How to Hem a Formal Dress
Having a formal dress professionally hemmed can be costly and time consuming. For a simple hem, however, there is no need to rush to the tailor. With basic sewing knowledge and a typical sewing machine, you can create an almost professional looking hem in very little time.
Materials
- Dress and shoes
- Full length mirror
- Sewing machine
- Sewing scissors
- Ball head straight pins
- Clothes iron
- Thread matching the dress
Procedure
- Fit the dress to the person who will wear it. Have this person try on the dress and shoes while standing in front of the mirror. Fold the bottom of the dress to the desired length. Assure that the model is standing straight and still. Adjust as needed. When the length satisfies you, use straight pins to pin the hem. Pin a section that is 1/4 inch longer than the the desired length to allow for your seams.
- Check to make sure the pinned hem is perfectly straight and even. Remove the dress without disturbing the pins, and place it on an ironing board or other flat, even surface.
- Iron the fold into a nice, even crease around the bottom of the dress. Make sure your iron is set to the proper heat for the fabric with which you are working. For most delicate fabrics, the iron setting should be low to medium.
- Thread your machine with the appropriate thread.
- Sew a seam using a running stitch 1/8 inch from the edge of the fold. Remove the pins as you work your way around the hem.
- Cut the excess fabric away with your scissors. Be careful to cut close to your seam without cutting through it.
- Fold the edge of the dress so that the raw edge of the hem is no longer showing. Pin the fold, which will be about 1/8 inch or a little larger.
- Attach the rolled edge to the inside of your dress by sewing as close to the inside edge as possible.
- Press the new hem with your iron to finish your project.