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Sewing Tips and Techniques
Once you know how to sew a basic machine hem, the next step is learning how to get a beautifully even finish on fabrics and shapes that are less forgiving.
A professional-looking hem is not simply about sewing a neat line of stitching. The type and depth of hem, fabric weight, stretch, curves, bulk and pressing all affect the finished result.
If you need a refresher on the main methods first, our guide to five ways to machine stitch hems covers blind hems, turned hems, curved hems, rolled hem feet and twin needle finishes.
Here, we're going a step further and looking at the decisions and techniques that help those hems sit beautifully.
The depth of your hem can make a surprisingly big difference to how neatly it sits.
It is tempting to use the hem allowance given on a pattern without giving it much thought, but the shape of the garment and the behaviour of the fabric should always be taken into account.
A deep hem works well on a relatively straight skirt or trouser leg because there is little difference between the circumference of the raw edge and the garment where the hem will sit.
On a strongly flared or circular hem, the raw edge is noticeably wider. Once turned upwards, that extra fullness has to be eased into a smaller area, which can lead to puckers and small tucks.
For a pronounced curve, a shallower hem is usually easier to control. Around 1cm may work far better on a curved shirt tail than trying to persuade a 3cm hem into shape.
Fabric weight matters too. A double-fold hem that looks crisp in cotton lawn may create unnecessary bulk in denim or coating.
Fine chiffon, viscose and other lightweight dressmaking fabrics, meanwhile, usually benefit from keeping the hem as light and narrow as possible.
Always test your proposed finish on an offcut first. Use the same thread, needle, hem depth and number of fabric layers you will have in the garment.
One of the simplest ways to get an even hem is to use your sewing machine to mark the turning points before you press.
Set the machine to a long basting stitch and sew at the exact depth of the first turn. For a double-fold hem, stitch a guide at each turning point if that helps you keep both folds consistent.
At the ironing board, you can then fold the fabric along the stitching lines rather than repeatedly measuring or judging the depth by eye.
This is useful for most hems, but it really comes into its own on tiny turns. Pressing a consistent 3mm fold can be fiddly, whereas a visible stitching line gives you an accurate guide to work towards.
Good pressing aids, including heat-resistant hemming and ironing rulers, can make these small, accurate turns easier still.
Once the folds are pressed, remove the basting before you sew the permanent hem. Light needle marks will often relax with steam and a final press, but always test this technique on a scrap first. Delicate fabrics such as silk and satin may retain needle holes or react differently to steam.
The challenge with a curved hem is controlling the extra fullness along the raw edge rather than forcing it flat.
Keep the hem allowance relatively narrow. You can use one row of long stitches as your turning guide and, where necessary, another row close to the raw edge to control excess fullness.
Gently draw up the easing stitches until the turned edge sits smoothly against the garment. You are easing, not gathering, so there should be no visible tucks.
Bias-cut garments introduce another issue: the fabric can continue to drop after construction. Let a fluid or bias-cut garment hang before marking the final hem so the fabric has time to settle.
When pressing curves, work around the hem a little at a time. Lift and press rather than dragging the iron across the fabric, which can stretch the edge out of shape.
With chiffon, silk, georgette and other lightweight fabrics, handling the fabric cleanly is often harder than sewing the actual hem.
A narrow or rolled finish keeps bulk to a minimum, but small variations in width can be noticeable. The basting-guide technique can help enormously here, provided your test piece shows that the fabric will tolerate the temporary needle marks.
Rolled hem feet are available for many machines and can produce a beautifully consistent narrow finish once you become comfortable feeding the edge through the curl. You can find brand-specific options among our sewing machine accessories. Always check compatibility with your particular make and model before choosing a presser foot.
A fresh fine needle can also make a difference. A 60/8 or 70/10 may be more suitable for very lightweight cloth than a standard 80/12.
If the fabric is being pulled down into the needle plate at the start, support the first few centimetres carefully rather than pulling it from behind.
If lightweight fabric is being pulled down into the needle plate as you start sewing, a straight stitch plate can help. Unlike a standard zigzag plate, it has a much smaller needle opening, which gives fine fabric more support around the needle and reduces the chance of it being pushed into the machine.
This can be especially useful with chiffon, silk, voile and other delicate fabrics when you are sewing a narrow or rolled hem.
Straight stitch plates are machine-specific, so always check compatibility before fitting one. Remember that they are designed for straight stitching only: do not select a zigzag or other wide stitch while the plate is fitted, as the needle could strike the plate.
