How to Hem Jeans

A couple times over the last few months I've searched online (mostly on pinterest) for a good tutorial on hemming jeans with the original hem. I do "original hems" on jeans all the time at my job and have a certain way I do it but whenever I've looked online I've never been able to find anyone who does it like I do it so I'm here to add yet another tutorial on how to hem jeans! :)


First things first, mark your finished length. Note: it IS easier if you have someone else mark the hem while you wear them and stand straight without watching them.

  Once you know how much shorter you want to make them divide that measurement in half. On the inside of the jeans you want to mark your new measurement (half of the total) from the top fold (or stitch line) of the original hem. In this case I was going up 2 inches so I marked 1 inch up from the top of the hem.
 

 Fold along your line matching seams; pin carefully.

 Stitch as close to the original hem as possible. I usually use a zipper foot lined up with the fold to make it easier.

 Switch back to your regular foot and zig-zag all the way around, lining up the edge of your foot with the edge of the original hem (at least if you have a wide foot, otherwise the inner edge of the zig-zag stitches is about a quarter-inch from the first row of stitches). 

 Trim carefully at the edge of the stitches. You could also trim about half an inch from the original line of stitches and then zig-zag the edges. Either way works just fine.

 Fold the hem out with the seam allowance going upward toward the jeans.

 Topstitch along the edge of the seam. Match the thread color to the jeans as much as possible. This helps hide the seam.

 At each seam stitch in the ditch just a few stitches

Next press the hem and you're done! Beautifully hemmed jeans and you still have the original stitching AND fading! :)