A blind hem is a stitch that hides the thread inside the fold of fabric
A blind hem closes an opening — usually at the bottom of a pant leg, skirt, or dress — so the stitching is invisible from the outside. The thread runs inside the fold of the fabric rather than across it, which is why the seam disappears when you wear the garment. You can sew a blind hem by hand with a needle and thread, or use a sewing machine with a blind hem foot. Hand sewing takes longer but requires no special equipment. Machine sewing is faster and produces a more consistent stitch, but your machine needs the right foot and the technique takes practice.
The basic principle is the same either way: you fold the fabric so the raw edge is hidden, then stitch through the fold itself rather than through the layers underneath. This way, when the hem is opened flat, the thread sits inside the fold where it cannot be seen from the outside of the garment.
Key Takeaways
- A blind hem hides the thread inside a fabric fold so the stitch is invisible from the outside of the garment.
- Hand sewing a blind hem uses a needle, thread, and a stitch called the blind stitch or ladder stitch, and works on any fabric.
- Machine blind hemming requires a blind hem foot and a machine set to the blind hem stitch, and produces results faster than hand sewing.
- The most common mistake is pulling the thread too tight, which puckers the fabric and makes the hem visible from the outside.
- Practice on scrap fabric first, because the technique feels awkward until you have done it three or four times.
Hand sewing a blind hem with the ladder stitch
Start by folding the hem up to the finished length you want — usually one to two inches for pants or skirts. Press the fold flat with an iron so it holds its shape. Then fold the raw edge of the fabric back up inside the hem, so the raw edge is now hidden between the two layers of fabric. This creates a pocket where your thread will run.
Thread a needle and tie a knot at the end. Bring the needle up through the fold of fabric from inside, so the knot stays hidden. The needle should come out right at the crease where the hem folds. Take a tiny stitch — about one-eighth inch — directly across from where you came out, catching only one or two threads of the garment fabric (not the hem fabric). Then bring the needle back into the fold and slide it along inside the fold for about one-quarter inch before bringing it back out. Repeat this pattern: tiny stitch in the garment, slide in the fold, tiny stitch in the garment, slide in the fold.
The key is to keep your stitches small and your tension loose. If you pull the thread tight, the fabric will pucker and the hem will show from the outside. The thread should be snug enough to hold the hem in place, but loose enough that you cannot see it pulling the fabric. After every four or five stitches, gently pull the thread just enough to close the gap, then continue. When you reach the end, tie off the thread inside the fold so the knot stays hidden.
Machine sewing a blind hem with the blind hem foot
Check your machine's manual to see if it has a blind hem stitch and whether you need a special foot. Most modern machines have both, but older machines may not. The blind hem foot has a small guide that rides along the fold of the fabric and keeps the needle in the right position. Without this foot, the machine cannot sew a blind hem properly.
Prepare the hem the same way as hand sewing: fold the fabric to finished length, press it flat, then fold the raw edge back up inside so it is hidden. Set your machine to the blind hem stitch — check your manual for the exact setting on your model. Attach the blind hem foot. Place the fabric under the foot so the fold rides along the guide on the foot. The needle should barely catch the fold of fabric on each stitch, then swing out to catch a thread or two from the garment fabric, then swing back to the fold. If the needle is hitting the fold too hard or missing it entirely, adjust the position of the fabric slightly and test on scrap first.
Sew slowly and watch the needle position as you go. Machine blind hemming looks strange — the needle swings in and out of the fold in a rhythm that does not look like it is working — but if the foot is positioned correctly, the stitch will be invisible when you open the hem flat. Test on a scrap of the same fabric before hemming your actual garment, because the tension and stitch length may need adjustment depending on the weight of the fabric.
Preparing fabric so the blind hem works
The fabric must be pressed flat before you start, or the hem will not fold evenly and the stitch will show. Use an iron on the setting appropriate for your fabric — check the garment label if you are unsure. Press the hem fold, then press the inner fold where the raw edge folds back up. A crisp crease makes the stitch much easier to control, whether you are sewing by hand or machine.
The width of the hem matters too. A hem that is too narrow — less than half an inch — is hard to fold and hard to stitch. A hem that is too wide — more than two inches — can bunch up and look bulky. For most garments, one to one-and-a-half inches is standard. Measure from the bottom of the garment up to where you want the hem to end, then add half an inch for the inner fold, and cut or fold to that length.
