How to shorten a pair of jeans while retaining the original hem.
It's really not as difficult as it seams. (Hardy har har.)
1. Put on your jeans. While wearing the shoes you will normally wear with your jeans, fold up the cuffs of your pant legs to the desired finished length. You'll probably need a full-length mirror to double check your work-stand on a box or step stool to get a good view of your feet. A good hem length is about a half-inch from the floor at your heel.
2. Once you determine the correct length, pin the cuffs in place. Take your jeans off. Find some other pants to wear. (Or just sew in your underwear!)
3 Using a seam gauge, measuring tape, or ruler, measure your pant leg from the fold to the original hem, but DO NOT include the original hem in your measurement. Divide this measurement in half.
4. Unpin each pant leg and refold using this new measurement. (Example: if you folded up 2 inches of pant leg, your new fold will be 1 inch.) Make sure your cuff is folded with right sides together- you want the original hem on the outside of the pant leg. Pin the leg all around, using your seam gauge, measuring tape, or ruler.
5. Using a nice hot iron and lots of steam, press the fold closed. Make sure to match up the side seams.
6. Sew around the circumference of each pant leg* keeping your stitches as close to the original hem as possible without sewing into the hem itself. Use a zipper foot and preferably a machine needle specifically intended for denim. When finished you should have a fold of excess fabric around the inside of each pantleg.
7. When your pants are right side out, the original hem will still be in place and there will be a seam just above it. Press everything down, then put your jeans back on and go back to the mirror to make sure your pants are the correct length.
8. If everything looks ok, go back to your iron and give everything one good press. You may wish to trim or tack the excess fabric left on the inside of your pants. If you trim, make sure you leave enough fabric to allow for fraying- a half inch is probably plenty, or just zigzag or serge around it. If you've messed up (which happens to everyone sometimes!) take a few deep breaths or grumble a few curse words, grab a beer, some chocolate, or smoke em if you've got 'em, then rip out the seams and try again! Don't get dismayed.
9. Congratulations, you're done! Admire your handywork and go brag to someone that you now know how to professionally hem your own jeans!
*Helpful hint:
Stitching over those giant seams sucks! Lots of pressing with heat and steam helps. Lowering your machine tension and tugging Ever So Slightly as the fabric leaves the machine will also help. If you get stuck and the machine keeps stitching over the same place, stop and raise the presser foot and needle and advance the fabric manually about one stitch length or so- usually that helps get everything moving again. One trick I learned online is to use a hammer or mallet to flatten the seams down before you sew. You may even wish to gently tap around the entirety of each of the seams you've made when you're done to really press everything together.
Additional resources:
http://sketchee.com/blog/2008/7/8/hemming-jeans-like-a-pro.html
http://www.denimblog.com/denim-101/how-to-hem-your-jeans-with-the-original-hem-2/
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