How to Sew a Hem

From LoveToKnow Crafts

Knowing how to sew a hem can save you a lot of money in alterations. You don't have to be a skilled seamstress to learn this, either. You can also use your hemming skills to fashion new items from old pieces of clothing, something DIY types will enjoy.

Knowing the Basics

Knowing basic sewing skills is helpful for anyone. You can sew on buttons that have popped off, darn a sock or alter a hem. You don't even need a sewing machine for these basic skills.

Knowing how to alter a hem can be very helpful for petite men and women who have trouble finding pants that fit them exactly right. If you learn how to fix a hem yourself, you can save quite a bit of money over a lifetime because you won't need the services of a tailor. Although a $10.00 hem job sounds inexpensive, what if you buy at least one pair of slacks a month? Over the course of your life, your tailoring expenses can run into the thousands of dollars. If you're especially budget-conscious or crafty, learning how to sew a hem yourself can save you time and money.

How to Sew a Hem: With a Machine and Without

If you already love sewing, you probably have a sewing machine. If you don't already know how to sew or if you don't feel the need to invest in a machine, you can easily sew a hem with a simple needle and thread.

Sewing a Hem by Hand

For hand sewing, make sure you have:

A needle
Thread in a color that matches your fabric
Pins
Scissors

This works on slacks and skirts, whether you're shortening them, lengthening them or fixing a fray.

Turn the garment inside out.
Fold the hem to the desired length, with raw edges folded inside. You may need to trim long, stray threads.
Pin the hem evenly all the way around.
You can then iron the fold in the hem if you want.
Thread your needle and use a whipstitch to affix the hem. You should place your stitches as evenly as possible, making sure that they're as small as possible on the outside of the garment.

Machine Sewing

If you have a heavy material such as denim or you want to hem something quickly, you can turn to your sewing machine. The prep will be the same as for hand sewing, but you can use the blind hem stitch when using a machine for a clean, neat hem.

Having Supplies on Hand

It's worth investing in a small sewing kit that holds a variety of supplies. These are relatively inexpensive, but will come in handy if you need to do a quick hem job. Having various colors of thread at hand will eliminate a trip to the store, which is important if you need to sew on a button while getting ready for work early in the morning.

This is true for men as well as women. It includes parents who may need to do quick hems on children's clothes. In short, basic sewing skills and notions are useful in any home. Even if schools no longer offer Home Ec as a required course for boys and girls, it's worth teaching yourself minimal sewing as way to be more independent.

Crafty Recycling

Knowing how to sew a hem not only works for alterations, but can help when shortening an ankle-length skirt into a mini. It can work for changing shirts, skirts and pants into different pieces. For men and women who like creating their own fashions from existing ones, knowing basic sewing skills can help with this garment recycling.

All Skill Levels

You don't have to be a professional tailor to learn how to adequately sew a hem. Once you learn this simple skill, you can quickly and easily alter slacks, skirts and other garments to your liking without having to pay someone to do it for you.

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