Hems: a beginner's guide

Double-fold and blind hems.
- A double-fold hem is folded twice before stitching and is used on woven fabrics.
- Narrow hems suit lighter fabrics; wider hems suit heavier ones and help curtains hang.
- Folding the hem in equal parts usually gives a stiffer hem.
- A blind hem shows no stitches outside: suits, dresses and deep curtain hems.
- Blind hems don't suit sheers or hard-wearing hems like jeans.
Watch
Teach Yourself to Sew: How to Sew a Double-Fold Hem (5:20)
By Threads Sewing · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 5-minute video from Threads Sewing on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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All checked November 1, 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.