How to shorten jeans without a sewing machine. Three ways to properly hem (shorten) jeans

Many people, when buying jeans in a store, are faced with the problem that the length of the trousers is too long. And in order to solve it, you have to go to the studio and get a new thing hemmed, wasting additional time and money. If you have a sewing machine at home, then you just need to figure out how to shorten jeans at home. This will not be difficult, although even if it is not there, it is quite possible to do it on your own.

Shortening jeans without a sewing machine

This method is incredibly simple and can be done even by those who are hearing such concepts as “stitching” and “sweeping” for the first time.

To properly hem jeans, you need to follow these instructions:

1. Put on shoes or other footwear that you are going to wear with trousers. Measure the desired length by marking the cut location along the hem of the trousers using a pin or needle. It is worth remembering that the jeans will be even longer by the width of the factory seam.
2. To make the job easier, turn the pant leg inside out and iron it. This way you can avoid shifting when hemming.
3. Now turn the pants right side out and simply pull out the original seam from underneath the bottom. That is, everything unnecessary should remain inside, and there will be a hem on the outside, as well as a peeking line. This is what should be carefully hemmed by hand with small stitches.
4. If you take your time and work carefully and correctly, the seam will be invisible, and no one will ever even think that there is an extra fold of fabric inside.

Important! This method is best used for thin summer fabric, as thick jeans will look heavy.

Shortening jeans while maintaining the frayed edge

In this case, to hem jeans at home, you will have to use a sewing machine, but in this case you will also receive trousers that are exactly suitable for your height, and also without weighing down the fabric at the bottom.

Sequencing:

1. To begin, mark the line along which you are going to shorten the legs. Then use a ruler to measure the width of the bottom seam with characteristic abrasions, and then set this distance upward from the cutting line. Along this line you will then sew this seam back.
2. Carry out the same steps with the second leg, making sure that they do not differ in length. Next, remove all excess, then cut off the seam itself at the bottom, leaving an allowance of 10 mm on top.
3. Now place these pieces face to face. Chip them or sweep them away. Now sew the product on a sewing machine, trying to place the stitch as close as possible to the marks from the factory finishing stitch.
4. At this point the work should be done to cut the allowances at the cross stitches of the newly placed side and crotch stitches. This will make it possible to reduce the thickness of the hem, preserving the abrasion, and make further work easier. Allowances should be cut out within a couple of millimeters of the lines.

Two ways to shorten jeans

In the future, you can work in two ways depending on the thickness of the trouser fabric.

First way

This option is more suitable for thin fabric:

1. You can minimize the thickness of the seam allowances hidden inside the sewing by trimming the bottom seam allowance, leaving only 3-5 mm. Next, both edges should be ironed towards the hem, adjusted to the factory lines and basted.
2. Iron everything thoroughly using sewing machine hem the trousers, trying to get into the traces of the factory stitching. The seam made will be placed 1 mm higher than the finishing joint and will not be conspicuous.
3. After the basting is removed, you need to iron the material again.

Second way

Unlike the first method, this one can be used for trousers made of thicker fabric:

1. You should iron the seam allowances in different directions and then trim them, leaving approximately 3-5 mm.
2. The trouser leg allowance must be overcast, the factory hem folded, then basted and stitched.
3. When using this method, you will be able to see the overcast seam allowance from the inside, but the main thing is that you will be able to preserve the frayed edge, and the bottom of the trousers itself will not “stand up like a stake.”

Video material

Now you know how to shorten jeans at home, and you can easily turn them into shorts or breeches. It’s not difficult to do it yourself, so try it and you’ll definitely succeed!

Many people, when buying jeans, are faced with the problem of how long the trousers are. To do this, you need to go to the studio and hem it, spending time on it. If you have a sewing machine at home, then we’ll hem the denim trousers with our own hands.

Why pay, because you can hem it at home. Hemming new jeans at home is easier and simpler than repairing them.

