Look mom no hems!
You know all those settings on your sewing machine that you just ignore because you don't know what they heck they're there for? Well, I thought I'd throw my two cents in and perhaps make periodic technique posts to show you something that you never thought you could do.
When I first started sewing I would look at the bottom of dresses in the stores and wonder what the heck did they do to make that hem? There's like....no stitch! So I did a little online research and found that there's this little thing called a 'blind hem'. And your sewing machine does it for you.
This little trick is great for us short gals who can't find a great fitting pair of pants to save her life. If it's a good price, chances are it's too long. I can't tell you how many Forever 21 pants I've hemmed this way.
If any of you would like to finish your hems with a little more style, try this tutorial below with a piece of scrap material.
Like not spending money? 
38 {comments}:
hurray for that tutorial! When I bought my sewing machine I didn't understand what was that for!!
amazing!
I love love love your tutorials - thank you!!!
I haven't watched your tutorial (at work) but I second taking out your manual and learning what those stitches do. I day I figured out how to do a blind hem the clouds parted and angels sang. Well, maybe not, but it's so super handy.
Wow! Thanks. I have that stitch on my machine, but I didn't know what it was for. Now I do. :)
wow!!I like your blog. Beautiful photo and design.
thanks for that tutorial and for including both feet (i don't have that special foot). i just bought a pair of pants from the consignment store and totally need to do this.
thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Thank you for this tutorial! I am very tall and plan to hem some pants to a cropped length for summer.
Thank You! I have always wondered how that was done...
Thank you for this lovely tutorial. I'm excited to use it on a pair of pants I bought yesterday. :) Hooray for no more hand hemming! PS my sewing machine manual says I can also use the zipper foot(?!?). Have you heard of that?
I am excited for these turorials. Since i am a self taught sew-er, I often feel clueless as to how my sewing machine works. This is sooooo helpful. Thanks!
Omg. This is just in time. Last night I was trying to figure out how to blind hem my pants. Thank you!
Great tutorial and very useful. Thanks for showing us. I always was curious about how that stitch was used.
Thanks so much for the tutorial. I was taught to sew when I was very young by my mother and have just picked it up with gusto again here in my early 30s. I look forward to picking up all the little tricks that I have forgotten from years ago...
BTW - I love your work and find it very inspirational. I've been through all your past projects and am just astounded!! I look forward to seeing much, much more!!
Great tip, you were right, I haven't used this stitch yet! Thanks for sharing!
Hooray! I am a fan of the hong kong blind hem, but I might tweak it for this :) You know I giggled when I read your comment about being short and cant find pants... I am 5'11" tall and I think that all pants are TOO SHORT!! who on earth has the right length legs for these so called pants? Im not so sure the person does exist!
I love this stitch but thought it might be helpful to add that loosening the upper tension will make it easier for you to open out the fold without any puckering. I also use this stitch to tack down facings on very casual garments such as childrens pjs and the like. It saves sooo much time!
Thank you so much!! Seeing it makes so much more sense now. Somehow reading what I was supposed to do in my manual just wasn't clicking for me. =-)
It also works for tall people as well. I have to check the hem on some trousers, dresses and skirts about buying them to check I can take them down. Sometimes items do not hang right afterwards so I add a fabric tape to the hem to replace the weight lost.
Yeah! Another excuse not to hand sew! I love it! Question: how do you get the raw edge turned under when you do that? Thanks for sharing the video!
Very cool tutorial! I have been hand stitching my skirts and pants for years to create that same blind stitch effect and never knew I could have my machine do it so thanks!
What timing! I used your video to finish a dress today. It took a couple of tries, but I am so happy with how it looks! Thank you!
Your tutorial is fantastic! Super, super clear and helpful:)
Awesome tutorial! The blind hem always seems like magic to me. It seems impossible, but then when you fold the fabric just the right way then it's easy as pie.
I linked to your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/video-tutorial-how-to-make-a-blind-hem/2010/07/15/
--Anne
Good tutorial. When I tried it out on a scrap piece of fabric, it turned out great. But, when I tried to use it for my coffee date dress (I'm a little behind with the sew-along), I had a difficult time folding the hem to the right side without pleats, since the bottom is slightly curved. Any suggestions? Thanks!
thanks so much, I have always wondered about this!
I had the same question as Kelly's Korner. Do you use a serger on the raw end? Or just cut the fabric close to the hem? Or double fold it and top stitch?
I am thinking of using the blind hem on some curtains.
Also, I bought a set of presser feet at a flea market, but don't know how to use most of them yet. They came with little index cards of how to use each foot. Most of them seem to be used to apply binding or they automatically turn in the fabric for a hem. Unfortunately the one drawing and paragraph aren't doing it for me. I think I'll do some trials with them today.
Thanks! =]
Kelly's corner & Hermoine,
After you make the accordion fold take the piece of raw edge and fold it over and under the accordion fold then sew like you would have.
I think that's what you meant, you wanted to get rid of the raw edge, right?
Is that confusing?
Katie,
I would recommend pinning everything before you start.
You probably already did that though and still have had problems.
You could try a couple things....
Make a smaller accordion fold and smaller raw edge.
Or try clipping the raw edge in several spots.
is there a copy of this video that does not pixelate so it will show just what to do?
I'm downloading the video in hope it'll play direct from my computer better than over the web
took me ages to find a video for this where they use a light fabric - every one I found used black - could see frigg all for the folding LOL
Thank for sharing this tutorial. I do have a blind stitch foot and I am happy. I get to use it for my next hemming job. :)
Adin B
Great tutorial! I have been trying to figure out how to do this forever!
Thanks for the GREAT tutorial. This explained it completely for me! And one more thanks for showing how to use both a regular foot and the blind stitch foot.
Thank you for posting this! I am in the middle of making a skirt and didn't want to do a regular old hem. So of course i head to Craft Gossip and search for hem. Now I know what that setting is for! Hooray!
Oh thank you for the blind hem tutorial. It's been an absolute godsend for me. I injured my elbow about 3 months ago and sewing by machine has been my salvation. Faced with a dress hem I'd been wondering how to manage it when you taught me the sewing machine version. Absolutely FANTASTIC! Neater and faster than I could ever manage. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank YOU!! I just hemmed two pairs of dress pants for my brother and spent two hours trying to figure this out. (never did) Now I know!
Thank you so much! I just finished my first- ever selfmade dress with the help of your excellent tutorial! And I thought I would have to do this by hand... Now I´m very proud, and it came out great. Thanks again!
I can not believe that after owning a sewing machine for 16 years, and sewing for more than that, that I've never learned how to do that before! Fantastic tutorial, and as soon as my machine is set up again, I'm going to give it a go!
so, my sewing machine has this stitch and the special foot for it, but the manual doesnt HAVE instructions for this, so thank you!
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