Share:

Sewing picture-perfect hems can be tricky. Whether you’re hemming a dress, pants, or a t-shirt, it takes a lot of patience and attention to detail. There aren’t any set rules when it comes to sewing, but there are some general guidelines you can follow to ensure your clothes hang properly. The following tips will make your next project much easier.

Tips to Ensure You’re Sewing Hems Correctly

1. Consider Width

Different materials require their own hem widths to suit their original shapes and structures. Lighter material, such as chiffon, should be given thinner hems (less than a half-inch wide) to allow the fabric to flow freely. The thicker the material, the wider the hem. At most, they should be about 2 inches wide.

2. Take Note of Horizontal Balance Line

If you’re having trouble marking where your hemming should be on clothing, look to the horizontal balance line (HBL) for guidance. This line is your pivotal point, and it should be equidistant to the ground at all angles around your fabric. Mark the HBL on your material to make up for uneven areas on the body and avoid getting tripped up by creases. This will help show where areas of clothing need more or less sewing.

3. Think About Asymmetry

sewingTo retain a parallel distance to the ground at all times, all parts of your clothing are not going to be hemmed the same way. You’ll need to measure yourself, or whoever you’re hemming for, pretty thoroughly. Additionally, the sleeves of your shirt or legs of your pants might not be even. You’ll need to either plan your hem higher on the longer sleeve or leg or add more to the shorter one. Account for any asymmetry on the body and in the cut of your clothing.

4. Use Tape

There are several uses for hem tape and lace. If a garment is particularly thick, pressing the end to the inside for hemming can create unwanted bulges. Tape can reduce bulkiness from thick fabric stitching, as well as ease the stitching process. It can extend lengths of shorter material to create more room for hemming and make sewing fabrics difficult to work with, like nylons, much easier. 

5. Ask for Assistance

Often, measuring and pinning yourself accurately can be a challenge, especially in hard-to-reach areas. From your vantage point, it’s more difficult to see the bottoms of pants and the back of your clothing. Call a friend or family member to help you double-check for nice, even hems all the way around. 

 

If you’re looking for new sewing equipment or advice for your next hemming project, The Sewing Center in Kalispell, MT, offers all of the accessories you’ll need, as well as machines from leading brands. These experts will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the process and provide you with helpful tips to get you started. For more information on their services, call (406) 752-7058 or visit their website.

tracking