How To Hem Your Jeans Nicely

I wish I had slightly longer legs. About an inch or two or would be good, then this would eliminate my main denim woe - jeans which are too long for me. Even the shorter lengths can be too long ... like this pair of H&M jeans. This is the 30" length which is the shortest length they do. I don't mind an inch too long but these are actually 4" too long.

I can do wrinkly but not that wrinkly.

Years ago, I took a pair to be altered and I was really surprised when they asked me if I would like the original hem leaving on which I didn't know was possible. I said "yes please" of course. That's because most jeans (apart from the solid colour ones) have some kind of distressing along the hems which tends to get lost if you take them up the normal way. 

We need to keep this distressed hem. Honest we do.

And from having that one pair of jeans hemmed, I learnt to do my own (I learnt to make a roman blind as well from taking one apart but that's by the by). I do mine by hand as I am too lazy to get the machine out and thread it up but I'm sure it's quite easy to do by machine if you are a sewer (unlike me).

For all the short legged people out there or the long legged ones who do sometimes face the same problem of too-long jeans, here's how to hem your jeans nicely. 

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Start by looking at yourself in the mirror with the jeans on and decide on how long you want your jeans to be. I personally think it's important to get this visual. Don't go with the thought that you have a 28" inside leg and just measuring accordingly - it's important to get it right and pinned to where you want them to sit. You also need to do this with the shoes on that you want to wear your jeans predominantly with. Remember also that you will have an extra cm or thereabouts to be added on to this length which is the length of the hem which you will be "re-attaching".

See why you need to keep the distressed hem? Looks rubbish when just turned under.

Turn your jeans inside out. Measure the length that you will be shortening your jeans by ....

4" I tell you!!!

And repeat for the other leg.

Make sure they match!

And iron sharp creases in. Remember to take photo after ironing and not during or else you get a steamy photo (not that kind).

Doh!

Turn your jeans back to the right way. And tug the hem in to position ....

It's all falling in to place now isn't it?

Pin in to place ....

Make sure your side seams align.

Sew the hem down.

Sorry, I don't know what this stitch is called. I kind of just go with it.

When it's finished, it should look a bit like this but don't blame me if it doesn't.

And this is one leg done and one not done. You can now see why I would want to keep the original hem.

One hem done. One hem not done.

Now you will have some excess fabric on the inside. Depending on how much there is, you might want to cut away the excess and hem the raw edge.

I think that's blanket stitch.

Anyway repeat all steps for the other leg and then you're done. 

Ta dah!

Well that initial alteration cost me £7 about 7 years ago but I have probably saved myself £100 or more in learning this trick. Its also very easy by machine which my friend L prefers now she knows this trick. 

And one last thing. Just to prove that I don't really sew and all that gumph, here's my sewing case. It's not good is it? Would a real seamstress have a sewing case like this?

A little messy I know.

Who's dying to get their hands on this to sort it out?

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Last Note :

• Sorry for the rubbish post title. I couldn't think of anything witty or clever :o(