Hemming

Close-up of professional pant hemming, showing the pressing process after sewing. The image is part of a video tutorial by Denimbmc.com on how to hem pants correctly.
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How to Hem Pants by a Pro

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When it comes to hemming pants, maintaining the original look is key. Many tailors use what’s known as an “original hem alteration,” where they cut off the hem and reattach it with an added seam. But let’s be honest—that’s a poor man’s alteration technique. It compromises quality, especially for pants that aren’t distressed jeans. Following the manufacturer’s original stitching and details is the only way to ensure a professional result. Anything less can cost you discerning customers once they notice the poor craftsmanship inside their pants.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to hem pants professionally. If you have an industrial sewing machine, you’ll be able to follow along—just make sure you have the correct thread and needle sizes. These details matter, and most tailors overlook them.

If you’re using a home machine, the techniques I cover can work for lighter fabrics, but for heavyweight pants or workwear, a home machine won’t cut it. These require heavier thread and larger needles, and home machines typically don’t have the power to punch through tough fabrics like industrial machines do.

For those looking for a trusted professional to hem your pants, you’ve come to the right place. Williamsburg Garment Company is the nationwide leader in denim, workwear, and knit alterations. We specialize in giving you flawless, professional results—without any visible signs of alteration. Using factory-level machines and techniques, we deconstruct and reconstruct garments to preserve their original look and quality.

We may not be the fastest or the cheapest, but we’re committed to providing the best possible fit and finish. And we’ve made it simple to order alterations from anywhere. If you can order pizza online, you can order professional alterations from us. Just head over to WilliamsburgGarment.com and get started with a few clicks.

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Close-up of a poorly chain-stitched hem on a pair of Levi's denim jeans, showing misalignment and puckering.
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Vet Your Jeans Expert: All Denim Tailors Are Not Equal

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At Williamsburg Garment Company, we often receive jeans with requests to correct the work of other tailors or so-called denim specialists. Just because a tailor labels themselves as a denim specialist doesn’t mean they have the necessary expertise or use the right equipment. Moreover, owning a chain stitching machine is not synonymous with knowing how to use it correctly or understanding its intricacies.

Take these jeans as an example. Upon inspection, we discovered numerous issues with the chain stitching. Firstly, the thread tension was excessively high. Secondly, the sewing alignment was significantly off.

It’s possible they saw our article on how the roping effect is created by the seams not being aligned and overcomplicated the misalignment. Alternatively, it could just be a case of very sloppy sewing, resulting in the alignment being too far off and compounded by poor tension.

A close-up of bad chain stitching on the hem of a pair of Levi's denim jeans shows misalignment to create a roping effect, but instead causes a bad case of puckering.

To further exaggerate the twisting, they likely didn’t press the hem. After washing, the fabric turned and puckered into this exaggerated form. Lastly, while the thread size might not directly cause the issue, its thinness and incompatibility with the original thread size only serve to highlight the problem.

We took these jeans and undid the previous poor hemming. Our team applied new chain-stitch hemming with precise alignment and appropriate thread tension, ensuring a smooth and professional finish. The corrected hem not only restored the jeans’ appearance but also maintained the integrity of the original design, as shown in the photo below.

Close-up of a poorly chain-stitched hem on a pair of Levi's denim jeans, showing misalignment and puckering.

When searching for a denim expert to work on your treasured jeans, the closest option may not be the best option. Check reviews, and most importantly, look at photos or examples of their work before deciding. Remember, just because someone has a chain stitching machine doesn’t mean they know how to use it properly.

The transformation from the poorly sewn hem to the expertly corrected one is a testament to our commitment to quality and precision. We understand the intricacies of denim and the importance of every stitch, ensuring that your jeans receive the care and expertise they deserve.

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Close-up of professional pant hemming, showing the pressing process after sewing. The image is part of a video tutorial by Denimbmc.com on how to hem pants correctly.

How to Hem Pants by a Pro

When it comes to hemming pants, maintaining the original look is key. Many tailors use what’s known as an “original

A close-up of professional chain stitch hemming alterations highlights what chain stitching is by displaying a thick golden yellow chain stitch on the hem of blue jeans.
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Chain stitch hemming – how it’s done

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In this brief social media video, we show how to hem jeans professionally, just like it’s actually done at denim factories. In our video, there is no need for work-around-sewing-techniques, which leave bulky seamlines over the hem or ragged fabric on the reverse side, which prevents cuffing or rolling the hem. We love denim at Williamsburg Garment Company and hemming jeans the right way is important to us.

