If you are on the shorter side like I am, I am sure that hemming pants is a regular activity for you. And it should be, because sometimes just folding the jeans just causes more damage because the edges get scuffed. Avoid making this lazy mistake by learning how to hem your pants instead. Hemming pants is no trouble at all! It is so easy and there are so many ways to do it, even without a sewing machine.
10 Genius Ideas In Hemming Pants | From First Stitch to Finished Piece
Scoff at Scuffed Jeans
Hemming jeans has become second nature to me. I would often do this when my children would receive hand-me-downs or when I alter new pants they haven’t grown into yet. I am on the short side as well, so hemming jeans for me is nothing out of the ordinary. My husband should thank me for this trick because this saves us a lot of money! Do you want to know my secrets? Check out my list!
1. Hem Dress Pants Without a Sewing Machine Using Blind Stitch
Zack Pyle teaches how to hem a man’s dress pants without using a sewing machine. Learn how he did it with a blind stitch here.
2. Hem Jeans Keeping the Original Hem
Stephanie and Meagan from DIY Divas teaches us how to retain the jeans’original hem when taking them in. I never knew you could actually do this!
- Hemming kit includes basic tools and supplies to hem clothing
- Comprised of 92 pieces and basic notions, kit users can tape, pin, sew and mend pants, skirts, dresses and more quickly and easily
- Includes hem tape, iron-on tape, hand needles, straight pins, needle threader, seam ripper, marking pencil, thimble, scissors and thread
- 5 mini-spools have 10 yards of thread each and come in red, blue, tan, black and white
- Scissors are 5 ½-inch shears
3. Hem Dress Pants Using Zig Zag Stitch
Alteration specialist and professional tailor Danni Trester taught us his trick to hemming dress pants. We will be using the zig zag stitch in the sewing machine.
- For sewing all types of light to medium-weight materials including synthetics, knits and woolens.
- Typical sewing operations include pant cuffs, felling slack bottoms, hemming dresses, skirt and coat bottoms, draperies, negligees, undergarments, lapel padding, blouses and sleeves.
- Skip stitch feature for 1-1 and 2-1 stitching.
- Swing-away bed plate for extended work space.
- Included Accessories: Extra Needles Thread Stand 2 Screwdrivers (1 Philips head- 1-standard) 5-piece allen key set 1-Tweezer 1-Plastic Oiler 2- Machine Clamps Electronic Foot Speed Controller Knee lifter 2-replacement brushes for the motor Instruction & Part manual
4. Slim and Shorten
If you’ve got baggy pants that you want to slim and shorten for a special event, this is the tutorial for you. This will help you make your old fashioned pants look modern and new!
5. Skinny Joggers Hem
Here’s a solution for your baggy pants. Taper them down and turn them into fashionable skinny jogger jeans whit this life hack!
6. Invisible Hem
If you do not want your stitches to be visible, here is a trick for you! You won’t need a sewing machine for this method. Hand stitch your pants to create an invisible hem!
- Fusing hem tape size: hem tapes have 3 different width of 1 cm, 1.5 cm and 2 cm, length is 70 yards each, long enough for your basic need of home sewing, crafting, etc.
- No-sewing fabric tape: fusing hem tape offers sewers and crafters some convenient way to finish projects without strings and needles, creates a clean hem in seconds
- How to use: place the double sided hem tape between 2 pieces of fabrics, then iron on them, no-sew hemming tape will securely bond fabrics that can be steam pressed
- Multiple usage: hem tape can stick pants, jeans, dresses, skirts and other various fabrics together, except too smooth or sticky surface, such as denim, cotton, etc.
- Quantity: 3 rolls of hem iron-on tape, each size for 1 roll, choose the right width according to your needs, good for hems, double backing ribbons, curtains
7. No Sew Glue
This practically zero-effort of hemming pants just requires you to use No Sew Glue. Just fold your pants over, glue it, put heavy books on top, and wait for it to dry!
8. Double-Stick No Iron No Sew Fashion Hem Tape for Denim
This double-stick hem tape requires no sewing at all. It is ideal for mess-free quick fixes.
9. Duct Tape
Another quick fix to hemming pants is using some duct tape. Just fold the pants and tape them from the inside.
10. Keeping the Original Stitching
You do not need a sewing machine for this method. You will just hand-sew tiny stitches to alter the length of your pants.
Do you have a favorite trick when hemming pants? When I’m too lazy to sew, my favorite trick is just duct taping the hem after I cuffed the pants. It’s a no-sweat trick but of course, it’s a band aid solution. I learned a lesson my hard way. When I washed my son’s pants with the duct tape on, the gooey parts stuck to the fabric. Now, I make sure I remove them and hem them before I wash pants in the laundry.
Want to learn more ideas for hemming pants? Let us know in the comments section below!
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I self-taught myself to hem and was trying to do a invisible hem but it wasn’t that perfect. I think I ll copy your way to doing an invisible hem. Also like the zig-zag hem have to try it too. 🙂
I’m short too and have wanted to find out how to him using the original hem, I’d like to have access to that diy info for reference. How can I do that. I was only able to see it here once.
I didn’t find anything about hemming pants that are tapered and when you turn up the hem the tapered part is not as wide as the part you are hemming it to. I don’t know if you understand what I mean.
Whenever you are taking up the hem on tapered pants you will need to taper the hem out. So if your hem is going to be a two inch hem, you will need to taper the hem portion out so the hem will match the pant leg. I hope you understand what I am saying.
My thought on slimming pants that have pleats will distorts the pleats. When pleats are put in when designing the pants were intentional, giving extra give to that style.