This video tutorial teaches how to hem a lined, sequined dress using a sewing machine. It covers various techniques, including hemming a stretch velvet bridesmaids dress and a narrow-rolled hem on a bridesmaid dress. The tutorial includes a step-by-step process, including pins, sewing basting tape, sewing machine, thread, and tailor chalk. The video also covers hem underlining and hem tapes.
To hem a dress or skirt, first put on the dress and shoes and measure the desired length. Mark it with a pin and sew the hem with fabric tape. Then, use a medium-hot iron to gently press on the folded area. This method is quick, easy, and produces great results for hand-sewed hems.
The video also discusses the hem stitch, which is used for finishing raw edges on hems. It is perfect for dress and skirt hems, as well as hand finishing waistbands. The video concludes by demonstrating how to hem a wedding dress with stitch witchery.
📹 The BEST WAY To Hem A Bridesmaid Dress | Narrow-Rolled Hem (Ep. 42)
I’ve hemmed a lot of dresses in my life but even this old(ish) tailor can learn new tricks! Join me in learning a sewing technique …
How quickly can a wedding dress be altered?
How long do wedding dress alterations take? Wedding dress alterations take about 6 to 8 weeks. Brides should come in for their first fitting about 6-8 weeks before the wedding. Why? This lets us get the best fit for your body on your wedding day. Looking for the best price? Are you nervous about the alterations process? Our bridal seamstresses can meet with you early to discuss your wedding dress alterations and give you a price estimate. Learn more about wedding dress alterations at Alterations Express. Each fitting takes about 45 to 60 minutes. The wedding day is coming, so we know you’re busy. We want to get you in and out fast, but also spend as much time as needed to make sure your wedding dress fits perfectly.
How do you shorten a dress easily?
Fold the dress in half and pin it. Then, decide how much you want to shorten your dress, leaving at least 3 cm (1.2 in) for the hem. Cut off the excess fabric and sew it in place. Iron the hem and sew it back on. Will the holes from the previous sewing be visible when I let out the hem as my daughter gets taller? It depends on the size of the needle. The wider the stitches and thinner the needle, the better.
How fast can a bridesmaid dress be altered?
Timeline for bridesmaid dress alterations. Straps can be shortened in 1-2 weeks, while bodices can take up to 3 weeks. You’ll need to schedule three fittings to get the perfect fit. When to get a bridesmaid dress altered. Schedule the first fitting at least two months before the wedding and the final fitting a few weeks before the big day. This will give you time to make any necessary adjustments and ensure your bridesmaid dress fits perfectly. If your tailor is busy, you might need to wait a bit longer. What should I bring to the bridesmaid alteration appointment? When you go to your bridesmaid dress alterations, you need to bring a few things. Bring the dress! Next, bring the shoes you’ll be wearing on the big day. Your height affects the hem length and your posture. And don’t forget underwear. Your bra, underwear, and shapewear can make a difference in how your body fits your dress. These items will make your alteration appointment easy!
How do you temporarily shorten a dress without sewing?
Then. I’m just going to pull it. It’s like tucking in a chute to your jeans.
Should a floor length dress actually touch the floor?
You probably won’t be wearing it barefoot, but you also don’t want to wear high heels to lift it off the floor. A trip-proof dress should hit the ground when you’re not wearing shoes.
How long does it take to hem a dress yourself?
If you’ve never hemmed a dress, you might feel unsure about where to start. It’s simple and you don’t need much sewing skill. You can do this in half an hour or less with just a needle and thread. When you turn your dress right side out, the stitches won’t be visible. Don’t wear heels or shoes that tilt you forward. Stand up with your feet flat on the floor so you can see where the dress falls. If you want the dress shorter, decide how much fabric to remove. You can try on shoes with the dress to get an idea of where you want the hemline. Take them off when you start marking the hemline.
How do you hem a chiffon dress fast?
The hemming allowance is a guide. That will enclose the hemming allowance. Stitch all the way.
What is the best stitch for hemming chiffon?