Even the heaviest denim is no problem for our beast of a sewing machine, a customized Union Special 56300 that bores through multiple layers of folds and seams. Here, denim designer Maurice Malone demonstrates chain stitch hemming a pair of jeans in our Instagram and TikTok video. Make sure to stay tuned and follow us for more.

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Close-up of professional pant hemming, showing the pressing process after sewing. The image is part of a video tutorial by Denimbmc.com on how to hem pants correctly.

How to Hem Pants by a Pro

When it comes to hemming pants, maintaining the original look is key. Many tailors use what’s known as an “original

A close-up of two red bar tacks stitched onto the hem of a pair of Gustin jeans highlights what a bar tack is.
For branding and to secure the chain stitch, Gustin blue jeans are commonly sewn with a red bar tack on the hem.
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What is a Bar Tack (Bartack)

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What is a “bar tack” (also spelled “bartack”)? This is a question we get almost every day because our denim service is one of the very few that offers bar tacking. The close-up image above shows two red bar tacks sewn onto the hem of a pair of Gustin blue jeans. When you choose to add bar tacking in the dropdown box of our chain stitch hemming service, this is the type of stitching that will be added.

First, an explanation for the majority of our customers who are interested in having their jeans hemmed. The close-up image above shows two red bar tacks sewn onto the hem of a pair of Gustin blue jeans. When you choose to add bar tacking in the dropdown box of our chain stitch hemming service, this is the type of stitching that will be added.

Brands like Gustin, Nudie, and Brave Star jeans have bar tacks sewn over the chain stitching on the hems, both as a branding identifier and to reinforce the sewing. Although they add a bit of extra security by preventing the chain stitch from unraveling, they are not found on the vast majority of jeans. We usually inform our customers that it is not necessary to add them.

"What is a bar tack?" pointed out on Nudie jeans with bar-tacked chain-stitched hem.
Nudie blue jeans are typically sewn with a chain stitch that extends off the hem with a bar tack on the seam.

Definition Summary

A bar tack is a machine-made stitch with a zigzag pattern used to reinforce areas on clothing that experience high stress, such as where belt loops join, pocket corners and flaps, hip seams, and the fly of jeans.

bar tack | bär tak | noun a zigzag stitch made by industrial sewing machines to strengthen areas of a garment with potential weak spots or other sewn items.

bar-tacked adjective

bar tacking noun

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Close-up of professional pant hemming, showing the pressing process after sewing. The image is part of a video tutorial by Denimbmc.com on how to hem pants correctly.

How to Hem Pants by a Pro

When it comes to hemming pants, maintaining the original look is key. Many tailors use what’s known as an “original

Close-up of a black vintage Union Special 43200G sewing machine used for chain stitch hemming on jeans

The Union Special 43200G: A Unicorn or One-Trick Pony?

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Denim nerds, get ready for a reality check. I’m about to debunk some of the myths and misconceptions about the Union Special 43200G that have been circulated for years by brands, publications, and online communities.

As is the case with many things on the Internet, exaggerated claims can quickly become folklore by the regurgitation of stories that weren’t well thought out from the beginning.

The well-told narrative that the twisting at the hem is caused by a technical error, feed dog flaw, or differential defect in the inner workings of the Union Special 43200G is flawed in and of itself. The roping effect has been overcomplicated to the point where denim fans who don’t know any better will believe that the Union Special 43200G is the only sewing machine capable of producing twisted and puckered hems with chain stitch hemming.

In my research into what denim enthusiasts are being led to believe, I easily discovered statements that I believe are misleading or false. Here are a few examples:

“Any Union Special without the folder will not create the roping effect.”

“There is only one way to chain stitch a selvedge denim hem and that’s on a folder equipped Union Special 43200g. Why you ask? These machines create a desirable roping effect on the hem which is actually caused by a feed differential defect.”

“Roping comes from the 45 degree angle of break-in that makes the hem look like a rope. It’s become part of true denim DNA. Without it, jeans don’t look right to us. And the crazy thing is this comes from a flaw in the Union Special that makes it create a slight twist.”