If the fabric is slippery — silk, satin, or polyester — pin the hem in place before you start sewing. Pins hold the fold steady while you work. For heavier fabrics like cotton or linen, pins are optional but helpful. Remove pins as you sew rather than sewing over them, which can break the needle or damage the machine.
Common mistakes that make the blind hem visible
Pulling the thread too tight is the most common error. When you pull hard on the thread, it draws the fabric inward and creates a ridge that shows on the outside of the garment. The thread should be just snug enough to hold the hem, with no visible pulling. If you are hand sewing, pull gently every few stitches rather than pulling hard at the end. If you are machine sewing, check the tension dial — it may be set too high for the fabric weight.
Taking stitches that are too large also makes the hem visible. Each stitch should catch only one or two threads of the garment fabric. If your stitches are a quarter-inch or larger, they will be visible from the outside. Practice on scrap fabric to get a feel for the right stitch size. Hand sewing gives you more control over stitch size, so if you are new to blind hemming, starting by hand is often easier than jumping straight to the machine.
Folding the raw edge unevenly causes the hem to bunch. Take time to fold the raw edge back up inside the hem so it is straight and even all the way around. If the fold is crooked, the stitch will be crooked too, and it will show. A pressing step between each fold — first press the hem fold, then press the inner fold — prevents this problem.
Blind hemming different fabric types
Lightweight fabrics like cotton voile or linen require a lighter touch. Use a thinner needle and thread, and keep your stitches very small. The needle should barely catch the fabric on each stitch. Test on a scrap first, because a stitch that works on heavy denim will be too large for a thin cotton dress.
Stretchy fabrics like knit or jersey need a different approach. A regular blind stitch can break when the fabric stretches. Use a ballpoint needle if you are sewing by hand, or a ballpoint machine needle if you are using the machine. A ballpoint needle slides between the fibers of the knit rather than piercing them, which prevents runs and breaks. Some machines have a stretch blind hem stitch that is designed for this purpose — check your manual.
Thick fabrics like wool or heavy denim are easier to blind hem because the stitches are less likely to show. Use a heavier thread and a larger needle. The stitches can be slightly larger than on lightweight fabric and still stay hidden. However, thick fabric is harder to fold, so press each fold firmly and take your time positioning the fabric under the needle or foot.
When to use a blind hem versus other hem methods
A blind hem is the best choice when appearance matters most — dress pants, skirts, dresses, and other garments where the hem will be visible from the outside. The stitch is completely hidden, so the garment looks professionally finished. A blind hem takes longer than a straightforward running stitch or a machine straight stitch, so it is worth the extra time only when the result will be seen.
For casual garments like jeans or work pants, a straightforward machine stitch is faster and just as durable. For items that will not be seen — the inside of a bag, the back of a curtain — a running stitch or whip stitch is sufficient. A blind hem is overkill for these uses and wastes time. Save the blind hem for garments where the hem is part of the finished look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a blind hem on stretchy fabric?
Yes, but use a ballpoint needle instead of a regular needle, because ballpoint needles slide between the fibers of knit fabric rather than piercing them. This prevents runs and thread breaks when the fabric stretches. Some machines have a stretch blind hem stitch designed for this — check your manual to see if yours does.
What if my machine does not have a blind hem stitch?
Hand sew the blind hem instead. The hand stitch works on any machine-less setup and produces the same invisible result. It takes longer, but it requires only a needle, thread, and scissors. Older machines or basic machines often lack the blind hem stitch, so hand sewing is a reliable backup.
How do I know if my stitches are too tight?
Look at the outside of the garment. If you see the thread pulling the fabric inward or creating a ridge, the stitches are too tight. The hem should lie flat and smooth on the outside. If it does not, loosen your tension or pull the thread less firmly as you sew. Practice on scrap fabric until the outside looks completely flat.
Can I blind hem a hem that is already sewn?
No — a blind hem requires the raw edge to be folded back inside the fold, which is only possible before the hem is sewn. If the hem is already sewn with a visible stitch, you would need to remove that stitch first, then fold and blind hem. It is faster to remove the old stitch and start fresh than to try to work around it.
How much practice do I need before I can blind hem a real garment?
Practice on scrap fabric three or four times before hemming something you care about. The motion feels awkward at first, but it becomes automatic after a few repetitions. Use the same weight of fabric as your actual garment so the practice is realistic. After three or four practice runs, you should feel confident enough to hem an actual pant leg or skirt.