World of Soviets offers you an affordable master class: how to shorten jeans at home with step by step photos, so that the bottom of the jeans is smooth and practically no different from the original.

First, determine the desired length - what you will wear them with (ballet flats, heels)... Then you need precision and accuracy and everything will work out.

How to hem jeans using a machine: master class

To properly hem jeans on a machine you need:

• jeans;
• ruler;
• pins;
• sewing machine;
• thread No. 30;
• blade;
• scissors;
• needle number 110.

First, we determine the desired length of the trousers and put a mark with chalk.

We draw a straight line exactly under the ruler. Next, set aside a seam allowance - from 3 cm to 5 cm.

Since we do not have enough seam allowance of 3 cm, we need to undo the bottom of the trousers. To do this, take a blade or tweezers and carefully perform this process.

The photo shows the ripped bottom of the jeans and a 3 cm seam allowance, put marks everywhere.

Carefully cut off the unnecessary edge with scissors. You will get two rings like this.

Using a sewing machine, insert #30 thread in the desired color. The width of the seam from the edge is 0.1 cm or 0.2 cm. Slowly stitch both legs.

Always make sure that the top and bottom threads are well tightened (not too tight) without leaving any gaps. Jeans thread takes some getting used to.

Here are the finished hemmed jeans. And don't forget to conduct the WTO. Otherwise, your product will not have a decent appearance.

In the future, you will not take denim trousers to the tailor, but will hem them yourself. Because you will hem your jeans no worse than in a tailor. Good luck.

With all the diversity in the choice of heights and sizes, jeans in almost 80% of cases require correction along the hemline, both for men and women. There are several ways to properly hem jeans.

Here are the simplest and most frequently used ones.

1. Jeans can be hemmed

If you need to shorten the product by 2-3 cm, you will have to carefully rip apart the bottom. In the case where the hem is more than 4 cm, you don’t have to rip off anything. It is better to measure the required length while wearing shoes, especially if they have heels. You can fix the new length with pins, or you can just baste it. But even experienced dressmakers prefer to iron the new hemline.

On the wrong side, it is better to leave an allowance 3cm wide and cut the hem along the line marked with soap or chalk. Then you need to fold the “allowance” in half and iron the bottom of the jeans so that it is even. At a distance of 1mm from the resulting fold, a stitch remains to be laid on the wrong side.

2. Save the wear on the bottom

If designer jeans are distinguished by beautiful stitching or “artistic” wear on the bottom, a simple hem will deprive the product of its main “trick”. How to hem jeans correctly in this difficult case?

The pant leg does not need to be folded inward. It is enough to make a “tuck” as close as possible to the “native” beautiful seam. The excess amount of fabric from the inside will form a sort of pocket, but from the “face” each pant leg will show off the original designer seam and wear.

3. Cut off the excess and keep the factory stitching

You need to measure the required length and make a mark on the leg. Please note that the “sign” should be left 1cm shorter than the required length, because this is exactly the width of the “native edge”. Now all that remains is to connect this line with the “factory bottom”.

When making a seam parallel to the factory stitch, you will need a special strong sewing needle that can sew through several layers of fabric and a special (half) foot. When the trouser leg is stitched, the unnecessary part needs to be cut off, leaving 0.5 cm for processing the edge.

Don't expect both pant legs to match perfectly. Of course, this should be the case, but in most cases, factories do not really measure the length. The peculiarities of “mass tailoring” have an impact. To avoid “different” final lengths, you need to carefully check the coincidence of the side lines, internal seams, and waistband.

Sometimes you need to shorten your jeans. This is necessary if the model is too long. In addition, old jeans can tear or become boring. Then you can easily turn your pants into shorts, capris or breeches. In this case, you need to trim and hem the products at the bottom. But this must be done competently and carefully so that the new clothes look beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. Let's learn how to cut jeans correctly.

