If you’re like me, then at some point you’ll find yourself with a pair of pants that need to be hemmed and no sewing machine in sight. Today, I’m going to show you How to Hem Pants Without Sewing! While it may seem like an easy task, knowing how to sew a hem on pants can actually be quite difficult if you’ve never done so before. And if you’re not much of a sewist, it can be absolutely intimidating. I mean, what if it comes out crooked or the fabric gets all bunched up, and then there’s this weird bump that looks like your child (or you) has an extra knee?! And let’s not even get started with the exorbitant cost of having a few inches taken off your slacks. I mean, if you’re adding $20 to the cost of every pair of pants you buy, finding a good deal on your work trousers may not even be worth buying them in the first place! Well, I have good news: you don’t need to sew or pay for that expensive hem-job! This quick tutorial is my tried-and-true method to help you learn how to no-sew hem pants in just a few minutes.
Honestly, it will probably take you longer to read the instructions than it will to actually get the hemming done. This method not only saves you the stress of sewing, but it also saves a ton of time and money because not only will you be skipping the cost of having your pants hemmed, but you also won’t have to spend the extra 30 minutes getting fitted at the tailor, driving back and forth, and on and on. And you can do this method practically “on the go” before work, if necessary, it’s so fast. It’s the perfect way to make sure you always look polished. Seriously, if you don’t know how to sew, no worries! Here’s how to hem your pants without any sewing required.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 Pair of Pants that Needs Hemming
- Heat-n-Bond
- Iron
- Pins
- Scissors
- Optional Rotary Cutter & Mat
- Measuring tape
- Thread nippers
- Fabric marker
To tackle this no-sew hem, you’re going to need 1 pair of pants that needs hemming and Heat-n-Bond or another hem adhesive strip. Some things to keep in mind about using an adhesive strip, though, they’re not recommended for dry clean materials, but they can absolutely be machine-washed, so you can use them on any machine-wash-friendly pants. Additionally, if you’re hemming brand new pants, you’ll want to pre-wash them, without fabric softener, before you apply the hem adhesive.
How To Hem Pants Without Sewing
The first step in how to hem pants without sewing is to wash, dry, and iron the pants you want to hem. This makes it easier to do, since pressed pants are easier to fold. Put the pants on the person who will be wearing them. Fold the cuff of the pants leg up inside the leg of the pants to where you want the hem to be.
Mark the hem you folded by pinning it in place on the front and back of the leg and on either side. Carefully remove the pants from the person, taking care not to stick them with the pins. If you are the person that the hem needs to be adjusted for, you can either have someone else pin it for you, or you can use one of your pants that already fit you well as a gauge. Be sure to align the two pairs of pants at the crotch, not the waist, and make sure the outside and inside hems of the legs are aligned as well. This will allow you to pin the pants you plan to hem more accurately than trying to pin them while they are on your legs. Turn the pants wrong-side out. Using the ruler or fabric tape measure, measure both sides of the side seams and center between each of the side seams to make sure that your hem will be even. Repeat with the second leg.
Next on this how to hem pants without sewing project, you’ll get to the no-sew part of this tutorial. Cut a length of Heat-n-Bond long enough to wrap completely around the pant leg at the new hem location.
Fit the piece of Heat-n-Bond between the two pieces of the pant leg, fitting it closely to the fold line along the new hem location. You will need to remove one pin at a time as you fit the Heat-n-Bond into the fold, replacing the pin once the Heat-n-Bond is in place so as not to adjust the length of the hem accidentally. Repeat with the second pant leg.
Now to seal the deal on how to hem you pants without sewing, preheat your iron to medium NO STEAM, and place your pant leg on the ironing board, exposing the hem area. Working on the right-side of the pants, so working inside the leg (as the pants should still be wrong-side out), iron the new hemline, using a slightly circular motion to spread the heat evenly, for 2-3 seconds. Repeat with the second pant leg.
Allow the hem to cool completely, remove the pins, then turn the pants right-side out and wear them. This is just such a fun and useful tutorial, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve saved myself on tailoring costs. I think I have done this to about 15 pairs of pants over the years and never even thought to share – so glad I did now!
If you liked learning how to hem pants without sewing, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!
How To Hem Pants Without Sewing
Easily hem your pants without making a trip to the sewing machine.
Materials
- 1 Pair of Pants that Needs Hemming
- Heat-n-Bond
Instructions
- Put the pants on the person who will be wearing them. Fold the cuff of the pants leg up inside the leg of the pants to where you want the hem to be.
- Mark this by pinning it in place on the front and back of the leg and on either side. Carefully remove the pants from the person, taking care not to stick them with the pins.
- Turn the pants wrong-side out.
- Using the ruler or fabric tape measure, measure both sides of the side seams and center between each of the side seams to make sure that your hem will be even. Repeat with the second leg.
- Cut a length of Heat-n-Bond long enough to wrap completely around the pant leg at the new hem location.
- Fit the piece of Heat-n-Bond between the two pieces of the pant leg, fitting it closely to the fold line along the new hem location. You will need to remove one pin at a time as you fit the Heat-n-Bond into the fold, replacing the pin once the Heat-n-Bond is in place so as not to adjust the length of the hem accidentally. Repeat with the second pant leg.
- Preheat your iron to medium NO STEAM, and place your pant leg on the ironing board, exposing the hem area.
- Working on the right-side of the pants, so working inside the leg (as the pants should still be wrong-side out), iron the new hemline, using a slightly circular motion to spread the heat evenly, for 2-3 seconds. Repeat with the second pant leg.
- Allow the hem to cool completely, remove the pins, then turn the pants right-side out and wear them.
Recommended Products
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