Sewing hems is not hard at all! In this tutorial, I will show you which types of hems exist and how even sewing beginners can achieve beautiful, clean hem stitches.
The most important points at a glance
- A hem is generally defined as the bottom edge of a garment
- In this post, I will show you the 20 most important types of hems - and how to sew them
- A hem ensures that the fabric edges do not fray and stabilizes the shape of the garment
- Accuracy plays an important role if you want to sew pretty hems
- In this post, I will show you which accessories are important for sewing beautiful hems
Learning to sew a hem: It's easy!
Anyone who wants to learn to sew knows the drill: as soon as you start sewing, you have to master your first hem. No wonder: hems are half of sewing life. It is not for nothing that our grandmothers spent many, many hours practicing the finest and most invisible stitches for every conceivable type of hem.
We don't want to make it quite that hard on ourselves, right?
Hemming can actually be quite easy. But hey, of course I am also happy about a beautifully finished hem on my new garment. After all, that shows how well you understand your craft.
If my sewing history has taught me one thing: you can buy the most expensive and coolest fabrics; if the hem of the sewn item looks limp, wavy, or crooked, the whole thing unfortunately just looks cheap.
Yet hems are quite easy to sew! In this blog post, I will show you how to pull off the most important types of hems perfectly.
Just trust me: your next hem will be a hit! ;)
What is a hem and why is it important?
A hem is generally defined as the bottom edge of a garment.
This means: every garment has a hem, whether it is finished or not. And this edge deserves our special attention and dedication.
Why? Think about the leg hem of your favorite jeans! Hems are subjected to wear and tear. A well-sewn hem withstands many challenges. It ensures that the fabric edges do not fray. And quite incidentally, it also stabilizes the shape of the garment. So you see: learning to sew hems makes sense! :)
What is a hem allowance?
Every hem requires a hem allowance. This refers to the distance between the seam and the hem line.
This hem allowance must be accounted for during cutting. If you need a longer hem, you can easily draw a hem allowance on many sewing patterns using a ruler.
What is a hem line?
The hem line refers to the bottom edge of a finished garment.
Popular sewing tricks
Sewing hems for beginners
Don't get me wrong: easy does not mean you can just hem wild and free like you used to! ;) Accuracy plays a big role if you want to sew pretty hems.
But in the age of rulers and fabric markers, that's really not a big deal, is it?
Hem-sewing tips for your first attempts
- Get to know your material: Take a close look at the challenges each individual fabric brings. And choose a fabric that is easy to work with for the beginning. Everything else can quickly discourage you. Choose a simple cotton fabric, for example, or practice with upcycled jeans!
- Get to know your sewing machine: Every machine sews differently. While one machine might sew through seven layers of leather without a problem, it might struggle at the start of a seam. But: You won't know until you've tested it thoroughly. Get to know your sewing machine well, and you'll know its capabilities and limitations.
- Do a test run: Before you sew your first hem onto your first garment, test everything under real-life conditions: sew the correct fabric with the correct needle and thread, using the presser foot pressure that promises the best result. No cheating! It can make a huge difference if you sew denim with a jersey needle just because you don't feel like changing it.
- Always do the test run: That's not all. Before every hem, test on a scrap piece of the fabric you are sewing to see if the planned stitch really delivers what it promises. Both on the top and bottom. If not: choose a new stitch and keep testing. And take comfort: I do exactly the same thing. Welcome to the club of beautiful hems! ;)
The accessories you need for sewing hems
The required material may vary depending on the type of hem.
That makes sense: for a bias tape hem, you will need bias tape. I will tell you in the respective part of the instructions what exactly is necessary for that type of hem, okay?
- Fabric clips*
- color-matching sewing thread*
- Tailor's chalk*
- Hem gauge* (highly recommended!)
- alternatively: ruler*
- or fabric marker*
- Sewing machine and/or overlock
- Rotary cutter*
- Fabric shears*
- Needle & thread
A word on recommended materials
Ruler for hemming
Indispensable when sewing hems is a good ruler, preferably made of metal. Why? Because you can simply place this ruler into your hem and iron over it. The metal absorbs the heat of the iron and transfers it to the fabric. This way, the fabric takes shape much faster!
