Simple tailoring methods for adjusting the length of pants at home
Hemming your own trousers is a valuable skill that saves money and ensures a perfect fit. Whether you are using a sewing machine or doing a blind stitch by hand, the basic steps of measuring, pressing, and securing the fabric remain identical.
Have the wearer put on the pants along with the shoes they intend to wear with them. Fold the excess fabric inward to the desired length and secure with straight pins. Verify the length is symmetrical on both pant legs.
Remove the trousers and turn them inside out. Press the new fold line with a hot iron to establish a sharp crease. Measure about 1.5 inches of excess hem allowance below the fold line and trim away the rest of the excess fabric.
Fold the raw edge under by 0.5 inches and press. Secure this fold to the pant leg using a blind hem stitch. This creates a tiny, nearly invisible stitch on the outside of the pants while securing the hem flap on the inside.