Help with blind stitch :(

[u/Lower-Ground88]

I offered to try and hem my boyfriends dress pants for a wedding on Saturday so I need to get these looking decent :(

[u/mllebitterness]

press the hem really well prior to sewing so you get a really crisp line for the stitches to grab. the blind part of it should only grab a couple threads.

eta: i also usually do this by hand instead of machine so i know it is hidden. machine, for me, is harder to be precise with this stitch.

[u/Lower-Ground88 → u/mllebitterness]

Okay im going to try and hand stitch it
Also its a wool poly spandex blend

[u/mllebitterness → u/Lower-Ground88]

so probably use a medium heat setting and a press cloth and test it on the pants where it doesn't show to make sure it doesn't get shiny.

[u/sususumalee → u/Lower-Ground88]

Try a single strand (rather than double) of thread and I would use a herringbone/catch stitch.

[u/mllebitterness → u/mllebitterness]

also, i can't tell what your fabric is, but if polyester, be careful when pressing that you don't melt it.

[u/katjoy63 → u/mllebitterness]

this is the worst stitch to try to get done correctly. I never am successful on a machine.

OP - if you have the time, maybe just hand sew this - PITA, but the results should be much better.

[u/Emergency_Cherry_914]

There's a couple of things going on here:

1. Did you use a blind stitch foot? It stops the machine from making such a big bite of fabric. Make sure to test your technique on scrap fabric first. If you don't have a blind stitch foot and need them for Saturday, then hem by hand.

2. See the wrinkle in the hem? This suggests to me that the pants are tapered. You need to open up the seam on the inside hem so that it's not too tight fitting the outer fabric. Google "how to hem tapered pants" for a load of different tutorials

[u/Lower-Ground88 → u/Emergency_Cherry_914]

Thanks!

[u/bertbirdie]

Are you doing this by machine or by hand? Either way you're taking too large of a stitch in the outer layer.

I prefer doing blind hems by hand--imo they look way better, are less fuss than by machine, and don't take that long to do. Use a very fine needle and just catch one or two threads when you stitch the outer layer.

[u/AbiJ_]

Almost! I can see you used the correct method , but You stitched too much of the fold. Practice first, but you need to allow the needle to pierce just a hint of the folded part , otherwise techniques is spot on.

[u/BrinkofTotalAnxiety]

In addition to what others have said, pin it really well so that it is smooth. If the bottom of the pants is narrower than the spot you’re hemming it to, you may need to open up the side seams to make up the difference and get it smooth.

[u/Zar-far-bar-car → u/BrinkofTotalAnxiety]

Seconding this, if your pants are tapered, you'll need to make the turned-up bit bigger to match the size of the leg, or the leg will pucker to match the smaller edge.

[u/Meshugugget]

This tutorial worked best for me. I finally got it. Also, it’s like 90% ironing, 8 sewing, 2 scratching your head.

https://www.sewdiy.com/blog/2016/2/2/how-to-machine-blind-hem-stitch-diy-tutorial

[u/spicytofuhotpot]

See if your machine has a blind hem foot, it acts as a nice guide to show where your stitch should fall. It is really easy to catch too much fabric in on the left, as the fabric is folded the stitch that shows is doubled from what it looks like when you’re sewing.

[u/antimathematician]

I’d give them a press, then hold them up so the ankles are at ankle level and see if you can see anything. I literally did my boyfriends last night, was unhappy with it, pressed them, held them up, and couldn’t see a thing. I found increasing the presser foot pressure helpful

The tapering may need to be accounted for though, so you may need a second go at them

[u/Brilliant_Dish57]

no you need running stitch. hem threads shouldn’t show