Regarding rulers, you have quite a few choices. For small checks, I recommend a so-called seam gauge, a small hem gauge* that you can quickly slide into the hem. That's what the little hem gauge looks like.
Sure, a hem gauge like that is practical for short hems, but for me, it's not the ultimate solution. That's because I sew a lot of clothes and, accordingly, sew long hems. That's why I bought a large metal hem marker from Dritz and marked it with my favorite hem widths.
The Dritz Ezy-Hem Gauge* has an inch scale, not centimeters. Which does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm, however. Ever since I got this tool, my hems have become much more beautiful.
There is also a hem ruler set* from Prym, but I haven't tested it yet.
Twin needle
You don't need a coverstitch machine to sew dreamily beautiful seams. Of course, it helps immensely! But you can also achieve great hems with a household sewing machine. The magic word is: twin needle!*
A twin needle sews on the top and finishes the edge on the underside of the fabric. And all in one step. That is perfect for most fabric types, especially for jersey, sweat fabric & co.!
Topstitch needle
Actually developed for free-motion quilting, the topstitch needle* also does a great job when topstitching hems. It is provided with a slightly rounded point and an elongated needle eye.
This makes it possible to sew with thicker threads as well, such as special jeans threads. These are then cleanly guided through the eye, avoiding thread breakage.
Walking foot
Speaking of which: for jersey and other elastic or slippery and fine fabrics, I have a real insider tip: a walking foot! It ensures that the fabric is transported particularly evenly.
This makes for beautiful seams and prevents waves in jersey! The walking foot* is available for practically every sewing machine brand. My Janome even came with two as standard: a narrow and a wide walking foot, also called a dual feed foot. :)
Rolled hem foot
A word on fine fabrics: if you like sewing tunics, dresses, scarves, or shawls, a rolled hem foot* is ideal. It is available in different widths for different hem sizes. This is what it looks like:
I will show you how to sew a beautiful rolled hem with it further down in the tutorial.
Sewing a hem: The 20 most important types of hems and how to sew them
Simply turned hem
The simply turned hem is exactly what the name says: a hem that has been folded once to the wrong side of the fabric and then topstitched.
This hem is suitable for woven fabrics that do not fray. Coat fabrics, softshell, boiled wool fabrics (my Lovis jacket is sewn with this hem, for example), or felt are just a few examples.
Variation 1: Raw-edge hem
Iron the hem allowance to the wrong side of the fabric.
Topstitch it close to the edge from the wrong side of the fabric using a straight stitch (2.5 - 3.5 mm).
This is what the raw-edge finished hem looks like:
Variation 2: Simple hem (finished)
This variation is suitable for fabrics that tend to fray and is generally the "cleaner" technique.
Finish the fabric edge with the overlocker or with the overlock stitch of your sewing machine.
Iron the hem to the wrong side of the fabric.
Topstitch the hem from the wrong side close to the edge with a straight stitch.
This is what it looks like from the wrong side:
And from the right side:
Double-turned hem
It is sometimes also called a stitched hem. The double-turned hem is a very simple sewing variation because it does not need to be finished.
Fold the hem allowance inward twice by 1 cm.
Secure the hem allowance with pins or fabric clips.
Topstitch the hem allowance close to the edge with a straight stitch from the wrong side (or, if you have become a bit more confident, from the right side!).
This is what the double-folded hem looks like from the wrong side:
And from the right side:
You can sew such a turned hem for the Frida-style skirt, for example:
Sewing a rolled hem
Rolled hems are perfect for flounces, ruffles, tunics, or dresses. They also provide a beautiful finish for scarves and shawls. The hem is not folded over, but enclosed with a tight stitch that wraps around the fabric edge.
There are many ways to sew a rolled hem. It is sometimes also called a "cranked" hem.
Option 1: Sewing a rolled hem with the overlocker
Switch your overlocker to rolled hem mode. You can choose between a small and a large stitch length. This setting determines how dense and firm the hem becomes.
You can sew a wide rolled hem using two needles and a narrow one using one needle (the right one!).
With a large stitch length, the overlocked rolled hem looks like this:
With a short stitch length, it looks like this:
You can also adjust the stitch width. You should definitely test the seam on a scrap piece until it looks just how you imagined it.
