NowIKnowEditorial

Hobbies & crafts

How to Shorten Pants by Hand with a Blind Hem

Mark the new length, press a crisp fold, and sew a nearly invisible blind hem by hand—no machine needed.

13 clear steps·Illustrated guide
Hands folding the hem of a pant leg on an ironing board with an iron, pins, and thread nearby.
  1. 01

    Gather simple tools

    You’ll need your pants, an iron and ironing surface, sewing pins or clips, tailor’s chalk or a washable fabric marker, a measuring tape or small ruler, sharp fabric scissors, matching thread, a hand-sewing needle, and a pressing cloth (a clean cotton cloth works). A thimble and seam ripper are optional but helpful.

    Basic hemming tools arranged around a pair of pants on an ironing board.
  2. 02

    Try on and set the new length

    Put on the pants with the shoes you’ll wear most. Fold each leg up to the length you like and secure the fold with a few pins or clips. Check in a mirror and make sure both legs look even when you stand and sit.

    Person folding and pinning pant hems to the desired length while wearing the pants.
  3. 03

    Mark the finished hem line

    Carefully remove the pants without disturbing the folds. Lay one leg flat and, along the folded edge, draw a clear line with tailor’s chalk all the way around. Repeat for the other leg. This line marks the bottom edge of your finished hem.

    Hand marking a chalk line along the folded hem of a pant leg laid flat.
  4. 04

    Turn inside out and press the fold

    Turn the pants inside out. Fold each leg up to meet the chalk line so the line sits right on the edge of the fold. Press the fold firmly with the iron to set a crisp crease, using a pressing cloth if the fabric is delicate or shiny.

    Inside-out pant leg being folded to a chalk line and pressed with a cloth under an iron.
  5. 05

    Check hem depth and reduce bulk if needed (optional)

    Compare the height of your turned-up section with the pants’ original hem depth (look near a side seam). If your new hem is much deeper and feels bulky, mark a new raw edge so the turned-up section is closer in depth to the original, then carefully trim the extra fabric. Leave enough to fold the raw edge under in the next step.

    Inside-out pant leg with a deep hem turned up and scissors trimming a bit from the raw edge to reduce bulk.
  6. 06

    Tuck the raw edge under and press

    To hide fraying edges, turn the raw edge of the hem allowance under by a narrow amount toward the fold so it’s enclosed. Press this inner fold flat all the way around both legs. The hem allowance now looks like a clean double fold.

    Hands folding the raw edge under to create a neat double fold at the hem.
  7. 07

    Pin the hem evenly

    Pin through the hem allowance and the pant leg above it, placing pins perpendicular to the fold every few inches. Smooth the fabric as you go to keep the hem depth even all around both legs.

    Evenly pinned hem on an inside-out pant leg, ready for hand stitching.
  8. 08

    Thread and knot your needle

    Cut a comfortable length of matching thread (about from fingertip to elbow works well), thread a needle, and tie a small knot at the end. A single thread gives a subtler stitch; a double thread is a bit stronger—use what suits your fabric.

    Hands threading a needle and tying a knot in matching thread.
  9. 09

    Anchor the thread at a seam

    Start on the inside at an inner leg seam so the finish is discreet. Slip the needle into the fold of the hem allowance to hide the knot, then bring the needle out right at the top edge of the folded hem allowance.

    Needle entering the folded hem near a seam to anchor the starting knot invisibly.
  10. 10

    Sew the blind hem stitch

    Make small, spaced stitches: take a tiny bite from the pant leg just above the fold (only catch a thread or two of the outer fabric), then insert the needle through the folded edge of the hem allowance and travel a short distance inside that fold before coming out. Repeat in a steady rhythm. Keep the thread just snug enough to lie flat without puckering.

    Needle alternating between tiny bites of the pant leg and longer stitches hidden inside the hem fold.
  11. 11

    Work around the leg and secure the end

    Continue the same stitch pattern around the entire leg. When you reach your starting point, make two or three small stitches in place within the hem fold to secure the thread. Trim the tail neatly inside the hem.

    Hand making a small securing stitch in the hem fold to finish the first leg.
  12. 12

    Repeat for the second leg

    Fold, press, pin, and stitch the second leg the same way, matching the hem depth to the first leg. Lay both legs side by side and check that the folds line up evenly before sewing all the way around.

    Two pant legs aligned with matching pinned hems before stitching the second leg.
  13. 13

    Press and check the finish

    Turn the pants right side out. Lightly press the hems from the inside, then from the outside with a pressing cloth to avoid shine. Brush away any chalk marks and give the hems a final look—only tiny, evenly spaced dots should be barely visible, if at all.

    Freshly pressed pant hems with a smooth, even edge and no visible stitches.

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