How to Hem Jeans and Other Pants

[@Epac818]

I appreciate the hypothetical scenarios you cover.. like, “and if you’re going to do this” and you proceed to explain not just what you’re actually doing but what else you can do.. very thorough. Thanks for the vid learned a lot

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you for your appreciation. I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@grodard9]

There are many videos on this subject, even how to keep the original hem (why? and complicated), but this one will be my reference. This is really how it should be done and so simple. Thanks.

[@TailorItYourself]

Glad you found it helpful! Original hems are done to preserve the original stitching and wear lines, which some people are particular about.

[@gniktrebor]

I’m about to hem 5 pairs of jeans for my fiancé and this helped me avoid a mistake I was about to make.

[@TailorItYourself]

That's great! I'm glad it was helpful.

[@FurTheCasa]

You're a gem! You explain thing so well and elaborate without getting redundant or complex. Thank you 😊

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! I appreciate the feedback.

[@sipapito]

My pants came out great! Thanks to your video my wife will be impressed, Thanks from Germany!

[@TailorItYourself]

Wonderful! I'm glad that worked for you. Thanks for watching!

[@artwithheart3142]

This is so professional yet beginner-friendly. Thank you, I need to hem some jeans and this is very helpful.

[@TailorItYourself]

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching.

[@Liberty4MA]

I have always done this in a 2 step stitching process with mixed results. Watching this has given me the confidence to do it all at one time. Never occurred to me to put a second line for the fold over hem. Thanks for your video.

[@TailorItYourself]

Hope it works better for you!

[@BammyNC]

Best video I've seen on hemming like this! Thanks so much.

[@TailorItYourself]

You're very welcome! I appreciate the kind words. Thanks for watching!

[@andyb2339]

I love how efficient you are! That chalk marking trick was great!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you so much! And for the Venmo tip, much appreciated!

[@manojganguly9817]

Excellent teacher & at the same time perfect stitching.

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words.

[@judih.8754]

Im so glad you mentioned the need to adjust tension. I always seem to have trouble with this. Great video!!

[@TailorItYourself]

Every machine and fabric is different. Sometimes you have to play with it a bit. Thanks for watching!

[@judih.8754]

@@TailorItYourself Thanks for the reply!

[@BlackBird-mv8wg]

Excellent tutorial!! You gave me the confidence to hem my jeans for the first time (I did it today).. It came out fairly decent for a first try. Thanks so much for the great instructions and for the inspiration!! You're awesome!!

[@TailorItYourself]

Nice work! Glad you gave it a go.

[@toniarobertson1906]

I've been searching for the past couple hours looking for the right video on how to properly hem a pair of pants! Found your video and wanted the thank you sooooo much for the instruction. You are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! I'm glad you found what you were looking for.

[@marcoshernandez5327]

this made life so much easier, I was able to hem my denim so easily

[@TailorItYourself]

That's great! I'm glad you have success. Bravo!

[@brendaescalon2175]

Thank you. I have a friend that wants me to shorten a pair of jeans and this was so helpful and professional.

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you for the kind words. Happy sewing!

[@deepraoedits]

You are VERY - VERY- VERY..................Good teacher You explain it so well, thankyou ❤❤

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@user-jm8ky1kn2t]

Perfect Hemming tutorial! You made the entire process clear and precise while making sure to note every part that might lead one astray. Your machine makes me envious I had to do a lot of manual manipulation to get the needle through the side seams. Thank you again!

[@TailorItYourself]

Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@ebony1085]

She’s very good and efficient but still explained this very well

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the feedback.

[@scrapper2675]

This was a wonderful tutorial, thank you so much for sharing your expertise!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind feedback.

[@firewindmill]

Learning to be self-sufficient and I just mended the inner thighs of my 1 pair of jeans and need to turn the jeans I got my scrap denim from into capris so this is perfect and I feel brave enough to handle it. Wonderful tutorial!

[@TailorItYourself]

Best of luck! Thank you for watching.

[@xabiergranja]

Thanks for your very clear explanation of how to do this. It was quite approachable for someone with some, but limited sewing skills. I was able to shorten a pair of pants and two swimsuits in one day!

[@TailorItYourself]

That's great! Excellent work.

[@someonesomewhere1100]

You're a life saver as well as a great and fluent teacher ❤ thanks girl! Now my husband is gonna make me hem his overalls into short shorts 😒🤣🤣

[@TailorItYourself]

Haha, that'll be a great look!

