How to Sew a Round Hem or Curved Hem, 4 Easy Ways

Sewing a round hem can feel challenging because curved edges naturally want to stretch, pucker, and wrinkle as they are folded. Circle skirts, flared dresses, curved shirt hems, and ruffled garments all require special hemming techniques to create a smooth, professional finish. The best method depends on your fabric and the shape of the curve. Lightweight fabrics often work best with a narrow hem, while thicker fabrics may need bias tape to reduce bulk. In this tutorial, you’ll learn several easy ways how to sew a round hem, including methods for regular sewing machines and sergers.

How to Sew a Round Hem – Circular Hems

There are 5 main ways to sew a narrow round hem. If you don’t have a serger, use method 1.

Explore the full article on ways to sew a hem for beginners.

1. Double folded hem with a regular sewing machine – Great for fine fabrics that can be pressed eg. silk.Bias tape – Best for curved hems in thicker fabrics such as wool.
2. Serger with single folded hem – Best for fine fabrics that can’t be easily pressed eg. polyester.
3. Serger with double folded hem – Best for fine fabrics that can be pressed eg. cotton voile.
4. Wide round hems – Ideal for circle skirts.

I will also show you how to sew a wide hem that is circular or rounded but this is a method best left to more experienced sewers. Beginners should use one of the narrow hem styles above.

How to Choose the Best Round Hem

The best round hem depends on your fabric weight, the amount of curve in the hem, and the sewing equipment you own.

• Choose a narrow double-fold hem for lightweight fabrics and gently curved shirt hems.
• Use bias tape for thicker fabrics that would become bulky if folded twice.
• Select a serged hem if you own a serger and want a fast, professional finish.
• Use a wide gathered hem for circle skirts and garments with significant flare.
• For delicate fabrics such as chiffon and voile, keep the hem as narrow as possible to reduce puckering.

If you’re a beginner, bias tape and narrow double-fold hems are usually the easiest methods to master.

How to Sew a Round Hem (Step by Step)

This method is best for gently curved hems where you just have a regular sewing machine.

How to sew curved hems with straight stitch:

1. Straight stitch around the circular hem ¼ inch (6mm) from the edge.
2. Press up the hem along the stitched seam. The stitching forms a perforation in the fabric and helps you press it accurately.
3. Then press the hem up again by the same amount. Stitch along the upper folded edge.

Other Methods of Sewing Round Hems

Bias Tape Hem (Best for Thick Fabrics)

This method uses 1/2 inch (12mm) wide double-fold bias and creates an attractive hem on all shapes of curved hems. I used a contrast bias but you will get the best results by using a matching colored bias to your dress or skirt and matching thread.

Further Reading: How to make bias tape, Continuous bias tape

How to Sew a Round Hem without Puckering:

1. Start by opening up one side of your bias and pinning it along the raw edge with the right sides together. Straight stitch the bias in the crease. This will be approximately 1/4 inch (6mm) from the edge.
2. Press the bias to the inside of your garment. The seam will be right on the edge. Pin.
3. On the wrong side, stitch around the bias tape close to the top folded edge.

Serged Single-Fold Hem (Fastest Method)

You will often see store-bought garments with this finish on circular hems because it is one of the fastest methods and always gives good results. The only time I don’t like to use it is on sheer fabrics where the serging will show through to the right side.

How to sew a curved hem with a serger:

1. Serger around the circular edge of the fabric cutting off some of the seam allowances if necessary.
2. Then press the edge up just one and stitch it in place on top of the overlocking stitch.
3. You will see just a single line of stitching on the right side of the fabric.

All done! If you have a serger then this is definitely the easiest of all the methods of creating round hems.

Serged Double-Fold Hem (Best for Lightweight Fabrics)

This is a great narrow hemming method that also works for gently curved circular hems.

1. Serger the raw edge of your skirt or dress.
2. Press up the overlocked edge by the width of the stitches. Straight stitch along the bottom folded edge.
3. Press the hem up again by the same amount and stitch on top of your row of stitches.

Wide Round Hem (Best for Circle Skirts)

Creating a wide circular hem is a little trickier and probably best left to intermediate to experienced sewers.

1. With a long gathering stitch length, sew around your hem close to the raw edge. Gathering stitches should have a length of at least 4.0.
2. Pull the bobbin threads to gather the edge slightly.
3. Then finish the hem with bias tape. See the full tutorial on how to create a wide hem with bias tape.

Tips for Sewing Round Hems

Regardless of the method, you have used to sew your round hem, always finish by giving it a good press. Even if you have pressed during the construction process, a final press will help set your circular hem even flatter.

Common Mistakes When Sewing a Round Hem

• Folding the Hem Too Wide – Wide hems are difficult to sew on curved edges and often create puckers. A narrow hem usually produces smoother results.
• Skipping the Pressing Step – Pressing helps shape the fabric before stitching and reduces wrinkling along the curve.
• Using the Wrong Hem for the Fabric – Lightweight fabrics generally need narrow hems, while thicker fabrics often work better with bias tape finishes.
• Stretching the Curve While Sewing – Avoid pulling the fabric as you stitch. Stretching the curved edge can create ripples and an uneven hemline.

Round Hem FAQs

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More Hem Articles

• GENERAL HEMS – How to Sew a Hem (This is the best article to read if you are not sure what kind of hem you need. It gives a rundown of all the most common types)
• ROLLED HEM FOOT – How to Use a Rolled Hem Foot
• BLIND HEMS – How to Sew a Blind Hem
• RUFFLED HEMS – Lettuce Hems
• KNIT FABRIC HEMS – How to Hem Knit Fabric, Catch Stitch
• KNIT HEMS – Twin Needle
• SQUARE HEMS – How to Sew Mitered Corners
• HAND HEMS – Hemming Stitch
• NO SEW HEMS – How to Use Hemming Tape
• SIMPLE HEMS – Single Fold Hems
• DOUBLE HEMS – Double Fold Hems
• SCALLOPS – Scalloped Edges
• INVISIBLE HEMS – Blind Hem Stitch