A herringbone hem creates a smooth finish on heavier weight fabrics like wool.
This type of hem is mostly commonly used on trousers but can be useful whenever heavy
weight fabrics are used.
For this example I am using this twill checked wool. As you can see it has a heavy weight
and lose weave making it perfect for a herringbone hem.
To begin I fold the raw edge up ½ an inch and pin in place as I go.
Due to the thickness of this fabric it is essential to use pins as the fabric will not
hold a crease.
I continue folding and pinning the length of my hem, making sure to leave enough room
between my pins so that I am able to press the hem.
Next I make sure that my iron is on the wool setting so as not to ruin my fabric.
I then carefully press my ½ inch fold avoiding my pins and removing them as the fold is ironed
in place.
Here I am just removing some of the loose threads so that I have a nice crisp fold.
Next I do my second hem fold, this time 1 inch wide. As this fabric is so thick I made
my first fold narrower than my second so that my hem has less bulk and will lie flat.
I pin this fold in place the entire length of my hem just like the previous fold.
I then iron this fold in place, removing my pins as I go.
I then thread my needle. For this example I am using a contrasting thread so that you
can see what I am doing but I recommend that you use a thread that matches the colour of
your fabric.
Remember to thread your needle before you cut the thread from the reel. You want your
thread to be approximately the length from your wrist to your elbow. This will help stop
the thread twisting and knotting.
A herringbone hem is different from most hand stitches in that it is worked from left to
right.
And so starting from the left we begin our stitch my securing our thread only in the
folded fabric of the hem not the main part of our garment. I take a small stitch leaving
a small tail of thread. I then work another stitch on top of the last one
and I use my thumbnail to hold the tail of thread whilst I pull the stitch tight.
I then work one more stitch on top of the previous two and my thread should be nice
and secure. I then carefully trim the tail of thread so that it doesn’t get it the
way.
Although we are working from left to right, our stitches are still worked with the needle
facing to the right.
I take my first small stitch from the main fabric of the garment about a thumbs width
from my starting point. Notice the long, diagonal stitch that joins the hem to the garment.
I then cross my thread over this diagonal stitch and work my next small stitch with
the needle pointing back the way we have come in the folded fabric of the hem.
This is how we create the criss cross effect of the herringbone stitch.
I pull my threads taut but not too tight as I want there to still be a little bit of movement
in the hem.
From the right side all you should be able to see is a small stitch like this one.
I repeat this process for the next stitch. Crossing the thread over my long diagonal
stitch back up to take a small stitch from the main garment with the needle pointing
to the left.
And then I take another small stitch from the fabric of the hem, crossing the thread
over the diagonal of the previous stitch.
Here’s the stitch a bit closer up. With the needle pointing back the way we have come,
I take a small stitch from the main fabric of the garment making sure my thread crosses
over the diagonal of the previous stitch.
With the needle pointing the same way I take a small stitch from the fabric of the hem,
creating another cross with my thread.
Here I am working the stitch a few more times so that you can see how this stitch works
from various angles once you’ve got the hang of it.
You can see how I use the width of my thumb as a guide for the distance between the stitches.
That way I can keep my stitches relatively even.
Once I get to the end of my hem, I like to take one last stitch from the fabric of the
garment before I finish off my thread as this helps to keep the hem secure.
I finish my thread in the same way I started off, by working three back stitches on top
of each other in the folded fabric of the hem.
Then I cut my thread, and the hem is complete.
Here you can see the finished effect of the herringbone stitch from the wrong side. The
effect of those crosses is to smooth out the thick bulk of the three layers of wool so
that you don’t get a harsh line from the right side.
Even with my bright yellow thread it’s difficult to see this stitch from the right side.
The other benefit of the herringbone stitch is the amount of movement it gives to the
hem. This is perfect for heavy fabrics as it distributes the weight of the hem more
evenly preventing creases and puckers.
I hope this video was useful. Now you have no excuse not to tackle those trouser hems
you’ve been meaning to fix for ages.
Thanks for watching. See you next time.