Hems that are woven in same weft yarn as the body of the project can be bulky once turned under twice to hide the raw edge. Here are some suggestions for reducing that bulk:

Use a finer weft in a matching color for the entire hem

For example, if the body of your item is woven in 8/2 cotton, you could use 10/2, 16/2, or even 20/2 for the hems.

Use a finer weft in any color for the first half of the hem

If you don’t have any matching yarn in something finer than the weft you’re using in the body of the project, you can use non-matching yarn for the part of the hem which will be turned inside and completely hidden, before switching to the heavier weft for the remainder of the hem.

Beat at fewer PPI/PPCM

If you reduce the picks per inch or centimeter only in the hems, the fabric will be thinner and more flexible, and therefore less bulky. As above, you could do this for the entire hem or for only the part of the hem that will be turned inside and won’t show.

Doing any of these things will increase draw-in in the hems to some degree, so be careful about doing more than one in the same hem. Having the hem fabric a little narrower isn’t a bad thing but dramatically narrower hems could cause puckers.

Try these the next time you have a project with turned hems, and let us know which method you prefer!

Note: This blog was originally posted in the Weaver’s Toolbox which is full of tips and tricks.