How to Hem Jeans While Keeping the Original Bottom Edge

Did you know there is a clever technique that lets you shorten your jeans while preserving that authentic, worn-in hem that gives denim its character. This method is a game-changer for anyone who wants to hem jeans without losing the original factory finish.

The original hem of your jeans tells a story—it has the perfect fade, the right amount of wear, the factory chain stitching, the proper thread color matching and that authentic look that is all very hard to replicate. When you use traditional hemming methods for pants, you lose all of that character. But with the technique I’m sharing today, you'll keep every bit of that original charm plus the perfect length. I’m reusing the original hem and just removing a part of the jeans that sits just above the hem.

This technique is ideal for:

• Raw or selvedge denim where the original edge is particularly distinctive, like jeans with unique hem details or vintage denim where you don’t want to give in to authenticity
• Shortening by 4 inches or less, beyond this, proportions may look odd.
• Straight jeans, if the width at the original hem and at the desired length differ more than 1 inch, it will be hard to reuse the original hem without extra alterations.

Essential Tools

• Measuring tape and/or ruler
• Fabric marking chalk or any other erasable fabric pen
• Pins or clips
• Sharp fabric scissors
• Iron and ironing board
• Sewing machine
• Hopefully not needed: a seam ripper
• Can come in handy: a bulky seam jumper, pinking shears, overcast foot, clapper

Sewing Supplies

• Universal needles size 14/90 or denim needles size 16/100
• Heavy-duty thread in matching color (polyester or cotton-poly blend recommended)
• Invisible thread for topstitching (optional)

Put on the jeans with shoes you'll typically wear with them. Ideally, have someone help you pin or mark where you want the new hem to fall. The jeans should barely touch the ground or hover about ½ inch above, depending on your style preference. If the jeans don’t go over your shoes, just make sure there isn’t too much bulk because it is too long.

TIP: Take some photos from different angles to ensure the length looks even all around before you make the final decision on the length.

1. Remove the jeans and lay them flat on a table, right side out.
2. Measure from the bottom of the original hem to your final length and draw a line all around (1st line).
3. Now measure the height of your original hem. If that hem is 1 inch high, add a marking 1 inch above the final length of your jeans. This is the second marking and will be the line you will stitch on, the stitch line. The final length of your jeans is this stitch line plus the original hem you are adding to the jeans again.
   Example: If you need to shorten by 3 inches and the original hem is 1 inch, you'll put a marking 4 inches from the bottom edge of the jeans (3 inches + 1 inch hem). If your pants should be 20 inches long, put a mark at 19 inches. As you will be attaching the original hem, the total length will be 20 inches.
4. Repeat this for the other leg.

The jeans are now right side out in front of you. Make sure both legs are marked. You have the first mark of the final length you want your pants to be, and the second mark where you will stitch the original hem to the leg. You can add an extra marking to pin the original hem in place (3rd marking). Place it at the same distance from the 2nd marking as the distance between the 1st and the 2nd marking (the height of your hem). I found this marking very helpful to pin more accurately.

Fold the excess length of the legs (with the original hem) up to the third marking. Align the edge of the original hem with the third marked line. Make sure the original hem is positioned above the marked stitch line (the 2nd one) or your jeans might end up too short. Add pins to the original hem in place.

If you are significantly shortening your jeans, your original hem might not be the same width as the part you are attaching it to. If you have a flared jeans for example, where the original hem is too wide, you will also need to adjust the width before shortening the jeans.

Use a seam ripper to open one or both side seams and make the hem the same width as the part of the leg you are attaching it to. If you need to make it wider, you can remove the original stitches and restitch that seam using less seam allowance. This is what I did with the black jeans. Because the part that was hidden in the seam is darker than the original edge, this is not an ‘invisible’ alteration. Close the side seam again with a stitching before taking on step 4.

Change your regular presser foot to a zipper foot. With a zipper foot you can sew closer to the edge or in this case closer to the fold, which makes your hem more accurate and it will stay in place better. If you can, sew underneath the fold, pushing the fold up. In any case, don’t catch the fold with your sewing machine. I decided to sew a bit further away from the original hem because the fading of the fabric was also a bit above the hem and I wanted to keep that part of the bottom of the legs as well. But the closer you can sew to the stitching of the hem, the better.

Place the stitching next to/under the original hem, all around each leg. At this point, you haven’t cut anything off just yet. Remove the sewing platform from your sewing machine, if you can. It makes it easier to position the leg under your sewing machine. Sew both legs and cut off excess thread ends. The shortened portion is now on the inside of your jeans.

Press the newly sewn seam upward and the original hem down. Use high heat and a lot of steam. Using a ham to iron on and giving it an extra press with a clapper will make that fold crisper. The pressing is very important, especially if you are not doing the optional step 7. You want the original hem to stay down.

Before you start cutting, try on the jeans again to see if the length is what you expected it to be.As long as you haven’t cut the excess fabric off, you can still use your seam ripper and start over. If you have a growing child or teenager, you can also leave the excess fabric and simply attach it to itself with small hand stitches at both side seams so it won’t sag or pop out. This way you can still lengthen the jeans if/when needed.

When you are sure of the final length, cut the excess folded fabric about ⅜ inch away from the sewn seam. This is your new raw edge that will be hidden inside the jeans.

I have tried both ways, with and without “invisible” topstitching, it depends a bit on how invisible I can make this extra stitching. Sometimes the original hem stays in place without flipping out. But sometimes it doesn’t.

To make it invisible, thread choice is key here. Use invisible thread (transparent polyester thread) or a thread color that completely blends in with your fabric. If you hesitate between two matching colors, choose the darker one if working with dark colors like denim, for lighter or pastel colors, a lighter thread color choice may be better for blending.

Sew on the fold very close to the original hem all around.

• Test your tension on fabric scraps first
• Don't stretch the fabric while sewing
• Use a longer stitch length (3.0-3.5mm) for better results through thick layers

Problem: The original hem doesn't lie flat → Solution: Check that you've removed enough excess fabric from inside the fold, and ensure your cutting was even all around or go for Step 7.

Problem: Bulk at side seams → Solution: Trim some excess fabric from the hidden portion, but make sure to leave enough for security.

Ready to give your favorite jeans the perfect fit they deserve? This technique might take a bit more time than a simple fold-and-stitch hem, but the professional results are worth every minute. Your jeans will look like they were custom-made for you, complete with all that authentic character that makes great denim special. Have you tried this method before? Share your results and any tips you've discovered in the comments below. We love seeing your sewing successes!

For more professional sewing techniques and time-saving tips, explore our complete collection of tutorials. Your next favorite technique might be just one click away.

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