Faux rolled hem. Learn how to hem chiffon with a zigzag. Set the stitch for a wide stitch (7.0 mm) and a short length. Use a stitch length of 2.0 mm or shorter. Center the fabric under the presser foot, so the needle swings onto and off the edge of the fabric. Hold the thread tails behind the presser foot and sew. The thread tension makes the edge secure. Get the latest tips, techniques, and special offers by email.
How to hem a dress last minute?
Box. Insert the hem tape under the folded hem of your dress. Press it with a hot iron.
How short to hem a bridesmaid dress?
2) How long should a bridesmaid dress be? There are three popular hem lengths to consider. Think of them as curtains. Some bridesmaids like their dresses to be 1 inch above the floor, while others like them to touch the floor. Or go for a slight puddle effect. All three lengths are acceptable, but there are a few things to think about. First, think about where you’re getting married. If it’s outside, think about whether you’ll be walking on grass or sand. For indoor weddings, a hem just below the floor is elegant. Also, think about your personal style and comfort. If you’re wearing flats, choose a hem that sits 1 inch above the floor to avoid tripping. We always prioritize your comfort!
3) How many sizes can a dress be taken in? Most bridesmaid dresses can be taken in two sizes. If you ordered a size 14 but now fit into a size 12, there’s no problem! But you can’t just make a dress bigger. You can let out a bridesmaid dress if there’s enough fabric and the side seams aren’t clipped. It’s easier to make a dress smaller than bigger.
4) Things to Think About When Hiring a Seamstress for Bridesmaid Dress Alterations. When choosing a seamstress, consider their experience, reputation, and customer reviews. Look for someone who knows about wedding and formal attire alterations. Ask friends, family, or your bridal shop for recommendations. Also, ask about prices, how long it takes, and if they offer consultations or fittings.
How to use hem tape on a bridesmaid dress?
Over to the desired height. Take your iron. And press the Hem.
How do you hem a chiffon bridesmaid dress without sewing?
Over to the desired height. Take your iron. And press the Hem.
📹 How to Hem a Chiffon Bridesmaid, Prom or Formal Layered Dress
In this video you will learn an easy way to achieve the perfect rolled hem on tricky chiffon fabric. Measure, stitch and then cut!
I’ve been doing alterations for 15 years now and I was taught the baby hem this way only, instead of measuring, because hems now a days is all over the place, (not even) I pin to the floor and check my pins at eye level and adjust accordingly. Then I press that pin line and sew on that. It’s quicker for me. Then I cut off like you did and roll the hem over and sew. I just found your website recently and I am loving it!👍🏻 keep up the great work! Love the shop design too‼️
Thanks so much. A dear friend is getting married and I volunteered to help her. What she needed most was her wedding dress hemmed. I have sewed, but never hemmed anything like that. I tried your technique and it was fabulous! I had to do 2 layers, so it took me a while. I didn’t get to the 1/16″ level, but was super pleased with my 1/8″ hem. I thought it looked superb! You were a God-send!
With so many dresses for weddings being ordered online, I find that girls fall in love with the picture/style of the dress and the low price. When they get the dress, and bring it to me for a hem, the fabric continues to decline in the quality of the fabric. Sometimes I cringe when I attempt hems like this and I’m just not happy with my final product. This method is genius! Thank you so much for sharing. I can’t wait to try this!!!!!
I just tried this technique. Awesome! I was asked to hem 3 bridesmaid dresses and I have not sewn anything that delicate in over 10 years. Pulled out my old brother machine went to store and bought some fabric similar to dresses. Tried your technique and also tried using the rolled hem foot. I will take your technique any day over either the two fold or hem foot. Your technique allowed the ability to achieve a more consistent hem with less stress. Thank you!
I always pin the hem while they are in the gown with their shoes. These gowns are not always even. So doing a set length all the way around could give you an uneven hem. We were taught 30 years ago by the prom gown buyer how to add an 1/8 inch and fold then sew then cut excess and fold again for final edged hem So clean and neat
I have been doing this for a while. I’m not professional, but this technique seemed easiest. I hemmed up the lining first and decided I needed a refresher coarse when I stumbled upon your article. You’ve reassured me. Now I just need to figure out how much chiffon is to overhang, bc I did not measure that, only the lining. Thanks for the article!