A knit hem needs enough flexibility to cope with the garment being worn and stretched. A perfectly straight-looking hem is little use if the stitches pop the first time the garment is pulled over your head.
A narrow zigzag, suitable stretch stitch or twin needle can all be useful depending on the fabric and the appearance you want.
When twin needle stitching, avoid deliberately stretching the fabric as it passes under the presser foot. Support the weight of the garment and allow the feed dogs to move the fabric naturally. If the hem tunnels or becomes wavy, test your tension, presser foot pressure if your machine allows adjustment, stabilisation and twin needle spacing on a scrap.
For some projects, a stretch thread such as Gutermann Maraflex can give a straight-stitched hem more flexibility. Test the finished seam to make sure it has enough stretch for the garment.
A coverstitch machine offers another option for sewists who work with knits regularly. It creates parallel rows of stitching on the right side with a flexible looper stitch underneath, giving the characteristic finish commonly seen on ready-to-wear T-shirts and other jersey garments.
A beautifully pressed hem can still become bulky where it crosses a side seam. The extra layers make the presser foot climb upwards, sit at an angle and then drop down the other side.
Before stitching, look inside the hem and remove any unnecessary bulk. Grade thick seam allowances so all the layers do not finish at exactly the same point. Where the construction allows, pressing the seam allowance open can also help the hem sit flatter.
When you reach a bulky intersection, sew slowly and keep the presser foot level. A bulky seam aid, sometimes called a humper jumper, supports the presser foot as it climbs onto and off the thicker area. This can help maintain more consistent feeding and stitch length.
Avoid pulling the garment through from behind. Let the feed dogs move the fabric.
The hem puckers: Check your needle first, then test stitch length and thread tension on a scrap. Very short stitches can make lightweight fabrics pucker, while incorrect tension can pull the fabric out of shape. Make sure the hem has been pressed before stitching and support the fabric so it feeds without stretching.
The hem looks wavy: The fabric may be stretching as it goes through the machine. Support the weight of the garment and let the feed dogs control the movement. Adjustable presser foot pressure can also help on machines that offer it.
The twin needle stitching tunnels: Experiment with tension, stabilisation and needle spacing on a sample. Soft, stretchy knits can require a little adjustment before the two rows sit flat.
The hem twists or hangs unevenly: Allow fluid and bias-cut garments to hang before marking the finished length. If a slippery fabric is difficult to control, a light application of a pressing or starch alternative such as Mary Ellen's Best Press can add temporary body. Test first for any change in colour, handle or finish.
The hem becomes bulky at seam intersections: Grade the internal layers and use a bulky seam aid to keep the presser foot level as you stitch across them.
Before calling the hem finished, hang the garment and look at it from several angles. Check that the hemline is level, the fabric falls freely above it and there are no puckers, drag lines or stretched areas.
Look at the stitching too. It should be consistent and appropriate for the fabric, with enough flexibility where the garment needs to stretch.
Give the finished hem a final press at the correct temperature for your fabric, then allow it to cool before moving it. Pressing after each stage, rather than saving it all until the end, is one of the simplest ways to achieve a cleaner finish.
As you work with more fabrics, hemming becomes less about following one fixed method and more about understanding how fabric, shape, hem depth and construction work together. Keep successful test samples and make a note of the needle, thread, hem depth and machine settings you used. They can be invaluable when you work with a similar fabric again.
For many woven hems, a straight stitch is all you need. Blind hem stitches, narrow zigzags, stretch stitches and twin needles are useful when the fabric or finished appearance calls for something different.
Fabric weight, stretch, drape and how easily the surface marks all affect the best approach. A hem that works beautifully on stable cotton may need a different depth, needle, preparation or pressing technique on jersey, chiffon or wool.
Use a relatively narrow hem allowance and ease any excess fullness rather than forcing the raw edge flat. Long machine stitches can help you control the fullness before pressing the hem into shape.
Sew long basting stitches along the turning points before pressing. The stitching creates an accurate folding guide, helping you keep both turns consistent around the garment.
Avoid stretching the fabric as you sew and support the weight of the garment. Test needle choice, stitch settings, presser foot pressure and stabilisation on a scrap until the hem lies flat while retaining the stretch it needs.
Accurate measuring and pressing aids, the correct machine needle and a compatible presser foot all help. Specialist tools such as rolled hem feet and bulky seam aids can make more challenging hems easier to control.