[@deewinston5651]

Thank you. Your instructions were very clear.

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! Glad you found it helpful.

[@bchains]

I just watched like 10 hem videos and this is the best - thanks!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed.

[@judymelchert3966]

Your tutorials are very good. I'm going to attempt hemming a pair today !

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! I wish you success!

[@strengthandbulkMadness]

Thank You. I just hemmed my jeans using this method. Those extra lines eliminate the need for ironing the seam and the hem comes out perfect.

[@TailorItYourself]

Glad you had success! Thanks for the feedback.

[@jrr1814]

Wow, this was VERY instructive! Thank you.

[@TailorItYourself]

Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@anklebiter2862]

Oh man , I need that sewing machine in my life haha . Love the video ! Thank you !!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you very much!

[@BadGatewayMusic]

Best tutorials on KZbin!

[@TailorItYourself]

I don't know if that's true but I appreciate you saying so!

[@angielee7676]

Great tutorial! Easy to follow!!!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@arayan83079]

Perfect video! (Also loved the background music!) but you really did a good job of showing what needs to be done. About to do my first pair!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you very much! I'm glad to hear you liked the music. So many people same to hate it! 😆 Good luck with your project!

[@honeyroy1956]

Great descriptions and explanations. Thank you.

[@TailorItYourself]

You're most welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@irenee8051]

You explain it so well. I need to hem some jeans and cotton pants. I will be following your tutorial. Thank you so much! I also just subscribed!

[@TailorItYourself]

Good luck! Thanks for watching.

[@TheJlbrown]

Thank you so much. This was a great demo.

[@TailorItYourself]

I'm glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@daniletourneau6182]

Your video was awesome and you made it SO easy to understand! A big thank you from Dani, over in Rochester New York!

[@TailorItYourself]

Two Dani's in a Rochester! Although I spell my name Danni. Glad you enjoyed the tutorial, thanks for watching!

[@daniletourneau6182]

@@TailorItYourself as soon as I heard those first few seconds of your intro, I was like: "yup... this was meant for me to watch!" Hehehe is Danni short for Danielle?

[@TailorItYourself]

It is! I was given a girl's name that could have a boy's nickname.

[@daniletourneau6182]

@@TailorItYourself hahaha same here! I have 2 brothers - so going by Dan or Dani was just easier. That and I noticed how the name Danielle has the word: "Yell" in it, when you say it. So you can't really say our full name in a pleasant way. It always comes out somewhat condescending. Dani / Danni sounds much more playful and happy. Or at least I feel like it does. Hahaha

[@Tootsie55]

Love all your videos. You are so talented, and I’ve learned a lot from you.

[@TailorItYourself]

That's lovely to hear, thank you!

[@bellamclemore484]

the fold line is genius omg thank you i was just eyeballing it before and wondering why it ended up all twisted LOL

[@TailorItYourself]

I'm glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@bobluijters1053]

Perfect explanation

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you!

[@NKNeptune]

damn, thats some good hemming!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you for the kind words! Very much appreciated.

[@positivepluse]

🎉🎉 this is the way🎉🎉

[@TailorItYourself]

Thanks for watching!

[@clothingalterations]

Great tutorial

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you!

[@bitofeverything6089]

Very informative ❤

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@jasonshane4606]

Amazing work…

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words.

[@jZamora87]

great work.

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you!

[@missmsmrs.7309]

Thank You so much! ❤️🙏❤️

[@TailorItYourself]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@pebblekelsey1227]

I appreciate this so much, it is so specific with details. I do have a question, I have a pair of jeans that are 96% cotton and 4% spandex. What type of stitch should I use - straight or very small zig-zag.

[@TailorItYourself]

Straight, but long.

[@domsusefulstuff]

Okay this is a great video-I'm going to use it to hem some pants and I subscribed-thank you! The reason I'm commenting though, is because I have never seen such a powerful iron. One pass? One pass!? Wow... is that just what a real iron does? Also you can just leave it down? Does it turn off or is there some other system? You don't have to answer any of this, I was just so impressed.

[@TailorItYourself]

I use a professional boiler made by Reliable. It's a heavy iron with a Teflon shoe, that is connected to a constant stream of steam. It doesn't shut off until I turn the power off. So yes, one pass! Much more efficient, but much more expensive than a regular iron. I can leave it face down as it rests on a silicon pad.

[@domsusefulstuff]

@@TailorItYourself Thank you so much! Your answer was as thorough and considerate as your video and I appreciate both a great deal. I love learning about the tools of the trade and you used all of yours so well.

