg, and its circumference will be smaller. When you stretch it and sew it back, it will look all wrinkled. Beware when you have to cut it a  lot shorter.

Method 1. A new hem to your jeans

You need a jeans needle to sew the hem of the jeans comfortably. Your ordinary needle may not be able to sew up all those folded edges of the thick denim.

Check out this post on different types of sewing needles and sewing needle sizes.

Measure the height you need for your jeans -for that, you had better wear and get someone to mark the correct height with a pin. Or you can take the measure of good pants you already own. You will need to add a seam allowance of 1 inch to this measure for folding under.

Take off the jeans and press the hemline (without the seam allowance) on both legs. Make sure that the length is even on both legs.

Mark the seam allowance 1 inch from the hemline and cut all around for both the legs

On each of the legs, make 2 small cuts of 1/2 inch long , 1/4 inch to either sides of the pant side seams. Total 4 cuts for each pant leg.

This is to ease the width of the pant leg to the new hemline.

Now turn under the seam allowance inside all except the side seam piece. Let it stick out.
Start stitching the hem from the inside of the pant leg, from the side of a side seam, till you reach the next side seam.

Adjust the side seam so that the folded edge is over the cut edge. Sew over it till the next side seam.

Make the same adjustment there too. After sewing the whole hem, cut off the part sticking out. (The reason I am not folding this area is obvious – it is super thick and bulky and very very frustrating to sew over )

You have the new hem ready. 

But if you are not confident about making an entirely new hem for your jeans and want to keep the original hem as it is, in it all its distressed glory, there is this second easy method. You can always use sandpaper to make a fake distressed look.  

Method 2. Hem Jeans Keeping the original hem

Jeans are hemstitched with special machines and most look very distinctive with their slightly distressed look. You may not want to lose this special hem.

But, you can hem your jeans, ensuring that this hem is retained.

Wear the jeans and stand straight. You need help if you are going to decide on the correct length. Decide on the hemline. 

Calculate how much you need off your jeans to be the correct length. Divide this measurement by two. Mark the hemline and the halfway mark on the wrong side, above the original hem.

Fold by the center mark at C . 

You need to stitch near the hem catching the two layers at A & B. Start stitching just under the original hem’s edge. You should stop at the thick side seams and then hand-stitch that part if you do not have a denim needle.  

You can hem this part entirely using hand stitching also. Most of the time, if I am altering kids’ jeans, I will hand stitch the hem. Mainly because they need the stitches to be taken off after a year or so, and hand stitches are very easy to rip off with a seam ripper (easier than machine stitches, anyways – do not ask me how I know ). 

Also the kid’s jeans legs are small and need only this many stitches. I would be using a  back stitch to sew the hem. Refer this post on the “Different kinds of stitches with pictures and names” to learn about this stitch. 

After the plain seam, 1/4 inch from this, sew a zig-zag stitching line.

You can cut off beyond this line. Or you can also keep the fold inside without cutting it off. Finish with a serger.

 Method 3. Hem your jeans to a frayed look

This is the easy method to shorten your jeans and get the look of frayed raw hem.

Just cut off the original hem of the jeans where you want it to end. Leave the raw edge as is, and after a wash or two in the washing machine, you will get the frayed edge which is so trendy. You can also use the seam ripper to remove the weft threads ( the horizontally woven thread in the fabric).

Checkout the post  on making a knee ripped jeans without removing the white threads for more details on this.

Method 4. Easy way Using bias tape

Checkout this post on making a bias tape .

Cut a 1/2 inch wide piece of bias tape of length = measure the leg round plus add 1/2 inch
Mark your hem with a chalk or marking pen all around the leg, on the hemline.
Add 1/2 inch seam allowance. Cut off the excess.
Keep the hem tape along this hemline ( right under the hemline) on the right side of the jeans. The tape bottom edge will be aligned with the fabric’s bottom edge.

Starting stitching along the top edge from the side seam.
Stop stitching 1 inch before the same place where you started.

Fold the tape about 1/4 inch and continue stitching.
Now stitch the bottom edge of the tape the same way.
Turn the hem with the tape stitched to the wrong side of the jeans
Top stitch 1/2 inch from the bottom edge catching the tape hem in place.

Method 5. Add a Cuff

Cut off the extra length and add a cuff.

Check out this tutorial to add a normal cuff to your pants. Or you can add the cuff as in the picture below – adding a lining inside and then turning it out to the front. 

Related posts: How to repair holes on denim jeans; Different jeans alterations; How to alter a too tight jeans; How to alter a too loose jeans/pants; How to replace jeans buttons; How to wash and care for jeans so that they last;  How to add length to a short jeans