How to Hem Different Fabrics: A Complete Reference

The hem is the last seam on most garments and the one most likely to be visible from the right side. A good hem is barely noticeable; a bad hem draws the eye every time. The difference is rarely about skill — most hem problems come from using the wrong method for the fabric.

This guide covers the major hem methods and which fabrics each one suits.

The basic hem question

Before choosing a method, three things drive the decision:

1. Fabric weight and drape. Heavyweight fabric needs different handling than chiffon.
2. Visibility of the hem. Some hems are decorative; others should be invisible.
3. The garment’s purpose. A hem on a hard-wearing pair of trousers needs to last; a hem on a special-occasion dress can be more delicate.

Match the method to all three. The fabric alone doesn’t dictate; the project matters too.

Method 1: Double-fold hem

The most common hem on home-sewn garments. The raw edge is folded twice, enclosing itself, then stitched down.

Process

1. Press the raw edge up by 1 cm.
2. Press up again by 2 cm (or whatever finished hem depth you want).
3. Stitch close to the inner fold, securing the hem.

Total fabric used in the hem: roughly 3 cm from the raw edge.

Best for

• Cotton and cotton blends.
• Linen.
• Most quilting and craft cottons.
• Casual garments where visible stitching is fine (jeans, casual shirts, tote bags).

Variations

• Topstitched: stitched from the right side with visible thread. Common on jeans and shirt hems.
• Edge-stitched: stitched very close to the inner fold from the wrong side. Less visible from the right side.

Method 2: Single-fold hem

Just one fold — the raw edge is finished separately (zigzag, serging, or pinking), then folded up once and stitched.

Process

1. Finish the raw edge by zigzag, serge, or pink. See our seam finishing guide.
2. Press the finished edge up by 2–4 cm (your chosen hem depth).
3. Stitch close to the finished edge.

Total fabric used: hem depth plus seam finish.

Best for

• Heavy fabrics where double-fold creates too much bulk (denim, heavy linen, wool).
• Bulky knits.
• Quick projects where the inside doesn’t matter much.

The single-fold hem uses less fabric than double-fold, so it’s also the choice when you’ve cut the garment slightly short and need every centimetre of length.

Method 3: Blind hem

Stitched mostly invisibly — only tiny dots of thread show on the right side.

Process (machine blind hem)

Most modern sewing machines have a blind hem stitch and a blind hem foot.

1. Finish the raw edge.
2. Press the hem allowance up to the wrong side.
3. Fold the garment so the right side is together, with the hem allowance peeking out about 5 mm.
4. Sew using the blind hem stitch — most stitches go on the hem allowance, with a small zigzag every few stitches that catches the main fabric.
5. Press flat.

The result: from the right side, only tiny stitch marks every 1–2 cm.

Best for

• Trousers, especially dress trousers.
• Skirts where you want a clean appearance.
• Lined garments where the hem should be invisible.
• Professional-looking finished garments.

Hand blind hem alternative

Sew by hand using a slip stitch or catch stitch. Slower but the result is even more invisible than machine blind hem. Standard for high-end tailoring. See our hand stitches guide.

Method 4: Narrow rolled hem

A very thin hem (3–5 mm) suited to lightweight and sheer fabrics.

Process

1. Press the raw edge up by 5 mm.
2. Stitch along this fold at 2 mm from the edge.
3. Trim the raw edge close to the stitching (about 1 mm).
4. Fold up again so the trimmed edge is enclosed.
5. Stitch along the fold again.

The result: a narrow hem (about 5 mm wide) with no exposed raw edge.

Best for

• Chiffon and other sheer fabrics. See our chiffon guide.
• Fine silk.
• Lightweight rayon.
• Handkerchiefs and napkins.

Rolled hem foot variation

A specialty foot creates a narrow rolled hem in one pass — fabric feeds into a curved scroll on the foot that rolls and stitches simultaneously. Faster but takes practice.

Method 5: Coverstitched hem

Sewn with a coverstitch machine, producing parallel rows of stitching on the right side and a chain stitch on the wrong side. The professional finish on knits.

Process

1. Press the hem allowance up.
2. Sew from the right side using the coverstitch.

Two rows of straight stitching appear on the right side; the chain stitch on the back enclose the raw edge.

