How to Shorten Your Jeans 3 Quick & Easy Ways

Today, we want to show you how to shorten your jeans using three different ways we’ve discovered.

None of them need a sewing machine, although one does require some simple hand sewing.

So check this out and choose the best method for you.

Tools and materials: 

• Boot cut and skinny jeans
• Hand sewing needle and thread
• Thick elastic bands or hair ties
• Iron

1. Hand sewing

You’ll need a hand sewing needle suitable for denim for this hack and some strong thread.

The big advantage of this method is that the original hem stays intact.

Start with your jeans right side out. Fold up the bottom of one leg until it’s slightly shorter than you want the final result to be.

Make sure the side seams are lined up and that the fabric is lying flat and smooth.

Thread your hand sewing needle with a doubled cotton thread in a shade that’s close in color to your jeans.

Starting by one of the side seams, sew a row of straight or running stitches through both layers of fabric all around the leg, just below the original hemline.

You don’t need to do tiny stitches or even use a back stitch because your sewing won’t show at all.

Make sure you don’t gather the fabric as you sew. It should stay smooth and flat all the way around.

Double stitch or knot the thread at the beginning and end of your sewing.

Unfold the hem so that the excess fabric flips upwards inside the jeans.

Smooth the fabric and press it carefully so it lies flat.

Do the same with the other leg, checking to make sure they’re the same length.

If you know you won’t want to lengthen the jeans in the future, you can trim the excess fabric to reduce the bulk.

The final result is so good, it really looks like you didn’t make any adjustments at all!

This is our favorite method. It looks professional but it’s really easy to do.

2. The folding method

This hack works best on straight leg or skinny jeans. It also keeps the look of the original hem and no sewing is involved at all. It’s best done while you’re wearing your jeans.

Pinch the fabric at about the length you want and start folding it down towards the hem. 

Tuck the excess fabric up inside the leg.

Fold the jeans down to as close to the original hem as you can, while leaving it exposed.

Now flip the hem back up over the fold, to hold it in place.

The trickiest part of this is making sure the other leg ends up at the same length.

It has a neat finish and it’s easy to adjust the length.

But it won’t stay in place when you take the jeans off so it’s just a temporary fix, unless you catch the hem in place at each side with a few hand sewing stitches.

3. Elastic bands

This is the quickest and also the most temporary method of the three.

It doesn’t work so well with heavyweight denim. You want a softer, looser fabric for this one.

You can use regular elastic bands but we grabbed a couple of thick hair ties.

Wear your trousers.

Put an elastic band over the bottom of your pants and pull out the fabric underneath it.

Slide the tie back down, then grasp the fabric above it and fold it down over the band.

Tidy up the folded edge so the band can’t be seen and repeat on the other leg.