If you want to cut jeans to fit shorts, pay attention to the model of clothing. It is better not to use stretch fabrics or baggy pants. In the first case, the shorts will turn out to be too narrow and tight, and in the second, they will be too big and awkward.

A suitable option would be thick denim and jeans containing over 90% cotton. When working with thin denim, be careful not to accidentally tear the fabric. Before the process, wash and dry the products. How to wash jeans correctly so that they do not shrink or stain, see.

How to cut jeans to fit shorts

First determine the length of the future product. Capri pants are cut at the calf muscle, breeches are cut just below the knees, and Bermuda shorts are cut to the knee. Determine the length of the shorts at your discretion. To determine your circumcision limits, put on your pants and stand in front of a mirror. Draw a clear line using a chalk, a piece of dry soap, or fasten a pin.

After this, lay the product on the table, using a ruler, draw a cut line evenly and clearly. Then make a margin of 1-1.5 centimeters and draw the line again. Trim the jeans along the bottom outlined border. Trim each side separately. Do not cut the back and front of the trousers at once!

And proceed to processing the edges. The edges at the bottom can be overcast by hand or with a sewing machine. The easiest and in a fast way will leave frayed and slightly torn edges. In this case, you can make stylish shorts with fringes or ripped shorts.

Determine the cutoff limit only by putting on jeans. Otherwise, the shorts will turn out too long or short. Always trim products with a margin of about 1-1.5 centimeters. To cut the shorts straight, cut the front and back sides separately.

How to hem shorts

• To make the job easier, turn your denim items inside out and iron them. Then, when hemming, the trouser legs will not move;
• To hem items, choose threads that match the color and type of fabric;
• Turn the product right side out, fold the hem to the desired thickness and height, iron the product;
• To hide the disheveled cut edge, fold it inward and also smooth it with a hot iron;
• Sew the hem first with a basting using small stitches, and then go through it with a sewing machine. Then you will get a neat seam;
• Without a sewing machine, it is better to overcast and hem the edges from the wrong side. In this case, the material is folded to the wrong side and then hemmed. This method is also suitable for those who do not want shorts with turn-ups;
• If you're hemming your shorts and want to give your shorts a fashionable, worn-in look, rub the seams with a pumice stone.

How to shorten and hem jeans

If you need to hem jeans that are too long at the bottom, determine which piece needs to be hemmed. This is determined in the same way as in the case of shorts. Put on your pants and stand in front of the mirror, measure the desired length. If you need to fold a small piece of fabric about two centimeters high, you will have to rip the bottom. If the piece is larger, there is no need to rip off anything.

If necessary, steam the bottom and lay out the pants on the table, draw a hem line of the required length without reserve and fold the excess material inward. Then carefully iron both the front and back of the jeans along the new hem line. On the hem on the wrong side, mark an allowance of three centimeters and cut.

The allowance is folded over and ironed again, and then stitched along the wrong side at a distance of 1 mm from the fold of the allowance. This method is suitable for hemming shorts, capris and other types of trousers from the inside without turning the outside.

If your jeans are too long and need to be shortened, you don’t have to go to a tailor. You can hem jeans while maintaining the factory seam with your own hands

Hemming on a sewing machine

If you have a sewing machine at home, the task of hemming jeans becomes much easier. In this case, the model of the machine is completely unimportant: both an old mechanical unit and a modern electronic device will do.

In addition to the sewing machine and jeans, you will need:

• threads that are as close in tone as possible to the color of the jeans;
• a set of sewing pins;
• tape measure;
• soap or wax crayon;
• cutting scissors;
• If the sewing machine is new, you will need a special needle for working on denim.

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The first thing to do is try on the jeans and take the necessary measurements. It is very inconvenient to do this on yourself, so it is better to ask someone for help.

You need to try on jeans in the shoes with which you will wear them. Ask your assistant to fold the trousers so that they do not reach the floor, a centimeter and a half, and pin the hem with pins. Look carefully at yourself in the mirror: the length of your trouser legs should be the same.