[@TailorItYourself]

No problem! Thank you for the kind words.

[@TheMazzcular1]

Can u please tell me if u have any videos on tapering jeans or pants, Im trying to learn how to hem and tapper my own clothes!! Thank You!! The video was great!!

[@TailorItYourself]

I do! If you browse through my channel you'll find a video on tapering jeans and other casual style pants.

[@Truthosaurus]

Rock Star !

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you! That's very kind.

[@joaoluisesquivel2810]

You're good!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you!

[@kittatinnytree]

Fantastic tutorial, Danni! I'm a cobbler and am beginning to expand my services. Your tutorial is exactly what I was looking for! The first videos that populated were mostly for keeping the original/distressed hem. Just for my professional "edification"...lol, what do you typically charge for this service? Thanks in advance!

[@TailorItYourself]

I charge $18 for a regular hem, $25 for an original hem.

[@baus1802]

Can i only folded once?

[@TailorItYourself]

You can, but the cut edge will be exposed and will fray.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

What's that cool retro watch you're wearing?

[@TailorItYourself]

It's a Casio! I've had probably about 4 of them. Sadly the one in the video is no longer with us. For whatever reason when the battery dies it can't be replaced.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@TailorItYourself Bummer. I'd get on the watch forums for work arounds before you give up if you really love it.

[@TailorItYourself]

It hasn't been in production for some time. So I can only assume the ones that are left all have dead batteries that can't be replaced. It's just time to move on!

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@TailorItYourselfYou might be able to get a computer repair shop to replace the battery for you. They can sometimes do miracles. : ) Edit: Is that the Pop Tone LDF50, or are they reproductions of what you have? I'm seeing the Pop Tone supposedly takes a CR1216 battery.

[@jeannepeterson81]

I have pants that are low in the back and I wondered how I could alter them so that they would come up to the waist. I do have extra fabric from other pairs. Thank you

[@TailorItYourself]

You should watch my video on how to lower a waistband. You'll do a similar thing but instead of cutting off excess, you'll be sewing on a wedge of fabric to the back, and tapering off towards the sides.

[@jeannepeterson81]

@@TailorItYourself I would very much like to see that how to add on to make a higher waist in the back

[@TailorItYourself]

I'll likely not be making that video, but I'm happy to walk you through more details if you'd like to contact me directly, [e-mail]

[@jeannepeterson81]

@@TailorItYourself I think I can figure it out but thought I could compare with your idea. I altered a out 22 bridesmaids dresses this summer .It was the most I've ever done.I also altered a 2 thousand dollar wedding dress. I am 74. God has been good. Happy new year.

[@TailorItYourself]

Wow, good for you! Even I don't work on bridal. Working on jeans should be a breeze compared to that!

[@SaharSabet-m1j]

Very tanks

[@TailorItYourself]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@richardpalmanteer9798]

What about cutting the jeans then just folding over once and hemming them? After cutting them use the zig-zag and fold and sew.

[@TailorItYourself]

You can do that as well. But folding twice takes out that extra step of using the zig zag and is more durable.

[@michael931]

So, the bobbin thread is the outer thread?

[@TailorItYourself]

Yup! I have another video showing how to hem pants if you'd like the thread going through the top of the machine to be visible.

[@trumpeterchris]

How did you raise the foot without using your hand? I’m sure each machine is different but mine really doesn’t seem to want to stay up. So far I’ve measured and cut as per your instructions-thanks for this video!

[@TailorItYourself]

My industrial machine has a knee attachment that raises the foot. Home sewing machines don't have that, unless you've rigged it in a table somehow. Thanks for watching!

[@trumpeterchris]

Thanks for your response! I am also getting a nice looking straight hem on top (the inside) but the bottom thread is loose and tangled looking and the line isn't straight. Is that a common rookie error and is there a simple fix? I tried on a few scrap pieces and it keeps happening. Thanks again for the help!@@TailorItYourself

[@TailorItYourself]

Sounds like either the tension is off, or the top isn't threaded properly, or the bobbin isn't threaded correctly.

[@randomelvis3359]

What Brother model is your machine? ….New subscriber! 😃

[@TailorItYourself]

It's an old Brother DB2 I bought at a sewing machine shop in Milwaukee, WI probably almost 20 years ago.

[@jimjones6632]

Thanks, just bought a sewing machine! The jean hems I have are drasticly different colored blue and white (distressed style) near the original hem line. I can not use your technique because the top stitch color will not match, correct?

