Why Linen Frays, and Why That Shapes Your Hem

Linen is woven from flax, and flax fibres are long, smooth and rather slippery. They have almost no stretch, and the yarns slide against one another at a cut edge, which is why a freshly cut piece of linen starts shedding threads within minutes. This matters when you come to finish a hem, because a single line of stitching near a raw edge will simply pull away over time. Every hem on linen needs to fold the raw edge inside itself at least once, and ideally twice, so the fabric protects its own cut threads.

Linen also shrinks, particularly the first time it meets hot water. Sew a hem before washing and you may find the stitching puckers or leaves permanent needle marks along the fold. Wash, dry and press your fabric first, always, before you measure or cut anything.

Before You Cut: A Little Preparation Pays Off

Give your linen a hot wash and a hot iron before you begin. Then find the grain. Snip into the selvedge and pull a single weft thread across the width; the fabric will gather into a visible line that you can cut along. For napkins, runners and tea towels, tearing along that drawn thread gives you a perfectly straight edge with almost no effort, and a straight edge is the foundation of a straight hem.

Press the fabric flat while it is still slightly damp. Linen presses beautifully when damp, and a crisp, flat surface is half the battle when you are trying to turn a narrow fold without ripples.

Pick the Right Hem for the Project

• Narrow rolled hem (6mm) — best for napkins, handkerchiefs and fine table runners. Fold over 6mm, press, fold again 6mm, press, then stitch close to the inner fold.
• Double-fold hem (1cm–3cm) — the workhorse for curtains, cushion covers, tablecloths and aprons. Fold 1cm, press, then fold again to the depth you want and press once more so the raw edge is completely buried.
• Deep hem (5cm and upwards) — for curtains and bed linen, where a bit of weight helps the fabric hang well. A deep hem also gives you room for a blind stitch that barely shows on the right side.

Three Hand Stitches Worth Knowing

You do not need a machine to finish linen well. Hand stitches often look better on linen, because the fabric has enough texture to hide them beautifully.

• Running stitch — a simple in-and-out stitch, three or four threads deep, worked along the inner fold. Use it to hold a turned hem before you slip stitch the fold, or as a neat line of decoration in its own right.
• Slip stitch — bring the needle out of the hem fold, catch one or two threads of the main fabric directly below, then slide the needle back inside the fold. Work from right to left if you are right-handed, keeping stitches 6mm–1cm apart. The thread disappears into the fold.
• Blind hem stitch — similar to slip stitch but with a small zigzag: take a tiny stitch into the main fabric, then a slightly longer one inside the hem, alternating as you go. Ideal for deep curtain hems.

Use cotton or linen thread in a matching colour for a soft, traditional finish, or polyester-wrapped cotton where you need extra strength. A size 7–9 sharp needle suits most medium-weight linens; go finer for handkerchief-weight cloth.

How to Sew a Neat Mitred Corner

Corners are where home-made linen gives itself away. A mitre turns the bulk of two hems into one clean diagonal fold.

• Press the hem allowance for the first fold on both sides of the corner, then press the second fold. Open the folds back out.
• Where the two crease lines cross, fold the corner diagonally, right sides together, so the creases meet. Press firmly.
• Trim the excess fabric about 6mm beyond the diagonal fold, then finger-press the seam open.
• Refold the hems along your original creases. The corner should fold itself into a tidy diagonal. Pin and slip stitch all the way round, catching the mitre closed as you pass it.

For very fine linen, trim the corner to 3mm and press with a little steam to make it lie perfectly flat.

Pressing, Weighting and the Final Finish

Press as you go, not at the end. Set your iron to the linen setting with plenty of steam, and press each hem from the wrong side first, then the right side over a thin cloth. A clapper or a heavy book laid on a just-pressed hem while it cools will set the fold sharper than ironing alone.

To stop a fine hem from rippling, ease in any fullness as you tack rather than stretching the fabric. If your stitching pulls, your tension is too tight — linen has no give, so the thread must do all the work.

Finally, let the finished piece rest flat overnight before you use it. Linen relaxes, and a well-sewn hem will settle into shape, ready for years of washing and everyday use.