Turn the jeans right side out and roll up the legs by as many centimeters as you did in the previous step. The factory hem does not need to be taken into account. Check that the hem height is the same across the entire width of the legs. Secure the edge with pins, placing them perpendicular to the stroke of the sewing machine foot.

Stitch along the edge of the factory hem. Then do a test fitting of the jeans.

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After making sure that the length is correct, repeat the procedure for the second leg. After this, you should trim off the excess fabric, leaving 1.5 cm at the edge.

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Now you need to carefully align the factory side seams with the original hem at the bottom, since after cutting the jeans, the stitches could have shifted to the side. This seemingly insignificant nuance can ruin the entire impression of your painstaking work.

Next, you need to process the cut edge with an overlocker. If you do not have such a device at home, this service will be provided to you at any sewing workshop or atelier. The seam can be made with threads of absolutely any color, since in the end it will be hidden from prying eyes.

Turn the trouser legs inside out and secure the overlocked seam with another stitch on the sewing machine. If this is not done, it will bend down and spoil the appearance of the product. Then make a pair of bartacks on the side seams at a height of about 1 cm.

All is ready! Wash the jeans, steam and iron the hem area. If you choose threads that exactly match the color of your trousers, the seams made on the machine will be completely invisible.

Thick jeans

If you are going to hem an insulated model of jeans made of thick denim, you need to act a little differently.

Since the material of the product is quite thick, a regular hem, even if done as carefully as possible, will be conspicuous. Therefore, we need to make the thickness of all seams and allowances as small as possible.

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1. After you have sewn a factory hem to the cut trouser legs, you need to release the allowance on the side seams and press them well in different directions.
2. In addition, the allowance on the factory hem should be shortened to 3-5 mm, and the allowance on the legs should be overcast by hand.
3. Then you should tuck the “native” hem, baste or pin the edge with pins and sew another line on the sewing machine.

Thin jeans

Summer jeans made from thin denim will have their own hemming features. Such models are usually sewn from fabric with the addition of elastane, so it tends to stretch. T

a thick hem on lightweight jeans will be very visible, so our task is to make the hem as thin and invisible as possible.

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1. The allowances needed to sew on the factory hem will be hidden inside. To do this as neatly as possible, shorten the hem allowance to 3-5mm.
2. Flatten the fabric at the seam allowance and press it towards the factory bottom seam.
3. Now fold the bottom of the jeans along the original fold lines and baste it onto your arms.
4. Once again, go over the bottom of the legs with a hot iron, trying to smooth out all the hem elements.
5. Make another seam on the sewing machine at a distance of approximately 1 mm from the factory one.
6. After this, the bottom of the jeans needs to be steamed and ironed again.

Hemming by hand

Without a sewing machine, it will be more difficult to hem jeans, especially if you are not a very experienced needlewoman.

The main difficulty is to make an even and strong stitch. After all, denim is a fairly dense material that is difficult to process. Therefore, you will need a thicker needle and thread, as well as a thimble.

The first stage of work is taking measurements and cutting the jeans. Here you need to do everything the same way as we described in the previous section. After this, cut off the fragment with the factory seam from the cut bottom of the trouser leg - then we will only need it.

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Now turn the jeans inside out and begin sewing the “native” hem to the cut edge of the product. It is best to sew with the simplest linen seam (also called French). The new seam must be threaded around the edge to prevent the fabric from fraying.

Take an iron and steam the bottom of the trouser legs well on both sides. After this, the junction of the edge of the trouser legs and the factory hem will become almost invisible.

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It is much more difficult to hem flared and tapered trousers in this way, because the width of the trouser legs and the cut factory seam will not match. In the first case, you will have to rip the hem along the side seam and remove excess fabric, and in the second, you will have to widen the bottom using inserts made of the same material.