[@TailorItYourself]

You can run two or three regular weight threads through the sewing machine to try and blend the colors. I have a video showing how to hem jeans "from the outside" as well as doing an original hem to preserve the look of the original stitching.

[@nattcattt]

Please tell me which tailors chalk you use. Mine is horrible I can barely see the marks!

[@TailorItYourself]

It's PMC wax tailors chalk I order through wawak.com. There's a recommended tools list in the video description.

[@superkopite]

Is it worth ironing the hem flat before sewing it?

[@TailorItYourself]

If you think that will help keep your folds neater, you can certainly do that. But if you're using wax tailors chalk ironing it will make your lines dissappear.

[@krishnakumargiyer]

And if we want the original like finish for the bottom fold, how to get that..?

[@TailorItYourself]

You can watch my video on how to do original hems!

[@jimchallender4616]

What machine do you use and recommend? I bought a Brother SQ9825 (refurbished) on Amazon and need to learn how to use it. My first project is to hem several pants. Your video is great and in a week or two I hope to complete the tasks.

[@TailorItYourself]

There's a recommended tools list in the description. Buy an old, used machine.

[@a_betancourth]

Do you guys think I can use this lines-method to hem the lenght of a cotton t-shirt? Tho I think I will have to use only 2 lines for the hem instead of 3

[@TailorItYourself]

Marking for a t shirt is a little different. But you would only need 2 sets of lines. One to mark the finished length, and one to mark where to cut the excess off. I'm hoping to do a t shirt tutorial in the coming months.

[@jeremywilliams9039]

My machine gets stuck on the end seams. I have not adjusted the tension, may be the problem, didn't know about that. But it bunches up thread under the fabric and stops moving.

[@TailorItYourself]

That's a good question. Some machines just aren't able to handle thick seams. You could try hammering the bulky parts to flatten them out. If that doesn't help them you can hand sew the areas the machine won't sew on.

[@MrMasteryash]

Do I need a heavy duty sewing machine to hem denim jeans pants? Can anyone please help im confused

[@TailorItYourself]

Not necessarily. I've got an old Singer that's just a good as my industrial machine, just slower. Try it with the machine you have and see how it works. If you don't have a machine yet, I recommend buying something used. The older the better - more metal parts.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

I'm trying to downsize some men's pants from 34 inch waist to 34. Will I have to rebuild the whole pants?

[@TailorItYourself]

Was one of those 34's a typo?

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@TailorItYourselfLol, yes. I meant to type 32.

[@TailorItYourself]

Sizing down two inches should be very doable. You can view my video on how to take in the waist.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@TailorItYourselfThat's encouraging! Thank you.

[@zsazsak879]

What size needle do you use?

[@TailorItYourself]

I use 14 or 16 depending on the fabric.

[@SewingYadi]

👍👍😃😃

[@anitagarvin9225]

What kind of iron are you using? The brand.

[@TailorItYourself]

I use a Reliable professional boiler.

[@jesseposada6986]

What Brother sewing machine are you using?

[@TailorItYourself]

Good question. I can't remember exactly off hand but I think it's a DB2, or DB3. Either way, it's old. I think from the 70s or 80s.

[@SewingYadi]

Gunting nya tajam

[@gaillam9574]

But my jeans have a flannel lining so there is a lot of extra fabric inside

[@TailorItYourself]

You can cut and roll the lining in with the rest of the denim.

[@julieannelovesbooks]

Yeah so I was taught to do a rolled hem, but to roll it once, pin it flat, press it, then roll it again, pin it, press it, and then sew it. For me it makes it a lot easier to do because everything is already flat, and the pins are holding it together so I don’t have to roll and fold as I go when sewing.

[@TailorItYourself]

There's more than one way to do a hem. I learned to do it in a more efficient manner as pinning will take more time. But if that works for you, do what works for you.

[@julieannelovesbooks]

@@TailorItYourself oh yeah pinning takes up most of my time whenever I’m altering a garment! But I’m still a beginner so I feel more comfortable doing it that way. I can be sure that everything has been measured correctly and checked and checked again. With your skill level I understand that you don’t pin if you don’t need to. I just thought I’d leave this comment for other beginners to find in case this technique still seemed a bit daunting.

[@TailorItYourself]

That's a very fair point, thanks for the tip!

[@coasterad]

What make and model sewing machine do you use please?

[@TailorItYourself]

I can't remember off hand exactly but I think it's a Brother DB2 or DB3.