“Union Special company seems to have replaced the 43200G with other machines in a quest to replicate the same stitch and make it easier to use the machine but this has reduced the tension on the thread. This means you don’t achieve the same roping/puckering as you would with the original.”

In reality, the roping effect is simply caused by seams that are not lined up.

Example of a misalignment of both seams on a jeans hem will cause a shift and rotation in the direction of the misalignment. This is the roping effect on denim.
The graphic shows how misaligned hem seams create a shift and rotation. This is the roping effect on denim.

The roping effect is simply caused by seams at the face and undersides of the hem not being lined up. Twisting occurs when the inseams shift in one direction, resulting in the roping effect. The effect becomes more visible with aging and washing. Sometimes factories do this unintentionally, and other times a brand’s designers may request a factory do it on purpose. Most factories make an effort to align the seams, which may be the reason why most jeans do not exhibit a significant degree of twisting.

Close-up example of the roping effect on a pair of light-washed Levi's jeans with chain stitch hemming and frayed hem.
Example of the roping effect on a pair of light-washed Levi’s jeans with chain stitch hemming and frayed hem.

Furthermore, the stitch type is not a factor in creating the twists and puckers, as seen in the reference example photo below. I, too, was once swayed by rumors and stated in my tapering video that the tension of chain stitching contributes to the roping effect.

Busting the myth that the Union Special 43200G does not cause roping effect by showing twisting on a hem sewn with a lockstitch machine.
These hems without chain stitching show that the puckers and twists that make up roping are not caused by the type of stitch.

Don’t misunderstand me. I think the well-beloved Union Special 43200G is a beautiful old sewing machine. However, production was halted for a reason. It was most likely not due to a differential flaw, cheaper lockstitching, or other nonsense being repeated or made up. The truth is that it only does one function. Although it performs well, some sewing machines can perform the same function as well as other operations.

Black vintage Union Special 43200G sewing machine used for hemming denim jeans.
Black vintage Union Special 43200G sewing machine. Photo courtesy of Joswick denim.

Purchasing a sewing machine that only does one thing over machines that do multiple tasks equally well or better is a bad idea for factories that must make sound economic decisions. This is most likely why production was halted, as with most discontinued products.

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Close-up of professional pant hemming, showing the pressing process after sewing. The image is part of a video tutorial by Denimbmc.com on how to hem pants correctly.

How to Hem Pants by a Pro

When it comes to hemming pants, maintaining the original look is key. Many tailors use what’s known as an “original

Raw denim selvedge jeans hem with clips to mark inseam length, removing the need for a measuring tape.
Clips at the bottom of jeans show how long the inseam should be, so you don't need a measuring tape.
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How to measure the inseam of your jeans and pants without a measuring tape

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Here’s what to do if you want to send your jeans or pants to a tailor for hemming service but don’t have a measuring tape. Because everyone has their own personal style, we won’t get into whether or not your pants should have a break, no-break, or hang just above your shoes. We will give you a few good tips on how to mark your desired inseam length.

  1. Put on your pants and approach a mirror wearing the shoe style you prefer with your pants.
  2. Cuff or roll the legs of your pants to the desired inseam length.
  3. Select the best-fitting leg, then bend down and secure it with a pin or clip at the folded edge.
  4. Uncuff or unroll the second leg so there is no confusion about which leg to use as the standard.
  5. Ship or hand-deliver the pants to your tailoring service and instruct them to follow the marked leg.

Because most people never mark both legs exactly the same, it is best to mark one leg. If the tailor needs to contact you to determine which size of the two legs is best, the tailoring process may be slowed.

Image of Hiroshi Kato jeans shows how to take note of your jean's inseam length with a paper clip if you don't have a tape measure

If you don’t have a clip or pin, use an iron to press the cuff into place for a secure hold during the shipping or drop-off process. You can also mark the location with washable chalk or tape.

Women's Brave Star selvedge jeans demonstrates how to note the inseam length for tailoring using pins.

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Close-up of professional pant hemming, showing the pressing process after sewing. The image is part of a video tutorial by Denimbmc.com on how to hem pants correctly.

How to Hem Pants by a Pro

When it comes to hemming pants, maintaining the original look is key. Many tailors use what’s known as an “original

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