Three Ways to Hem

One of the more practical ways to use your sewing machine is hemming. Whether you are making the garment shorter or extending the hem to make it longer, it is a simple process to finish a garment or customize the fit of ready-to-wear and hand sewn clothing. Hemming is a word that describes a variety of sewing techniques.The hemming technique you use depends on the type of fabric, the style of the garment, and the finished look you want. This post is about three common hemming techniques.

Blind Hem

This traditional style of hem works well on skirts, dresses, pants, draperies, and other projects that have a hem 1 1/4″ to 4″ in depth. It requires the use of a blind hem foot and a machine that has a blindstitch. These two work together to create a hem that is strong, secure, and inconspicuous. CLICK HERE to see a video showing how a blind hem is stitched.

Narrow Hem

Great for shirts, dinner napkins, circle skirts, and projects that need a 1/8″-3/8″ double-turned hem. Using a hemmer foot makes it easy because the foot turns the turns the fabric edge twice. The foot also holds the folded edge in place for stitching as it goes under the needle. CLICK HERE to see a video showing how a narrow hem is stitched using a hemmer foot.

Knit Hem

When hemming knit fabrics, it is important to use a technique that allows the finished stitches to move as the fabric stretches. A single line of straight stitching does not have enough “give” to stretch without breaking but using a double needle to stitch two lines is perfect for hemming knit fabrics. An all-purpose presser foot works well for this technique. CLICK HERE to see a video that shows how to hem knit knit fabrics.