Hemming pants or shorts is really an easy sewing project. You can do this project in no time at all if you know how to sew a straight stitch. 1/2 yard of worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver Yarns in Red, White, and Blue) or any other yarn of your choice.
You can use any kind of yarn you like, but I like to use a yarn that has a lot of stretch. I used about 1.5 yards of each of the colors in this pattern, so you should have enough yarn to make at least two pairs of pants and a pair of shorts.
This pattern is worked in the round on double-pointed needles (DPNs), but if you don’t have a DPN, a circular needle will work just as well. The pattern includes instructions for making the pants in any size you want, as long as you have the right number of stitches per inch (stitches per square inch) for the fabric you are using.
Table of Contents
How can I shorten my shorts without a sewing machine?
You can hem your pants with hem tape if you don’t have a sewing machine. To use hem tape, turn your pants inside out, fold them to the desired length, pin and iron the crease, and then apply the hem tape to the fold. You can iron over the folded edge of the pants.
Hem tape can also be used to hem pants that are too long or too short. For example, if you’re hemming a pair of pants and you want to make them a little shorter, simply fold the bottom hem over and pin it in place.
How do you hem shorts without puckering?
Stop stitching at the fold line. It’s not necessary to trim the seam if you want to. From the fold line, cut the edge with a red stitching line. Make sure your hem is straight on the fabric. Sew the hem to your skirt.
If you’re using a straight hem, you’ll need to use a seam ripper to cut a small slit in the back of the skirt to allow you to sew it in place.
Can tailors make shorts shorter?
Most of the time, you can just tell them what your preferred break is, and their in-store tailor will do it for you. This will give you more room to move around, and it will also make it easier to get into and out of your pants. If you’ve got a small waist, go with a longer length.
Are my shorts too long?
The only rule you have to obey is that shorts should never go past the knees. It’s ok to end on your knee about halfway. Anything past that is a no-go.
Is hem tape temporary?
This is a good, temporary method to hem jeans or whatever else you need to shorten. It’s easier to use a stapler than it used to be. Cut a piece of fabric that is about 1/2 inch shorter than your waist measurement. This will be the hem of your jeans. You can use a straight edge to cut the fabric, or you can cut it with a serger.
Either way, you’ll want to make sure that your fabric is as straight as possible. If it’s not straight, it won’t be able to be hemmed correctly, and it’ll be a pain in the ass to get it right the next time you hem a pair of jeans, so be sure to check it out before you do it.
It’s a great way to keep your denim from unraveling and making you look like a complete idiot when you’re hemming your pants.
