What You Need

  • Hand sewing needle
  • Thread matching your fabric colour
  • Pins
  • Scissors
  • Ruler or tape measure
  • Tailor's chalk or fabric pen
  • Iron

Step-by-Step Hemming

  1. 1

    Try on and mark the new length

    Wear the shoes you will wear with the garment. Have someone mark the desired length with chalk or pins while you stand straight. Mark all the way around — hems are often uneven unless you mark from the outside while wearing.

  2. 2

    Add seam allowance and cut

    Add 3–4cm below your marked line for the folded hem. Cut off any excess fabric below that. A sharp cut makes a cleaner hem.

  3. 3

    Fold and press

    Fold the raw edge under by 1cm and press with an iron. Fold again up to your marked hemline and press again. The double fold hides the raw edge and creates a clean finish. Pin in place all the way around.

  4. 4

    Thread the needle and knot

    Cut about 50cm of thread. Thread the needle and tie a small knot at the end. Use double thread for durability on heavier fabrics, single for delicate ones.

  5. 5

    Sew the slip stitch (invisible from outside)

    Bring the needle up through the folded edge of the hem. Then catch just 1–2 threads of the outer fabric — barely visible from outside. Go back through the fold, move along 5–6mm, and repeat. The stitch looks like a zigzag between the fold and the fabric. Keep stitches small and even.

  6. 6

    Finish with a knot and press

    When you reach the start, overlap a few stitches and tie off with a small knot inside the fold. Remove all pins. Press the hem firmly with an iron — this sets the stitches and makes the hem lie flat and professional.

Iron-on hem tape (no-sew option)Iron-on hemming tape is a fusible web that bonds fabric together with heat. Cut to length, place inside the fold, press with a damp cloth and hot iron for 8–10 seconds. Fast and easy — good for trousers and skirts in fabrics that are not too delicate. Not as durable as stitching and cannot be easily undone.

Frequently Asked Questions

The process is the same as above. For trousers, try them on and mark the length at the front, side and back — trouser hems often need to be slightly longer at the back. If the original hem has a cuff, unpick it, shorten from the top, then re-fold the cuff to the original depth.
Jeans ideally use a chain stitch which gives the characteristic ripple on the original hem. Without a specialist machine, a basic running stitch or backstitch in thread matching the original orange topstitching is a practical solution. Jeans are best hemmed on a sewing machine if you have access to one.