How to Sew Single and Double Fold Hems
A hem is a method for finishing the edge of a piece of fabric by folding it over. A hem can be used to hide the cut edge on a piece of fabric and keep it from unraveling or to stiffen and reinforce an edge. There are several ways to hem fabric. This article will go over two methods which are commonly used in making outdoor gear. The Single and Double Folded hem. (These are also common in our patterns.)
Single Fold Hem
A single fold hem is made by simply folding the fabric back on itself and stitching it in place. Because the cut edge of the fabric is still exposed on the backside of the fabric after the hem is sewn, a single fold hem is usually used when the backside of the fabric won’t be accessible or seen in the finished project.
Generally the sewing pattern will indicate the size of the hem. For example if the pattern calls for a ⅜” single fold hem you would fold ⅜” of the fabric back on itself.
Step 1
Fold the edge of the fabric back on itself, wrong sides together. Measure the fold to ensure that it is the size called for on the pattern. A seam gauge is most commonly used for this, although I find that an inexpensive plastic caliper works even better. Once the fold is the correct size use pins or clips to hold the fold in place. Clips are especially handy in this instance and speed up the process quite a bit. Continue to measure and pin the entire edge that needs hemming.
Step 2
Stitch the fold in place. Generally you will want to stitch right next to the inside edge as shown below.
Double Fold Hems
A Double Fold hem is very similar to the Single Fold hem except that the fabric is folded over twice. This completely encloses the cut edge of the fabric so that it can’t unravel. This type of hem is probably the most common, and you will see it often on the edges of pockets, tarps and hammocks.
As with the Single Fold hem, the size of the hem will be indicated on the pattern. For example, if the pattern calls for a ⅜” Double Fold hem you will be making two ⅜” wide folds.
Step 1
Fold the edge of the fabric back on itself, wrong sides together. Measure the fold to ensure that it is the size called for on the pattern. I like to use clips to hold this first fold in place. After making the first fold along the entire length of the edge I make the second fold with the clips still in place as shown in the photo below. Verify that the size is correct and then clip the new fold in place.
The clips holding the first fold can now be repositioned to hold the double fold as shown below.
Step 2
Stitch the folds in place along the inside edge as shown below.
Additional Tips
Stitches sewn from the needle side of the machine are usually better looking than the stitches from the bobbin side. If this is a concern for you, you will want to run the hem through the sewing machine with the fold facing down so that the better looking stitches will be on the right side of the fabric.
On wider hems you may want to secure the folds with 2 rows of stitching one near the inside edge and one near the outer edge.
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