Hemming jeans takes about an hour and costs nothing if you have thread and a needle

A jeans hem is sewn the same way as any other hem, but jeans fabric is thicker and the thread shows, so the stitch matters. You can do it by hand with a needle and thread, or by machine. Hand-sewn hems are invisible from the outside; machine hems are faster and stronger but visible on the inside. Most people choose machine if they own one, because the stitch holds through years of washing and wearing.

The basic steps are the same either way: try on the jeans, mark where you want the hem to fall, fold the fabric up to that line, and sew it down. The difference is in the stitch itself and how long it takes. A machine hem on jeans takes 10 to 15 minutes once you have marked the length. A hand-sewn hem takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Key Takeaways

  • Mark your hem length by trying on the jeans and pinning where the fabric should end, usually about half an inch above your shoe.
  • Fold the raw edge up about half an inch, then fold the whole hem up to your marked line, and pin it in place all the way around.
  • Machine hems are stronger and faster; hand hems are invisible from the outside but take longer and can come loose if the thread breaks.
  • Use thread that matches your jeans color, and backstitch or use a reinforced stitch if sewing by machine, because regular stitches can pop under stress.
  • Press the hem with an iron after sewing to flatten it and make the fold permanent.

Mark the hem length before you cut anything

Put on the jeans with the shoes you will wear most often. Stand in front of a mirror or have someone help you. The hem should fall about half an inch above the top of your shoe, or wherever feels right to you. Some people like jeans to break slightly on the shoe; others like them shorter. Mark this line with pins or a fabric pencil all the way around the leg.

If you are marking by yourself, sit down and use a ruler or measuring tape. Measure up from the bottom of the leg to find the length you want, then mark it with pins spaced about two inches apart. The pins should go through both layers of fabric so the mark stays in place while you work.

Fold and pin the hem in place

Turn the jeans inside out. Fold the raw edge of the fabric up about half an inch and press it flat with your fingers or an iron. This fold keeps the raw edge from fraying and makes the hem look finished on the inside.

Now fold the entire hem up to your marked line. The pins you placed should be at the fold line. Pin the hem in place all the way around the leg, spacing pins about two inches apart. Make sure the fold is even and straight before you start sewing. If the hem is uneven, the jeans will hang crooked.

Sewing by machine: backstitch for strength

Thread your machine with thread that matches your jeans. Set the machine to a straight stitch and use a stitch length of 2.5 to 3.0 millimeters — slightly longer than you would use for regular fabric, because jeans are thick. Sew about a quarter inch from the fold, going all the way around the leg.

Start at a seam if possible, so the stitch blends in. Backstitch at the beginning and end to lock the thread. When you reach the starting point, backstitch again and cut the thread. The backstitch prevents the hem from coming loose when the jeans are washed or worn hard.

If your machine struggles with the thickness, you can sew two rows instead of one — one near the fold and one near the top edge of the hem. This distributes the stress and makes the hem less likely to pop. It also looks more professional.

Hand sewing: the invisible stitch

Thread a needle with about 18 inches of thread that matches your jeans. Tie a knot at the end. Start at a seam on the inside of the leg, where the knot will be hidden. Bring the needle up through the fold of the hem so the knot stays inside.

Bring the needle across to the main fabric of the jeans, just above the hem. Take a tiny stitch — no more than a quarter inch — through just the top layer of fabric, not all the way through. The stitch should be almost invisible from the outside. Bring the needle back down into the fold and slide it along inside the fold for about half an inch, then come back up and repeat.

Work your way all the way around the leg. When you reach the starting point, tie off the thread inside the fold. The stitches should be spaced evenly and tight enough that the hem does not move, but loose enough that they do not pucker the fabric.

Press the hem flat and check the length

Once the hem is sewn, turn the jeans right-side out and try them on. The hem should fall where you marked it and feel find. If it is loose or uneven, you can add more stitches or resew the whole thing — there is no penalty for starting over.

Press the hem with an iron on medium heat. This flattens the fold and makes it permanent. Use a pressing cloth or a thin piece of fabric between the iron and the jeans to avoid shining the fabric. Press from the inside first, then flip and press from the outside.

Fixing a hem that comes loose

If a machine-sewn hem starts to come loose, you can reinforce it by sewing over the original stitch line again. If only a small section is loose, you can sew just that part. If the whole hem is coming apart, unsew it completely and start over — it is faster than trying to patch it.

If a hand-sewn hem comes loose, the thread usually broke. You can sew it back down by following the original stitch line and tying off securely. If the thread is old or weak, remove the old thread completely and sew a new hem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hem jeans without a sewing machine?

Yes. Hand sewing takes longer — about 45 minutes to an hour — but it works just as well. The stitches are invisible from the outside, which many people prefer. The trade-off is that hand-sewn hems can come loose if the thread breaks, whereas machine hems are stronger.

What thread color should I use?

Use thread that matches your jeans as closely as possible. If your jeans are dark blue, use dark blue thread. If you cannot find an exact match, go slightly darker rather than lighter — dark thread is less visible on dark fabric. For machine hems, the thread shows on the inside, so the match matters less than for hand hems.

How much fabric should I fold up for the hem?

Fold the raw edge up about half an inch, then fold the whole hem up to your marked line. This creates a hem that is about one inch deep, which is standard for jeans. If your jeans are very thick or you want extra strength, you can make the hem slightly deeper — up to one and a half inches.

What if the hem is crooked after I sew it?

Unsew the crooked section and resew it. It is faster and easier than trying to fix it after the fact. Make sure the fold is straight and even before you sew, and check your work as you go. If the whole hem is crooked, unsew it all and start over.

Do I need to wash the jeans before hemming?

Wash and dry the jeans first if they are new, because denim shrinks slightly in the wash. If you hem before washing, the hem will be too short after the first wash. If the jeans are already worn and washed, you can hem them as-is.