Hand-Sewn Invisible Hem

What you will learn

• Blind hem stitch
• Catching a single thread
• Keeping tension even

Materials and tools

• Hand-sewing needle, sharps size 8 or 9
• Thread matched to the garment, or a shade darker
• Pins
• Iron and board
• Garment with hem already marked, folded, trimmed and pressed

Before you start

• Mark the hem on the body, confirm the length, fold and press the hem at the heat on the care label. Finish the raw edge. Cut 18 in (45 cm) of thread and knot one end.

1. Turn the garment inside out and lay the hem on your lap with the right side down. Fold the top edge of the hem back about 1/4 in (6 mm), so that the finished edge lies just below the fold.
2. Bring the needle up through the hem allowance, from the wrong side, just under the folded edge. Hide the knot between the layers.

3. Pick up one or two threads of the garment fabric, directly above where the needle came out. The stitch must be tiny, no more than a thread or two.
4. Slide the needle through the fold of the hem allowance for 1/4 to 3/8 in (6 to 10 mm), and bring it out of the fold.
5. Repeat: pick up a thread of the garment, then slide the needle along the fold. Space the stitches 1/4 to 3/8 in (6 to 10 mm) apart.
6. Pull the thread gently so that it lies flat without puckering the fabric. Do not pull tight. A hem sewn too tight shows dimples on the front.
7. Every 6 in (15 cm), turn the garment and check the front. Nothing but tiny pin-prick dots should appear.
8. To finish, make a small stitch in the fold and loop the thread through it twice. Cut the thread, leaving 1/4 in (6 mm).

Tips for a neat result

• Use a thread slightly darker than the fabric, because thread looks lighter in a seam.
• Press the fold well before sewing. A crisp fold hides the stitches.

Common mistakes and fixes

Check your result

• No stitches are visible on the outside.
• The hem lies flat and hangs evenly.

Projects that use this