[@coasterad]

@@TailorItYourself thank you

[@savvywillow]

You are good! Thank you.

[@taniac2011able]

😁

[@taiwanluthiers]

When I hem pants or other heavier clothing (like jeans), the machine wants to pull towards one side, usually away from the thicker hemmed part. I find myself fighting the machine constantly to get a straight line, and as a result it's never straight... how do I stop that?

[@TailorItYourself]

Some home machines just aren't built to handle heavier fabrics. My only suggestion is to try it on a different machine. I suggest buying an older machine that's made of more metal parts. The older the better.

[@taiwanluthiers]

@@TailorItYourself The machine that did it was a cheap Brother that I bought from Walmart. However even on a Singer model 15 it still happens to an extent. It always pulls towards the side with the hem, the needle wanting to come off the hem because there's thicker cloth on one side than the other so the presser foot is literally pushing the fabric to the side.

[@TailorItYourself]

It's tough for me to say without experiencing it in person. But unless the machine you're using is pre-1980s, I'm guessing that's the issue. I have a Singer from the 40s that works just as well as my industrial machine, it's just slower.

[@taiwanluthiers]

@@TailorItYourself By the way do you know how do jean manufacturers make those factory hem? Do they somehow stretch the fabric while hemming it, then shrink it? Is it possible to make it at all if you decide to alter the jean? I know people fold them over then sew it, but that only works if you are shortening the jean by a couple of inches. What if I want to turn it into a short (it's consistently hot in Taiwan and so a lot of jeans gathering dust because it was simply never cold enough for me to wear them)?

[@TailorItYourself]

If you want to keep the original hem, I have a video showing how to do that as well. If you want to turn them into shorts you'll need to hem them with the method in this video. Manufacturers sometimes use a chain stitch machine and then offset the rolled hem so it gets that twist and then develops the ripple wear lines over time.

[@01f4irider]

Great tutorial and she's cute as a button too;)

[@TailorItYourself]

Thank you!

[@tinaspear6776]

How do you sharpen your chalk?

[@TailorItYourself]

I use my razor blade to shave off just the end, kind of like peeling an apple with a knife. Takes a little practice but gives you a nice, sharp edge.

[@tinaspear6776]

@@TailorItYourself Thank you. That is what I do also but thought maybe there was another way I didn't know of. Thanks for your videos.

[@TailorItYourself]

You bet! Thanks for watching.

[@saraaronzon4562]

I’m was turning pants inside out to see the hems. Is this wrong way?

[@TailorItYourself]

Generally when you're hemming pants with a regular rolled hem like in this video, you leave them with the right sides out. If you turn them inside out that can also work, you just won't be able to see the fold on the underside and it can get wonky if you're not paying attention. This can be advantageous if you're running multiple threads through the machine to make the thread appear thicker or blend a color. I have a video showing how to do a hem "upside down" if you're looking for more specifics on that.

[@saraaronzon4562]

@@TailorItYourself thank youuuuu so much 😊

[@AdrianYM]

On a scale of 1-10 how difficult is this for a complete beginner whos never used a sewing machine before?

[@TailorItYourself]

I would say this is probably a 7. But every person is inclined to be better or worse at these types of things. Just depends how you function regularly. I would practice before diving in.

[@cruising84]

I wish i had watched this before i ruined my Dockers pants hem xD

[@TailorItYourself]

Sorry to hear that!

[@janvarif]

hello I love your beautiful videos and your fantastic sewing skills please kindly film how to thread and operate the industrial sewing machine please OK?please kindly reply back OK?thank you very much

[@TailorItYourself]

Every machine is different. You can look in your user manual or Google the threading for your specific machine.

[@belindamurray1099]

Shame you use black thread so we cannot see😮

[@TailorItYourself]

If you have a hard time seeing detail in the video, there's a link in the description to a detailed pdf with close up pictures.

[@Aviacohen2010]

I don't get it. Every single video about hemming a pair of jeans ends up in a straight clean hem. Jeans do not actually end like that! There's some sort of finishing process that gives the hem it's actual look and it's a big part of the jeans! It would be awesome if you could add a tutorial about that process and how one might be able to replicate it alone when hemming their own pair. It's a major drawback for me, and seriously bums me out about pants alterations. Loosing the actual hem look sucks.

[@TailorItYourself]

I have another video showing how to do an original hem, if that's what you mean.

[@sheend]

You are CUTE!

[@TailorItYourself]

Thanks!