hem

thumb|Hem detail with inscriptions (Saint-John in Crucifixion, Vicino da Ferrara, 1469–70) In sewing, a hem is a garment finishing method in which the edge of a piece of cloth is folded and sewn to prevent unravelling of the fabric and adjust the length of the piece in garments, such as at the end of the sleeve or the bottom of the garment.

==Methods== thumb|A presser foot on a home sewing machine includes measurement markings on the plate beneath the foot for easier hemming. Shown are measurements in fractions of an inch (above) and in millimetres (below). There are many different styles of hems of varying complexities. The most common hem folds up a cut edge, folds it up again, and then sew it down. The style of hemming thus completely encloses the cut edge in cloth, so that it cannot unravel. Other hem styles use fewer folds. One of the simplest hems encloses the edge of cloth with a stitch without any folds at all, using a method called an overcast stitch, although an overcast stitch may be used to finish a folded "plain hem" as well.