How to Sew a Blind Hem on Pants Without a Blind Hem Foot

A blind hem creates a clean trouser hem with no obvious stitch line on the outside of the leg. A blind hem foot makes the job quicker, but it is not essential. With a standard presser foot, you can secure the folded allowance on the machine and complete the hidden catch stitches by hand for the same neat finish. Learn more about Brother Pe800 Vs Janome Memory Craft 500e Embroidery Machines Compared.

The trick lies in two small components. A ladder stitch sits on the inside of the trouser just above the hem crease. A catch stitch joins that ladder to the folded hem, taking only a thread or two from the main fabric. Once the hem is folded down and pressed, the working thread is concealed.

This method suits cotton, linen, Tencel and lightweight suiting, and can also finish denim with the right needle. Use a sharp needle for firm woven cloth and a ballpoint for knit or stretch trousers. Check the existing hem allowance before unpicking anything, because the folded finish needs enough cloth to sit securely.

Try on the trousers with the shoes and socks you normally wear before marking the finished length. Australian patterns and tape measures use centimetres, so calculate the hem in millimetres rather than converting an old inch-based allowance. Leave clearance for walking without the trouser catching on your shoe, since office trousers, casual pants and workwear may each need a different finish.

Check the length and release the old hem

Turn the trousers inside out and examine the original hem. A traditional blind hem needs roughly 25-30 mm of folded allowance. Many tailored trousers include that much, while jeans often have less. Carefully unpick the old stitches without cutting the fabric and press the allowance flat. If there is not enough cloth, ask a local alterations shop to release the side or inseam rather than sacrificing seam width.

Measure the desired finished length from the waistband, or from the crotch seam for the inseam, and mark the hem line on the inside of the leg. Fold the trousers to the wrong side at that line and press. Check the fold from the side and across the front, as a straight mark can look uneven around a shaped pocket or curved inseam. Test the marked length by wearing the trousers with your usual shoes. Melbourne’s changeable weather and Brisbane’s humidity mean fabric weight matters: lightweight office trousers and heavier workwear may both feature in local wardrobes, so check each pair against its actual purpose.

Form and secure the hem allowance

Unfold the pressed hem, then turn the raw edge under by about 5 mm and press, enclosing the cut edge in a narrow lip. Fold the hem back up along the original crease and press again. This leaves a clean inner edge and keeps the folded allowance at the correct finished width.

With the wrong side facing up, use a narrow zigzag that fits within the folded lip. A regular general-purpose presser foot is sufficient; guide the cloth so the stitching does not pull the allowance into waves. If your machine has no zigzag, use a straight stitch close to the folded edge. Keep all stitching on the allowance, not across the trouser leg. Choose a short stitch for delicate cloth and a slightly longer one for denim.

Make a ladder on the inside

With the hem folded out of the way, work on the wrong side of the trouser leg. Just above the hem crease, make short horizontal bars with matching thread. Each bar should be about 2-3 mm long, with roughly 3 mm between rows. Bring the needle through at one end of a bar and take a tiny bite at the other.

Continue until the ladder reaches the fold enclosing the raw edge. Catch only one or two threads from each bar, since larger bites can leave visible pinpricks or puckering on the right side. Matching thread is less conspicuous than a contrasting colour. Finish the ladder with small knots at both ends, and on stretch fabric practise on a scrap so the stitches can move with the cloth.

Join the hem with catch stitches

Place the pressed hem over the ladder and work from the inside. Start at the fold along the upper edge of the hem, taking a tiny bite through the folded cloth. Pick up one rung of the ladder, pass through only a thread or two of the trouser fabric, and return to the fold. These catch stitches disappear from view when the hem is down.

Space the catch stitches about 3-4 mm apart and use light tension. Tight thread can pucker the right side, while an oversized bite may show as a short mark. Secure each end with a small knot tucked into the hem allowance rather than backstitching through the entire ladder. Remove any temporary pins as you progress and keep the folded edge aligned.

Finish the hem and check the result

Turn the trousers right side out, fold the hem down and press with a pressing cloth. Use steam rather than excessive pressure, especially on linen and Tencel. Inspect the inside for evenly spaced catch stitches and check the outside for stray threads or pinpricks. A correctly caught ladder will keep the hem aligned through ordinary wear and washing.

For a quicker, more visible finish, press the allowance up by 10-15 mm and run a narrow zigzag along the fold with the ordinary foot. This mock blind hem is quick and durable for jeans, school trousers and workwear, but the stitches sit near the bottom edge instead of disappearing completely. It suits garments where speed matters more than a fully concealed finish.

If you sew often, check what is readily available from sewing suppliers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Australian Consumer Law guarantees that goods sold in Australia must be of acceptable quality, so a retailer’s local warranty and authorised repair options are worth checking before buying. For a decorative pocket project, this embroidery machine comparison examines the Brother PE800 and Janome Memory Craft 500e.

Once the thread ends are secured and the hem is pressed, the outside of the trouser leg should show no obvious stitching.