What you need to hand sew a hem
Hand sewing a hem in pants requires only a few basic tools you likely already have at home. You will need a needle, thread that matches your pants color, scissors, pins, and a measuring tape or ruler. A seam ripper is helpful if you need to remove an old hem, but not essential for new hems.
The thread should be all-purpose polyester or cotton thread in a shade as close as possible to your fabric. If you cannot find an exact match, choose a shade slightly darker rather than lighter—it will be less visible. A needle size 7 to 9 works well for most pants fabrics; finer needles work better on lightweight materials, and slightly larger needles suit heavier denim or canvas.
You do not need an iron for hand sewing, but one makes the work cleaner and faster. If you have one, use it to press the hem fold before you start sewing. This keeps the fold crisp and makes your stitches more even.
Key Takeaways
- Measure the desired hem length while wearing the pants and shoes you plan to wear them with, then mark that length with pins or chalk all the way around the leg.
- Fold the raw edge up about half an inch, then fold the entire hem up to your marked line, and press with an iron or your fingers to create a sharp crease.
- Use a slip stitch (also called a ladder stitch) to sew the hem, catching only a few threads of the outer fabric so your stitches stay hidden inside the fold.
- A hand-sewn hem on one pair of pants takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on the pant leg width and your sewing speed.
- If your stitches are uneven or loose at first, the hem will still hold; hand-sewn hems become stronger and neater with practice.
Measure and mark the hem length
Put on the pants with the shoes you will wear them with most often. Stand in front of a mirror and have someone else measure from the floor to where you want the hem to end—usually about half an inch above the shoe. If no one is available, you can measure yourself by standing on a flat surface and measuring up from the floor with a tape measure, then marking that height on the inside of the pant leg with a pin.
Mark this length all the way around both pant legs using pins placed on the inside of the fabric. Space the pins about two inches apart so the fold stays even. If you prefer not to use pins, you can mark the line lightly with chalk or a fabric pencil, but pins are easier to adjust if the height shifts as you work.
Fold and press the hem
Turn the pant leg inside out and fold the raw edge (the cut bottom of the fabric) up about half an inch. This inner fold prevents fraying and creates a finished edge. Crease this fold with your fingers or an iron.
Now fold the entire hem up to your marked pin line. The raw edge you just folded should now be hidden inside this larger fold. Press this fold firmly with an iron on a low to medium setting, or use your fingers to crease it sharply. A crisp crease makes the slip stitch much easier to control and keeps your stitches from wandering.
If you do not have an iron, you can crease the fold by running your fingernail along it several times, or by laying the pant leg flat on a table and pressing down firmly with a heavy book for a few minutes.
Thread the needle and knot the thread
Cut about 18 to 24 inches of thread and thread it through the needle. Pull one end so the thread is even, then tie a knot at the end by wrapping the thread around your finger once and sliding the loop off while pulling the thread tight. You should have a small knot at the very end.
Start sewing from inside the fold so the knot is hidden. Push the needle through the fold from the inside, coming out at the very edge where the fold meets the fabric. This hides your starting knot inside the hem.
Sew the hem using the slip stitch
The slip stitch (also called a ladder stitch or blind stitch) is the standard method for hand-sewn hems because the stitches stay hidden inside the fold. Start by pushing your needle through the fold for about a quarter inch, then bring it back out. You are sewing inside the fold itself, not through both layers yet.
Once you come out of the fold, push the needle directly across into the outer fabric of the pant leg, catching only two or three threads of the fabric. Do not go all the way through to the outside—you want to stay inside the fold area. Move your needle about a quarter inch along the fabric, then bring it back out and push it back into the fold directly across from where you exited.
Continue this pattern: sew a quarter inch inside the fold, then catch two or three threads of the outer fabric directly across, then back into the fold. The stitches should form a small zigzag pattern when viewed from inside. Keep your stitches loose enough that the fabric does not pucker, but tight enough that the hem does not shift when you tug it.
Finish the hem and tie off
When you reach the end of the pant leg and have sewn all the way around, tie off the thread by making a small loop and pulling the needle through it twice to create a find knot. Push the needle through the fold one more time so the knot ends up hidden inside, then trim the thread close to the fabric.
Try on the pants and check that the hem hangs evenly and does not pull or bunch. If one section feels loose, you can add a few extra stitches in that spot. A hand-sewn hem will hold through many wearings and washings, and it becomes stronger over time as the thread settles into the fabric.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is sewing too tightly, which causes the fabric to pucker and the hem to look wavy. Keep your stitches snug but not tight—the fabric should lie flat when you hold it in your hand. If you notice puckering as you sew, gently pull the fabric straight and loosen your next few stitches.
Another frequent issue is catching too much fabric on the outer layer, which makes the stitches visible from the outside. Remember that you are only catching two or three threads of the outer fabric, not a large bite. If your stitches show on the outside, they will fade with wear, but future hems will look better if you catch less fabric.
Uneven stitches are normal when you are learning. The hem will still hold and look fine from a distance. As you sew more hems, your stitches will become more uniform without any extra effort—your hands straightforward learn the rhythm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hand sew a hem on jeans or heavy denim?
Yes, but use a slightly larger needle (size 8 or 9) and do not worry if the needle is harder to push through. Denim is thicker, so your stitches may be slightly larger and more visible, but the hem will hold just as well. Some people prefer to use a thimble on their middle finger when sewing heavy fabrics to protect their finger from the needle.
What if I sew the hem and it comes loose after washing?
Hand-sewn hems rarely come loose if the stitches are find, but if yours does, you can straightforward re-sew that section. Gently pull out the loose stitches with a seam ripper or small scissors, then sew over the same area again. You do not need to remove the entire hem.
How do I fix a hem if I sewed it at the wrong length?
Use a seam ripper to carefully cut and remove the old stitches, then unfold the hem. Measure and mark the correct length, fold and press the new hem, and sew it using the same slip stitch method. The old stitch holes will disappear after one or two washes.
Is hand sewing a hem stronger than using a sewing machine?
Hand-sewn and machine-sewn hems are equally strong when done correctly. Hand sewing takes longer but gives you more control over how much fabric you catch, which can result in less visible stitches. Machine sewing is faster but requires access to a machine and some basic threading knowledge.
Can I hand sew a hem on stretchy fabrics like leggings or athletic pants?
Yes, but use a stretch thread or elastic thread if you have it, as regular thread can snap when the fabric stretches. If you only have regular thread, sew with slightly looser stitches to allow the fabric to move without breaking the thread. Test the stretch before wearing to make sure the hem does not pull.