# Help! I forgot how to hem pants.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 1, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098 "2004-07-01T20:04:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098/1 "2004-07-01T20:04:11Z")

</div>

I’m so ashamed. I used to sew all the time.  
My husband has a pair of uniform pants that are so long, I had to cut 2" off. I’m going to hem the remaining 1 - 1/2". I’ve got the edge folded down 1/2" and basted, but I can’t remember what stitch to use for the hem. It’s the one that doesn’t show on the other side.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098/2 "2004-07-01T20:20:27Z")

</div>

The pairs I have that have no visible stitching on the outside have the cut edge serged, folded up inside, pressed to form a nice crease and then “tacked” in two places (at the seams) with either what looks like clear nylon monofilament, or a color-matched thread.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098/3 "2004-07-01T20:26:22Z")

</div>

I was thinking about tacking them at the seams, if I couldn’t figure out what stitch to use.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098/4 "2004-07-01T20:42:29Z")

</div>

I poked around a bit and found [this](http://www.sew-whats-new.com/garment/blindhem.shtml). Sounds kinda like what you want. My cheapo little machine doesn’t have this feature, though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098/5 "2004-07-01T20:50:37Z")

</div>

I always do a blanket stitch on the inside of the hem. From the other side all you see are small, evenly-spaced (hopefully), straight stitches.

Here’s a [reference chart](http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Things/Reference_Charts/handsewing_stitches.htm) with different kinds of stitches.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-forgot-how-to-hem-pants/253098/6 "2004-07-01T21:18:42Z")

</div>

> [@Q.E.D.](#):
>
> I poked around a bit and found [this](http://www.sew-whats-new.com/garment/blindhem.shtml). Sounds kinda like what you want. My cheapo little machine doesn’t have this feature, though.

That’s it, the blind hem stitch.