﻿Easily Hem Your Jeans (No Sewing Machine Method)
[0:00:00] So, you buy a new pair of jeans and
they look amazing. But, they’re just too long. Remember your last pair of jeans that were too
long? The back of the hem was fraying within a matter of weeks. Don’t let that happen again.
Thomas, with Real Men Real Style here. Today, I’m going to show you how to
easily hem your jeans. You won’t even need a sewing machine.
Here’s what you need to get started, a sewing needle, thread,
sewing pins, fabric pencil or chalk, scissors, a ruler, and an iron. The first step is to figure
out the right length for your jeans. Put on your jeans and a pair of shoes, then fold the hem
until they are the perfect length for you. If you do this step without shoes,
you’re likely to end up with jeans that are too short or too long when you wear them with shoes.
Jeans look great from anything from a full break to no break,
so choose what best fits your style. Put a pin at the bottom of the fold, then take of the jeans.
Now, you have a decision to make. There are actually two methods you
can use to hem your jeans. The first method preserves the original hem,
but you will be left with a visible fold line. The jeans have a half inch hem, so I’m going
to take my fabric pencil and draw a line half an inch above the pin. Go ahead and remove the pin.
Now, fold your jeans, so the stitched edge of the original hem
sits perfectly on top of the line you just drew. Pin the fabric in place, starting at the side
seam first as you need them to line up perfectly. Now, it’s time to start sewing. Find a threat that
closely matches the color of your jeans. You want the stitch to be as invisible as possible. Cut
through three to four feet of thread. We’re going to double thread the needle for maximum strength.
Hold the thread to the needle making sure both ends are equal in length before forming a knot.
To create the knot, wrap the thread around your index finger to make an X.
Pinch the X between your index finger and thumb, then slide your index finger back
letting the thread roll forward. Bring your middle finger down in front to hold it before pulling the
thread with your other hand. This leaves you with a strong knot that won’t come loose.
Now, we’re going to secure the thread to the trousers. Use the needle to grab
a couple of threads from the jeans, then pull the needle through. Repeat this to form a loop,
then pull the needle through the loop to form a strong knot.
Now, we’re set to sew all the way around the hem. We’re going to hand-sew a backstitch
as this will give maximum strength. Basically, each stitch will form a complete loop.
So, on one side of the fabric, you’ll go two stitch lengths, then push the needle through
to the other side. Loop back one stitch length, then push it back through to the other side of
the fabric before repeating the process, moving again two stitch lengths forward.
It can be a bit time consuming, but it’s better to take it slow and have a pair of
jeans that won’t rip apart on you later. You may run out of thread before you reach
the end. If so, don’t worry. Secure the thread by making a knot like you did at the beginning.
From there, rethread your needle and keep going. Continue stitching until you reach the end,
then secure your thread with one final knot. Take your scissors and trim away the excess
fabric leaving between a quarter inch to half an inch of seam allowance.
Now, it’s time to make sure the edges don’t fray. In order to do this,
we’re going to use what’s called a whip stitch. Unlike the back stitch that goes back and forth,
the whip stitch only goes to one side of the fabric, then loops over
the fabric edge to secure it. Work your way from one end of the hem
to the other. Once you reach the end, finish off by making one more knot.
Now, take your iron and press the new seam flat on the inside and out,
so it will look neat and tidy. The second method we’re going to use will
have you making a new hem. You won’t have a fold line like if you keep the original hem, but it can
be tricky to get a perfectly even stitch when hand sewing, so each method has their pros and cons.
Turn your jeans inside out and use the fabric pencil and ruler. Draw a straight line where
you place your initial pin. Now, draw a second line one inch below your first line,
then draw another line one inch above it. Take your scissors and cut off the extra fabric
below the bottom line. Go ahead and remove the pin, bring that bottom edge up to the top line,
then fold it in half to prevent it from fraying. Use your iron to flatten this folded edge,
then pin it in place. Since you’re creating a new hem that will be visible,
try to find thread that closely matches the gold color of the original thread.
Like before, double thread your needle and for a knot in the end.
Now, secure the thread to the fabric by pulling it through a few threads and forming a knot.
Turn the jeans right side out, you want to focus on the outside,
so it will look as clean as possible. I like to take my fabric pencil and ruler and draw
a line on the outside of the hem. This helps me keep my stitches a little bit straighter.
Go along the entire length of the hem using the back stitch method for maximum strength. Be
sure to work slowly since you have contrasting thread, any mistakes will be highly visible.
Once you reach the end, go ahead and secure a thread with one final knot and you’re done.
There you have it, gents. Your jeans are now the perfect length. But,
what your dress pants? Check out this video, guys, where I’m going to show you how to slim
and hem your dress pants, no sewing machine required.
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