Learn how to hem a shirt using two different simple and easy sewing methods to get the right fit every time.
One of the best sewing skills to learn, in my humble opinion, is to hem. The vast majority of the sewing projects I do involve hemming the fabric, whether that be for projects like homemade tea towels, blankets or clothes of some kind. It’s really super simple to learn and only requires knowing how to do a straight stitch. That means if you can sew a straight line, you can hem.
Now, when it comes to hemming a shirt, specifically, there are lots of options. You can simply cut off the excess fabric and have a raw edge, you could use hem tape for a no-sew option or finish the edge with a zig zag stitch or serged edge. However, my two favorite methods, and the ones that look the best to me, are either to create a new double fold hem OR to keep the original hem. Both options are easy and give a more professional finish to your shirt.
I have tons of shirts to hem at the moment, so I thought it’d be fun to show you how to hem a shirt, first by keeping the original hem and second, creating a new double fold hem.
PIN FOR LATER!
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How to Hem a Shirt
Method 1: How to Hem a Shirt While Keeping the Original Hem
Step 1:
Try on the shirt, then pick up the bottom hem and fold it up to the place you’d like it to hit on your body when it’s all finished. Place a pin directly under the hem and pin it in place. Note: If you pull the hem of the shirt up and focus on where the BOTTOM of your shirt hits, once the shirt is hemmed, it will be much shorter than you want.
Step 2:
Lay the shirt flat onto a hard surface. Use a fabric measuring tape to measure the folded area directly over the pin. Measure from the top of the hem to the bottom of the fold. Fold the rest of the shirt up even to that point and pin all around the hem of the shirt. For example, my shirt was folded up 4 inches. Therefore, I folded my bottom of the shirt up 4 inches all the way around the circumferences of the shirt, then pinned it all in place.
Step 3:
Sew a straight stitch directly under the bottom of the hem, about 1/8″ away from it.
Step 4:
Use a serger to cut into the bottom fold of the shirt and up to the straight stitch. Serge below the straight stitch, about 1/4″ away. Note: If you do not have a serger, you can use scissors to cut the excess material, then use a zig zag stitch around the raw edge.
Step 5:
Lay the shirt flat on an ironing board, open up the bottom, then press the wrong side of the hem flat. It helps if you gently pull the hem down while pressing.
Step 6:
Use your sewing machine and some coordinating thread to stitch down the serged (or zig zagged) edge. I like to stitch right at the edge of the opening to ensure it stays flat.
BEFORE & AFTER
Method 2: How to Hem a Shirt with a Double Fold Hem
Step 1:
Try on the shirt, then determine where you’d like the bottom of the shirt to hit on your body after it’s been hemmed and place a pin there. You could also mark it with something like tailor’s chalk.
Step 2:
Lay the shirt flat on a flat surface and measure down from the pin and mark 1 inch. Use another pin or chalk to mark that spot.
Step 3:
Measure from the bottom of the shirt to that mark. Then continue measuring from the bottom of the shirt up to that determined measurement all the way around the shirt, preferably with tailor’s chalk or some kind of writing utensil.
Step 4:
Use a ruler and sharp scissors or a rotary cuter to evenly cut off the excess fabric from the bottom of the shirt.
Step 5:
Fold the bottom of the shirt up 1/2″ and press with an iron, then continue that all the way around. Then fold the bottom of the shirt up another 1/2″ and press again, this time securing the hem with pins or clips.
Step 6:
Sew a straight stitch with coordinating thread onto the open side of the double fold hem, about 1/8″ from the bottom. I like to do this with the shirt inside out.
Optional: Place another straight stitch about 1/8″ from the top. I do this with the shirt right side out.
BEFORE & AFTER
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Helpful Sewing Tools
Helpful Sewing Tools
2-Pack Polyester Coats & Clark Dual Duty All-Purpose Thread - One 400 Yard Spool Each of Black & White
All Purpose Thread
600 PCS Straight Pins 1.6 in Pearlized Ball Head Sewing Pins for Fabric DIY Sewing Pins Crafts
Sewing Pins
GDMINLO Soft Tape Measure Double Scale Body Sewing Flexible Tailor Craft Vinyl Ruler for Weight Loss Medical Body Measurement, Has Centimetre Scale on Reverse Side 60-inch（White）
Fabric Measuring Tape
Tips for Success
- These methods work best with cotton shirts that have very little stretch. Attempting these methods on stretchy knit type fabric will not yield great results.
- Give your garments and hems really good presses with a steam iron to get crisp folds and better results.
- For the double-fold method, use a coordinating thread that best matches the color the shirt, especially if you’re a beginner sewist. This will hide any mistakes or wavy stitches.
- For the method where the original hem is kept, play around with the distance between the straight stitch and serged edge. The closer they are together, the more it will look like the shirt wasn’t altered. I prefer to go a little higher to ensure the hem lays perfectly flat. It’s all a personal preference.
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