I tried this technique out of desperation many years ago, and it worked very well, but on the really stretchy sheers I use a skinny serger edge which I then roll, because it stabilizes the edge for me. If the serger thread is a bare shade lighter, it doesn’t show through. During the prom/wedding/pageant season in the spring, it is imperative to use whatever technique costs less time if I want to get more than 4 hours sleep at night!
I have piles of various chiffon’s – a huge amount I bought back in 2000 I think, and more. I have been practising w/ a rolled hem foot (not going well) and decided to Google it and up came your article! The hem foot is now in the trash … thank you so much for this upload. Will practice w/ making a scarf … I am looking forward to checking out your other uploads.
Definitely going to try this! Beautiful result. Hems are notoriously anxiety enducing for me 😂 this seems logical and effective! I wouldn’t be so inclined to watch a live stream. I like the luxury of edited content so you can whiz through the long tasks. I find these tutorials to be my favourite way to consume my sewing related content. I understand that I may not represent the majority but that’s my two pennies ❤
I wish I had known about this 2 weeks ago when I hemmed a chiffon dress for a friend. I used a old fashions turn hem foot which did great on the straight stretches but when it came to a seam -what a mess. I had to trim the seam down to make it go through the roll on the foot. I use a lot of fray check on the seams in the end. It looked fine but this method would have been perfect and a lot less stressful. Thanks for sharing.
Most excellent tutorial. I am a hobby “seamstress” & about to sew myself a pile of poly chiffon & rayon tunics to take on a holiday. I have never sewn anything this sheer & have been perusal so many tutorials. This one is epic & just seems to be my fit. Thank you. Off to see if you have chiffon/sheer neck lines covered. New sub 🇦🇺
OMG this is life changer for sure. I’ve always hated working with this fabric so i avoid it like the plague. I’ve tried using the hem roller and seen too many articles and have still never been able to do a hem on this fabric. My daughter is going to be in a wedding next week and asked me to hem her dress. I was gonna do just a fold and manually sew to the bottom fabric she was ok with that. Its turned out to be a pain in the rear end, I’m taking a break and decided to look up articles, this is the 2nd one and boy do i feel confident in doing it now. Only thing is that its 3 layers of fabric but i can do it. Thank you so much for this i been struggling for 3 days, almost decided to pay someone but i don’t have to now. You have no idea how relieved i am. Wish me luck on getting 5 inches off this dress 😂 so where do i find those bill duck scissors now?
I was excited to see your article populate into my feed…your approach is fresh and easy to understand. Thanks for the correction on the measurement! Have you ever experienced the shear outer fabric bouncing a bit shorter due to the excess weight being removed? I do bridal alterations and have learned to leave a bit more length before doing the twice over hemming. Your thoughts?
I am so glad i happened across your article, here. This method is just the one I’ve been searching for. Hopefully, it will work out for me when i go to hem a hi – low dress I’m altering for myself. I’ve never seen the method you show here, and, it looks easy to do. TYSM for sharing this article with us. Love your website bunches. 😍❣️😻
I have used this technique just a few times. The part I do not like is the trimming after the first stitching. I try to be careful but I once cut through the non-hemmed fabric near the stitching. I then had to re-hem. It made the dress a tad shorter but that was OK. I do not have duckbill scissors and want to get a pair after seeing you use them. Can you tell me what brand your duckbill scissors are? Are they knife edge or serrated?
