A hand-sewn hem looks better on fine, drapey and tailored garments because the stitches are nearly invisible from the outside and the hem stays soft; a machine hem lasts longer through machine washing and takes a tenth of the time. On a dress in silk or viscose, a wool skirt or trousers with a deep hem, sew by hand with a slip stitch or catch stitch. On cotton garments, children's clothes, casual trousers and anything washed weekly, use a machine hem: a topstitched double fold, or the machine blind hem when you want it to disappear.
| Feature | Hand hem | Machine hem |
|---|---|---|
| Visible from the outside | Almost nothing; a tiny stitch every 1 cm | A row of topstitching, or small catches on a blind hem |
| Time for a 1.5 m (60 in) hem | 30 to 60 minutes | 3 to 10 minutes |
| Durability in the wash | Good; a single snag can open a run of stitches | Very good; one stitch failing does not open the hem |
| Drape | Soft; the hem moves with the fabric | Firmer; the topstitching adds a line |
| Fabrics | Silk, wool, viscose, linen, lined garments | Cotton, denim, knits, anything sturdy |
| Deep hems | Ideal: 3 to 5 cm (1 1/4 to 2 in) | Blind hem works; topstitching shows the depth |
| Skill | Patience, an even stitch | A straight line, or the blind hem foot setup |
| Repair | Easy to restitch a section | Unpick and restitch the section |
What is the difference between a hand hem and a machine hem?
A hand hem is held by stitches made with a needle and thread, picking up one or two threads of the garment on the outside and a little more of the hem allowance on the inside. The classic stitches are the slip stitch, which runs inside the fold and barely shows on either side, and the catch stitch, a herringbone pattern that holds a raw or overcast edge and stretches a little, which is why it is used on wool and knits. The stitches are loose on purpose, so the hem does not pull.
A machine hem is sewn with the sewing machine, either as a row of straight stitching through all layers (the topstitched or double-fold hem), or with the blind hem stitch, a mix of straight stitches and one wide zigzag that catches a thread or two of the garment every 6 to 8 mm (1/4 to 5/16 in). The machine blind hem is nearly invisible on textured fabric and with matching thread, and shows as small dimples on smooth, pale fabric.
Which hem looks better?
From the outside, a well-sewn hand hem wins on almost every fabric. It has no continuous line of stitching, it does not stiffen the hem edge, and on drapey fabric the hem falls without the ripple that machine stitching can cause. On satin, crepe, lightweight wool and tailored trousers, the hem is meant to be invisible, and hand sewing is the only method that gets there.
A machine blind hem comes close on wool, tweed, denim and textured cotton, where the catch stitches sink in. It is noticeably visible on fine, smooth and light-colored fabrics. A topstitched machine hem does not try to hide: it is a design line, and on jeans, shirts, T-shirts and casual skirts it looks right because that is what ready-to-wear does.
Which hem lasts longer?
In machine washing and daily wear, a machine hem lasts longer. Each stitch is locked by the bobbin thread, so if one is cut, the rest hold. A hand hem is one continuous thread, and if it catches on a heel or a zip, a whole section can run out at once. It is also sewn more loosely by design.
That said, a hand hem in good polyester or silk thread, sewn with a small backstitch every 10 cm (4 in) to lock it, lasts for years on a garment that is hand-washed or dry-cleaned. The difference in durability only matters on garments that go through the washing machine every week.
How long does each hem take?
A machine topstitched hem on a straight skirt takes a few minutes: fold, press, stitch. A machine blind hem takes ten minutes the first time, mostly in setting up the fold and the foot, and three the next. A hand hem on a full skirt with a 4 m (4 1/2 yd) circumference takes a couple of hours; on a straight skirt or trousers, half an hour each.
Which hem for which garment?
- Silk or viscose dress, blouse or slip: hand slip stitch on a narrow hem, or a machine narrow hem if the fabric is light and the hem long. The bias-cut slip dress is the classic case for a hand hem.
- Wool skirt or trousers: hand catch stitch over a 4 cm (1 5/8 in) hem with the edge overcast or bound. The stitch has give and does not print through after pressing.
- Lined jacket or coat: hand catch stitch; the lining covers it.
- Cotton dress, skirt, shirt: machine double-fold hem, 2 cm (3/4 in) wide, topstitched. Blind hem by machine for a dressier finish.
- Jeans, chinos, casual trousers: machine topstitched hem with a jeans needle and topstitching thread.
- T-shirts, sweatshirts, knit dresses: machine, with a twin needle, a coverstitch or a zigzag, since a hand hem on a knit will not stretch enough; see hemming knits.
- Children's clothes, home sewing, aprons: machine every time. They are washed too often for anything else.
How do you sew a hand hem that disappears?
- Finish the raw edge with a zigzag, serging or a folded edge, then press the hem up to the marked depth. Baste it 1 cm (3/8 in) from the fold if the fabric is slippery.
- Thread a fine needle with a single strand of thread no longer than your forearm, in a color matching the garment, and knot the end.
- Fold the finished edge back on itself toward you so you can see the hem allowance and the garment behind it. Slip stitch: take a stitch of about 1 cm (3/8 in) inside the fold, come out and pick up one or two threads of the garment directly below, go back into the fold.
- Keep the thread slightly loose. Pulling tight makes dimples on the outside.
- Every 10 cm (4 in), take a small backstitch inside the fold to lock the thread, so that a snag only opens a short run.
- Press lightly from the inside, with a cloth, without pressing the hem edge into a ridge.
The catch stitch is worked left to right with the needle pointing left, taking a tiny stitch in the garment and a slightly larger one in the hem allowance alternately, making a row of crosses. Hand sewing stitches you will actually use shows both with the hand positions.
How do you sew a machine blind hem?
Press the hem up, then fold the garment back under the hem allowance so that 6 mm (1/4 in) of the hem edge sticks out beyond the fold. Fit the blind hem foot, select the blind hem stitch (the one with four straight stitches and one zigzag; the stretch blind hem has small zigzags in between for knits), and set the guide of the foot against the fold. Sew along the hem edge: the straight stitches land on the hem allowance and the single zigzag swings over to catch one or two threads of the fold. Unfold and press. If the zigzag bites too much of the garment, move the needle position to the right or the guide to the left. Practice on a scrap of the actual fabric first: the width of the bite is the whole trick. The hemming guide covers the double-fold and narrow hems on the same page.
Which should you choose?
- Fine, drapey or tailored fabric, and a garment you will dry-clean or hand-wash: hand hem.
- Everyday cotton, denim and knits, and anything that goes through the machine weekly: machine hem, topstitched or blind.
- A wool skirt or trousers with a deep hem: hand catch stitch.
- Trying to decide and short of time: machine blind hem on textured fabric, hand hem on smooth fabric.
- A beginner's first dress: a machine double-fold hem. Come back to hand hemming for the second dress in a nicer fabric.
The two methods are not rivals. Most sewists who make clothes regularly use both, and the pattern instructions often leave the choice to you: Sewly's sewing guide specifies the hem depth and the allowance in the pattern pieces and lets you ask which method suits the fabric you have.