I have found an easy way to create a uniform foldback line for blind-hem stitching. Fold up the hem to the desired depth, with the fabric’s wrong sides together. Pin it in place by inserting each pin a scant 1⁄4 inch from the fabric edge, placing each pin at a right angle to the folded edge. The spacing of pins depends on the weight of the fabric; for midweight fabrics, pin every 1-1⁄2 inches or so. Fold the hem back against the right side of the garment. It will automatically fold at the point where the pins were inserted, leaving exposed the scant 1⁄4 inch required for the blind-hem stitching line. Finger-press this line as you sew. No repositioning of pins is necessary. Some thicker fabrics may require more than a scant 1⁄4 inch to achieve a neat blind hem. Test this method on a scrap of fabric to ensure the results are satisfactory.

—Lois Phillips, Drexel, Missouri

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