How to Sew a Hem on Bell Bottom Jeans

How To Hem Bell Bottom Jeans

• 1

  To start, put the jeans on and figure out where you want the length to hang. Bell bottoms are usually worn longer than other pants, to allow for the flow of the “bell.” Mark where you want the actual length to be with a straight pin; placing the pin across the jean length. It will be a lot easier if you get a friend to help with this.

• 2

  Now that the length is marked, turn the legs of the jeans inside out and smooth the pants out on a flat surface. Using a tape measure, measure from the pin to the original hem. If it is more than ¾ of an inch, you’ll need to cut away some of the material. You have to work with as small of a hem as possible so that the new hem does not pucker as you sew.

• 3

  To get a straight workable line for your new hem, measure up from the original hem to determine your cut line. Again this insures you keep the flow of the bell intact. Measure from the original hem bottom towards the pin where you have marked for the new hem. Find the proper area that will leave you the ¾ inch folding space between the pin and the top of the ruler. Mark the cut line with an ink pen. Simply put, there should be ¾ of an inch between the marking pin and your cut line. Continue measuring all the way around the jean leg from the bottom up, marking with the ink pen to give you a cut line. Repeat this procedure with the other leg. When you cut, do not try to cut through both layers of the pants. Make a vertical cut up to your cut line and then cut the single layer all the way around each pant leg.

• 4

  To prepare the hem for sewing, you will need a steam iron. Make your first fold at the ¼ inch measurement and iron flat. Next fold the material up to the pin line that you marked for the hem. Fold all the way around, measuring the size of the fold as you go and pinning through the layers. Now you need to iron your newly pinned hem until it is as flat as possible. Depending on the width of the bell, you may need to tuck a little bit to get the hem right. If you need to tuck, or overlap a bit to avoid a pucker, do it at either seam. A little tip to get this overlap good and flat is to wack it with a small hammer. Seriously, I keep a small hammer in my sewing room, just for wacking thick seams!

• 5

  Now you are ready to sew the hem down. Match the thread you use as closely as you can to the color that is used in the jeans. A free arm sewing machine is absolutely ideal for this type of sewing. Slip the open end of the jean leg right over the arm of the sewing machine bed and you are ready to sew away! You can still sew the hem with a flat bed machine, just be careful that you don’t catch the back part of the leg as you stitch. Start sewing at one of the seams and work your way around. Sew as close to the edge as you can, and go in a slow steady speed. The seams will be harder to sew through, but if you have a good quality machine, it should be no problem. That’s another good reason for wacking the heavier seams with the hammer, it makes them thinner, and so the machine will flow over them easier.