A rolled hem is suitable, for example, for the quick wrap jacket Lina:
Option 2: Sewing a rolled hem with the sewing machine
You can also sew a rolled hem with a regular sewing machine. You can finish the fabric edge with a short, wide zigzag stitch. The needle should enter the fabric and then beside it:
However, the result is not really pretty:
A folded-and-sewn rolled hem looks much better. For this, you need 1 cm of additional seam allowance.
Press the seam allowance 1 cm toward the wrong side of the fabric.
Set a wide, short zigzag stitch:
Sew the seam allowance along the fold with the zigzag stitch. As in the first example, the needle enters the fabric on one side and hits the fold on the other.
This is what it looks like from the wrong side:
Trim the seam allowance just before the seam.
This is what the hem looks like from the right side:
Option 3: Sewing a rolled hem with a rolled hem foot
The fastest and most elegant rolled hem option.
You will need your rolled hem foot for this.
Fold or press the hem to the wrong side of the fabric to match the rolled hem. Secure the folded hem with a few stitches.
Slide the fabric (with the right side facing down) into the guide of the rolled hem foot using one corner of the hem allowance.
Sew the hem with a narrow zigzag or a straight stitch.
Here is how it looks:
If you choose sewing thread in the fabric color as the bobbin thread, the stitch will be nicely inconspicuous.
You can also choose a wider zigzag that captures the fold edge. This can also look very pretty.
A very detailed guide for a rolled hem with the sewing machine or rolled hem with the overlocker is also available here on the blog. In these blog articles, I show step-by-step how even beginners can succeed with beautiful rolled hems.
Sewing a hem by hand
There are many ways to hem a garment with a hand stitch. I will show you a quick blind hem. It is secured with a crossed blind stitch that is not visible from the right side of the fabric. Perfect for fine trousers, skirts, or dresses.
You need needle & thread. I like using nice cotton thread for hand stitching, but all-purpose thread works just as well.
Fold the hem double toward the wrong side of the fabric.
Hold the fabric so that the folded hem allowance is on the left side (probably the other way around for left-handers).
Start in the hem and perform the blind stitch as shown in the picture:
The needle passes through one or both layers of the hem allowance.
Directly above the fold of the hem allowance, pick up a tiny thread of the fabric backing. Under no circumstances should you pull the needle completely through the fabric.
This is what the finished seam looks like from the left side:
And from the right side:
Sewing a twin-needle or coverstitch hem
For this simply folded hem, you need either a twin needle or a coverstitch machine. I show you exactly how sewing with a twin needle works in a separate post.
Fold the hem allowance to the wrong side of the fabric.
Sew the hem from the right side using the twin needle or the coverstitch. Guide the edge of the folded hem along the needles.
This is what it looks like from the wrong side of the fabric:
And from the right side:
By the way: If you want the decorative coverstitch effect from the underside to be on the front, sew this seam from the wrong side. This looks great, for example, on the shoulder seam of raglan sweaters!
This is what the front then looks like:
A seam like this with a twin needle or coverstitch is perfect for Panty Hilda:
Sewing an enclosed hem
For this hem variant, you need bias tape the length of your hem. You determine the width of the bias tape yourself.
Option 1: Sewing a simply enclosed hem
The pattern piece is cut without seam allowance, as the bias tape simply encloses the fabric edge.
Start enclosing the edge on the wrong side of the fabric.
Pin the bias tape flush to the fabric edge.
Sew the bias tape with a straight stitch in the first fold. That is the fold that lies directly next to the fabric edge. In the photo above, the pink pin is inserted exactly in the first fold.
It should look like this now:
Wrap the bias tape around the fabric edge.
Secure it with sewing clips and edge-stitch it from the right side using a longer straight stitch (e.g., 3.5 mm).
It should look like this now:
Option 2: Folded bias tape hem
You can also sew the hem just mentioned in a folded style. From the top, only one seam is visible.
Fold the finished seam allowance toward the wrong side of the fabric.
Edge-stitch the bias tape from the wrong side of the fabric with a straight stitch.
