How to Shorten Jeans With The Original Hem
I’m coming to terms with the fact that I’ll likely be this short forever. Well, sorta.
In this post, I want to share my new favorite method for hemming those too-long jeans that we petite folk are familiar with, the ones that just don’t look good cuffed and are too long to rock even with our tallest platforms. It’s called a Euro hem and it’s helped me tailor so many of my favorite jeans to size without having to cut them. That’s right, this method requires no permanent alterations! So if you have some jeans you want to hem while maintaining the original hemline stitching (in case you want to donate them sometime down the road in their original size or finally get that miracle growth spurt), this tutorial is for you.
Tools:
Pins
Chalk
Sewing machine equipped with a zipper foot and heavy-duty/denim needle
Heavy-duty/denim thread
Hand sewing needle
Steps:
Try on
The first thing you want to do is put on your jeans. Walk around in them a little bit, get comfortable with how they fit, and then pin them to your ideal length. It helps to be wearing your everyday shoes or the ones you see yourself wearing with these jeans often so you can get a more accurate idea of where you want the final hemline to fall.
Mark
With your jeans off and lying on a flat surface, mark your new hemline with sewing chalk and a ruler. Then measure the width of the original hem and mark that distance up from your chalk line. This measurement is usually half an inch for a standard pair of jeans, but make sure to double-check with your specific pair. Then, use your ruler to create that parallel line and repeat on the other pant leg.
Sew
Lining up the original hem with your second chalk line, pin it in place and sew it using your zipper foot to get as close to the original hemline as you can. Take your time during this step, seriously, especially if you are working with a thicker denim. I recommend using a denim or heavy-duty needle and thread on your sewing machine as it’ll lower your chances of breaking a needle which can be really dangerous. And of course, go slowly.
Iron
Once sewn, iron your jeans flat, pushing the excess fabric up into the pant leg. It helps to do this while the jeans are inside out.
Blind stitch
Then, using a needle and matching thread, hand sew a blind stitch to tack the excess fabric in place while remaining invisible on the outside. When hand sewing, my usual instinct is to make everything tight and secure, but any excess tension will make the stitches visible so keep things on the looser side. Repeat on the other pant leg and you’re done!
I absolutely love this trick for hemming jeans and it has been a godsend for shortening my bootcut and wide-leg jeans. I think it’s great that I have the option of sewing them to be shorter or longer in the future or undoing my work completely to donate them in their original size should I ever get tired of them. From the outside, you’d have no idea that I did anything to these jeans, and they even got a stamp of approval from my dad, a former tailor who has definitely caught me slipping in the past.
If you give this Euro hem tutorial a try, please let me know how it goes! You can leave a comment below or reach out on any of my linked social media pages. I’d love to see your creations. Until next time, happy sewing!
