Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How to Hem Anything in Minutes Without Sewing
If you are on the shorter side height wise, you may often find yourself loving certain clothing items, but unable to wear them because they are too long. If you are short on time or just don’t sew, there is a quick and easy solution that will help you be able to wear all those dresses, pants and more without sewing. Read on to learn how to sew anything in minutes without sewing.
My No-Sew Hem
In college, I took many fiber arts classes during my Art Education master’s degree program and I learned a lot about fabrics, sewing, bead work, paper making and more. One thing I learned that was very helpful was about fabric fusing materials and how to use them to manipulate fabrics.
If you want to hem curtains without sewing, you can use hem tape OR try my folding method as seen in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
While I used these fusing materials to create forms of art in my classes, I also learned how to use some of these fusing methods for everyday life problems, like for things that need to be hemmed.
The no-sew hem is perfect all around the dress
How Do You Hem Without Sewing?
Each time I buy a dress online, I always know I’m probably going to have to shorten it. At 5’1” tall, it seems many dresses come in one length, which is usually a length for taller people. I understand this, as it’s much easier to shorten a dress or pants than it is to lengthen them. I don’t always feel like lugging out my sewing machine to hem my clothes so I turn to my trusty HEM TAPE that works quickly and easily.
Hem tape is a quick hem resolution
Where to Buy Hem Tape + Discount
You can buy hem tape at many retailers and while the reviews are mixed, most will last through several washings before needing to be re-done. If you are going to use hem tape on something you wear and wash a lot, please note that you may just want to sew a hem.
See how a few stitches in a $5 sweatshirt helped me achieve a Anthro dress dupe (the original is $180!) in my video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
My dress was $10 on Temu
If you shop Temu, use code afe55197 for 30% off or use my link here (for new app users). I really have had wonderful experiences shopping Temu and their prices are FAB!
My before and after no-sew dress hem
Here are some hem tapes that have good reviews and links to buy them at various retailers.
HeatnBond Hem Iron-On Adhesive, Super Weight in White (This is the one I used for this project and I got it here on Amazon but you can get it at Walmart too)
Klangfeiler Hemming Tape-Iron on in White (Amazon or Walmart)
HeatnBond Hem Iron on Adhesive for Dark Fabrics (Amazon or Walmart)
Iron-On Hem Tape (Temu)
See my tutorial for this project in my 1-minute video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
I cut off the excess dress material after hemming
How to Use Hem Tape (Use this process for clothing and things like curtains!)
The first thing I do is try on my outfit and figure out where I want it to hit on my body. I then put a sewing straight pin in the place I want it to be hemmed to and take off the outfit.
First I pinned the dress
I then fold the fabric and measure to make sure it’s even using my measuring tape. For this project, I wanted to hem a cute little black and white polka dot dress I got on Temu for about $10. It was too cute and LONG, but I knew I could shorten it quickly. I put straight pins all around the bottom of the dress to keep it at the length I want it.
Then I measured to make sure it was even
Make sure your iron is set to the heat that the fabric needs and the steam should be turned off. I ironed my dress a bit with the pins in it to make a crease. I like to use an iron mesh cloth sometimes if I’m afraid of harming the fabric.
I then placed hem tape into the crease (I worked in small sections) and then ironed it. The iron heats up the adhesives in the hem tape, which make it bond to the fabric.
Ironing a crease in the dress before adding the hem tape
Then, the new hem is in place. I continued working in small sections to make sure the hem was perfect all around the dress.
I added the hem tape in sections
If I know I will always want the item to be that length, I cut off the excess fabric using my fabric scissors.
The no-sew dress hem
Then, your item is hemmed! Again, as I said earlier, some hem tapes can be washed and never will budge. Some cannot be washed very much without coming loose. I usually wash these items on a delicate cycle to make the hem tape last longer or else I end up sewing it if I need it to last longer.
I cut off the excess fabric
I have used this method on curtains with a lot of success. Different weights of hem tape should be used depending on the fabric. If you are “hemming” a thick fabric, use a heavier weight of hem tape. I used a heavier hem tape on my lightweight dress (it’s what I had on hand) and it gave me a “thicker” hem, but I think it will last for a while.
If you loved this article, then I know you’ll love this one too: How to Create the Anthropologie Gemini Twofer $180 Dress for $5
Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.