Thank you for your terrific article, it is just super. I remember having to shorten my future sister-in-law’s wedding dress (at a time when YouTube tutorials were not in existence 😮). It was the most nerve-wracking job as I was not an experienced sewer at the time. I approached the task by measuring how much it needed to be shortened, cut it and then tried to create a rolled hem. I did get the dress done but I think I aged 10 years in the process and swore never to undertake anything like that again. Now, after seeing your article it makes so much sense. Great job 😁
That was great! I’ve watched several vids and decided – I CAN’T DO THAT! Then as about to give up, I clicked on you. I have a sewing machine that I do simple alterations and pillow cases for the cat shelter and that’s about all I can accomplish but I had an idea in my mind how I might hem these beautiful chifon duster without ruining it and it was exactly what you formulated and showed me how to do in an easy peasy way. Thanks so much! I don’t sew much but going to subscribe because you really helped me. :^D p
This was so incredibly useful! I’ve watched a dozen articles, bought a rolled hem foot and all.. Started with the lining but it didn’t end up looking great (I’m a beginner). I was so nervous to tackle the thin and shifty chiffon layer and then I stumbled on your article. My hem didn’t come out perfect at all, but so much better than the lining! Thank you so so much.
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I have tried this type of hem on several different dresses and several different ways. I have tried those rolled hem pressor feet, and other ways. It always took so long, and never just looked professional, or even. I tried this on a friends bridesmaids dress just now and was able to get it done and return it back to her as she left work. It was so simple and quick, I couldn’t even believe it! I will be using this technique every time now! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
Oh my goodness!!!! I hem A LOT of these and this should work perfectly. The problem with even just stitching one time, trimming, then rolling is the material stretches or frays and it is too easy to make an uneven or wonky hem. Hope this works when only hemming the front of a dress that angles to the sides, therefore creating a bias section.
Oh my gosh you are a lifesaver I told a friend I could hem her garment I had no idea it was a bridesmaid dress just like the pretty teal one in your article lol seriously I would have told her just have the shop you bought it from hem it but here I am lol. I have a question I noticed on her skirt towards about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom on both side hems of the dress are stay chains/ tack chains, its like holding the chiffon and satin together so they don’t separate a lot?? should I add these on to the new hem or just say forget it and not worry about it? Its like when you buy a trench coat or really nice garment and they tack the pockets closed (does that make sense?). Thank you so much for your article I really appreciate it. You now have another subscriber for life 🙂
thank you for this lovely tutorial!! two quick questions from a newbie sewist: 1. what is “right side” and “wrong side”? is right side the outside of the garment and wrong side the inside? 2. how do you “back tack” at the end? my machine only pulls the fabric one way (brother SE600 I think) and I don’t want to break a needle by attempting to get it to move backwards without any guidance first haha
Thank you so much for this article, you just saved my life! I have been recovering from an injury and I haven’t had money or time to get anything done for my brother’s wedding. Not cutting the hem is genius, and definitely easier for someone like me who hasn’t sewn in a while. I’m curious if it’ll still work okay if I don’t have an iron? I’d get one if I could afford the extra spending, but funds are low from being on medical leave.
Thank you so much for your excellent tutorial. I sew a lot but have almost zero experience of chiffon and agreed to take up a prom dress 🤪so really needed to watch your article. I had already purchased a rolled hem foot thinking I needed that but it looks like you did it with a standard foot? Do you have any views on a rolled hem foot (like/dislike) or do you just think it’s not necessary? Really appreciate your thoughts, thank you!!
I really struggled hemming the outer chiffon layer of my wife’s bridesmaid dress. I tried just marking and sewing as you showed, but the fabric was too light and stretchy that it moved around too much and ended up terribly uneven and puckered. On the heavier inner layer, I decided to pin and press before sewing and had much better success. Any thoughts?
I am hoping you might have a suggestion for my situation. I am hemming a lined, crepe gown. The factory hem was done with a serger and had a grest blind stitch that did not show in the least on the front of the dress. I do not have a serger but was able to use a similar stitch to bind the edge where I then cut off the excess, a principle you have shown in your articles. Now, I need to hem it, I am trying to blind stitch by hand but even the scantest amount of material I pick up is showing as a tiny pucker in the front. Any ideas? I tried testing a Pellon fusible adhesive like “stitch witchery”. It looked great, but afraid to use it on the gown. Thank you!!