This is what it looks like from the wrong side:
And from the right side:
Sewing a hemstitch
A particularly decorative way to sew beautiful hems on woven fabrics is the hemstitch with a hemstitch needle. This not only secures the hem but also creates a decorative pattern of holes. And all in a single step. You think that's impossible? My colleague Dorthe will show you how it's done. Read more about it here: Sewing with a hemstitch needle
Sewing a fake hem
The fake hem is a true sewing hack!
When is it used? It's ingenious: when you have too little fabric for a proper hem! But it looks just as good, so it's worth knowing about!
For this, you need a 5–6 cm wide strip of fabric that harmonizes with the color of the main fabric. It shouldn't be too stiff or thick so that it doesn't bulk up.
A fine viscose or linen fabric is often just as suitable as thin cotton fabric.
Important: The strip should have the same elasticity as the main fabric.
Pin the fabric strip flush, right sides together, to the fabric edge of the garment.
Sew the fabric strip with a seam allowance of 1 cm using a straight stitch.
It should look like this now:
Press the seam allowances open.
Finish the edge of the fabric strip with an overlock or zigzag stitch.
Fold the fabric strip toward the wrong side of the fabric. Iron it so that it is no longer visible from the right side.
Then, topstitch the fabric strip close to the edge from the wrong side of the fabric using a straight stitch.
This is what the faux hem looks like from the wrong side:
And from the right side:
Bonded hem
The fastest of all options: Iron the hem allowance toward the wrong side of the fabric.
For this hem, you will need double-sided fusible hem tape the length of your hem.
Place the fusible hem tape* at the top edge of the hem allowance and iron all three layers in place according to the hem tape manufacturer's instructions.
Done! It’s that quick! The fusible tape prevents the fabric edge from fraying.
However, this hem is not as durable as sewn hems. It is, however, great for curtains and the like.
Sewing a curved hem
Curved hems are a special challenge for many sewing fans: if a pattern calls for patch pockets, many give up. For no reason at all, by the way. Curved hems really aren't difficult!
You will need a cardboard template in the shape of the curve, needle & thread, and an iron.
Cut the fabric with a 1 cm seam allowance.
Run a knotted thread through the seam allowance around the cut piece, leaving the top edge as is.
Pull the thread slightly and insert the template so it fits perfectly.
Iron the curves.
This is what it looks like from the right side of the fabric:
Now you can, for example, topstitch the pocket close to the edge.
Sewing a decorative hem
Instead of a folded hem, you can also easily decorate the hem with trimmings, braids, ribbons, or similar items.
It is recommended to finish the hem edge before sewing on a trimming.
The trimming is sewn on so that the main fabric is no longer visible from the right side.
Then you can sew the bottom edge of the trimming from the wrong side of the fabric using a straight stitch.
Turn the pattern piece and sew the top edge of the trimming from the right side.
Sewing a jersey hem: How the SewSimple quick hem works!
Many of the hems shown can also be used wonderfully for jersey.
But here I have another tip for you on how to sew the fastest jersey hem ever!
This is what it looks like on the finished garment:
It is my favorite hem method when I'm feeling too impatient for everything else.
You can sew it with a stitch of your choice: twin needle, 2-thread or 3-thread coverstitch are perfect. But a zigzag stitch is also possible.
Draw the hem line (the line where the hem allowance is folded toward the wrong side) onto the right side of the fabric with a fabric marker.
Fold the hem allowance to the mark toward the wrong side of the fabric and topstitch it from the right side with a coverstitch machine or a twin needle.
While sewing, you can use your finger to feel if the hem edge is still in the right place. Only then will it be neatly covered by the seam.
Good, right? ;) Works great for sleeve hems too, of course...
Sewing a hem with a facing
This is a particularly refined method that I explain step-by-step in my separate tutorial on sewing a facing.
It is very well suited for casual shirts, tunics, or dresses. For example, for my Roosmarei pattern:
Sewing a tiered hem
A super casual and fast method not just to hem shirts and sweaters: You also give them a really cool look with the tiered hem.
You only need two fabric strips made of elastic fabric.
You can find the exact instructions on how to sew a tiered hem here on the blog.
Did this post help you?
Feel free to write in the comments how you liked my tutorial.
Happy simple sewing,
your Sabine
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