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If you need to shorten a pair of jeans but want the hem to look factory professional, learn how to hem jeans and preserve the original hem with Kristie Smith!
Kristie recommends trying the jeans on and folding them up where you want the new hem to hit. Either press to crease or put pins in to mark the new finished edge length. Measure the width of the factory hem. This will typically be around ½”. Mark ½” above the new finished edge mark on the jeans.
Kristie demonstrates how to fold the jeans lower edge up so right sides are together and align the upper edge of the factory hem with the marked seamline on the jeans. Kristie provides tips and tricks for working with denim, as many layers of thick denim can be tricky to sew through.
Remove the machine bed and slide the jeans leg under the needle. Stitch right next to the factory hem, then fold the hem down and press. Either leave the excess fabric or zigzag stitch and trim the excess away.
The jeans will now fit perfectly, and you won’t even be able to tell they were altered.
For more readymade garment alterations, check out these videos:
Pants Seat Alteration
Shoulder Seam Alteration to Lengthen a Top
Add Fisheye Darts to Readymade Garment
Taking in Skirt Side Seams
