⅝-inch is the standard seam allowance, but you can use whatever measurement you want for your hem. If you’re hemming a pair of pants that are tapered, be sure to account for that—you’ll need to taper the inside piece outward so the pants don’t pucker. [3] X Expert Source David PewProfessional Tailor Expert Interview. 5 January 2021.
If you’re sewing by hand, use a blind stitch, and just catch one thread from the outside fabric each time. [6] X Expert Source David PewProfessional Tailor Expert Interview. 5 January 2021. Keep the stitches loose on the hem. If they’re tight, they’ll make the bottom of the pants look puckered. [7] X Expert Source David PewProfessional Tailor Expert Interview. 5 January 2021.
If you are using a sewing machine, fold your ironed section under the fabric. Take the portion of fabric that you just folded/ironed, and fold it in the opposite direction so that it is hidden under the fabric. However, fold it so that about ⅛ of an inch is exposed. Your piece of fabric should now have the pattern-side down, but the tiny ⅛-inch exposed fold at the edge will show the fabric.
For hand sewing, start at the edge of your fold. Just above the fold, pick up a very small portion of the fabric. Then go left about 1/4 in and pick up a bit of the fold. Right above that, pick up a very small portion of the fabric again. Continue in this manner until you reach the end of your hem. For a sewing machine, change your stitch to the one that looks like ‘–^—-^–’. Turn your fabric sideways on the sewing machine, so that the ⅛-inch fold is on the right side, and the rest of the fabric is on the left. Begin sewing down the edge where the fold and the rest of the fabric meet. You should keep the edge of the fabric plumb to the divider on your presser foot. Sew like this all the way down the hem, until you reach the end of your fabric. You should notice that the ‘^’ stitches will hook onto the body of the fabric, while the regular straight stitches in between remain on the ⅛-inch folded portion.