Best for

• Knit garments (T-shirts, leggings, sweatshirts).
• Athletic wear.
• Anything you want to look RTW.

No coverstitch machine?

A twin needle on a regular machine produces a similar look. Two rows of straight stitching on the right side; the underside has the bobbin thread zigzagging between the two needles. Not as durable as a true coverstitch but visually similar.

Method 6: Bias-bound hem

The raw edge is enclosed in a strip of bias-cut fabric. Decorative or couture finish.

Process

1. Cut a strip of bias fabric (or use pre-made bias tape).
2. Sew the bias strip along the raw hem edge, right sides together.
3. Fold the bias to the wrong side, encasing the raw edge.
4. Stitch along the inner edge of the bias to secure.

Best for

• Tailored coats and jackets.
• Heavyweight fabrics where double-fold is too bulky.
• Any garment where the inside is part of the design.

Method 7: Pin-tucked hem

A series of small horizontal tucks at the hem, creating a decorative effect.

Process

1. Mark several parallel lines at intervals (typically 1–2 cm apart) above the hem.
2. Fold along each line and stitch with a small straight stitch close to the fold.
3. Press.

Best for

• Children’s dresses.
• Vintage-style garments.
• Fine cotton blouses where decorative detailing is desired.

Choosing the right hem by fabric

Fabric	Best hem method
Quilting cotton	Double-fold
Cotton lawn	Narrow rolled or double-fold
Linen (mid-weight)	Double-fold or single-fold
Heavy linen	Single-fold
Denim	Double-fold or topstitched
Knit	Coverstitched or twin-needle
Chiffon	Narrow rolled
Silk	Narrow rolled or hand-rolled
Wool	Single-fold or bias-bound
Velvet	Single-fold (catch-stitched by hand)
Vinyl	Single-fold or no hem (cut clean)

Common hemming mistakes

Hemming before construction is finished

Always hem after the side seams are sewn — the hem aligns with the seam as a single garment. Hemming before side seams are joined leaves jagged steps where seams cross the hem.

Wrong hem depth for the fabric

A 5 cm double-fold hem on chiffon is too heavy and causes the hem to droop. A 1 cm hem on jeans looks unfinished. Match hem depth to the fabric weight: lightweight = narrow hems, heavyweight = wider hems.

Inaccurate hem measurement

Mark the hem with the garment on the body or on a dress form. A garment that hangs differently on the body than on the table needs the actual on-body length used.

If hemming on a flat surface, use a hem gauge (a small ruler with adjustable slider) to mark a consistent hem depth all the way around.

Pulling the fabric while sewing

Especially on knits — pulling fabric while hemming creates wavy hems. Let the feed dogs do the work. Use a walking foot if available. See our walking foot guide.

Not pressing thoroughly

A pressed hem behaves better than an unpressed one. Press after each fold, before stitching. Set the press with steam, then sew.

Too-long stitch length

Long stitches (3+ mm) on a hem produce a looser look that can fray over time. Use 2–2.5 mm for most hems.

Hemming after multiple washes

Some fabrics (cotton, linen, rayon) shrink unevenly between the body of the garment and the hem on first few washes. The hem can then sit slightly higher than the rest of the garment.

To prevent this:

• Pre-wash fabric thoroughly before cutting. See our pre-treating fabric guide.
• Don’t measure the hem too tightly — leave a few millimetres of margin.
• For garments expected to wash heavily, use a slightly deeper hem to allow for adjustment after the first few washes.

Making a hem invisible from outside

For garments where the hem should be undetectable:

1. Use a blind hem (machine or hand).
2. Match the thread colour to the fabric exactly.
3. Use a fine thread (60-weight or finer).
4. Press carefully so the hem lies flat without a visible ridge.

Combined, these techniques produce hems that genuinely disappear into the fabric.

Closing thought

Hemming is one of those finishing details that home sewers often rush — eager to call the project done. But a good hem turns a “homemade” project into a “made-by-someone-who-knows-what-they’re-doing” project. The extra ten minutes of careful pressing, accurate marking, and matched thread is the difference between a hem that disappears and a hem that announces itself.

There’s no single best hem. The best hem is the one suited to the fabric and the project. Build a mental library of which method goes with which fabric — after a dozen projects, the choice becomes automatic.

For where hemming fits in the broader sewing journey, see our complete beginner’s guide to sewing.