Extension Bulletin 579 August 1964
HEMS AND HEM FINISHES
SEWING SKILLS
A good hem is inconspicuous from the right side or thin fabric may need a much wider hem. A wide and even in width and neat on the wrong side. The hem may be a design feature. distance from the floor is even and the hem is wide enough to provide enough weight to hang well and PREPARING THE HEM to be in good proportion. A good hem is also smooth and flat. Check the hemline by putting on the dress or To achieve these characteristics, follow these sug skirt over the foundation garments you will wear. gestions: Fasten the belt. Have someone use a hem marker and put a row of pins where the bottom fold of the • Put hemming stitches about ~ to % inch hem will come. Check to see if the pins make an apart. The stitches should be evenly spaced even line. Alter if necessary. and inconspicuous on the right side. Turn hem up on marked line. Match seams in • Do not overpress. hem with seams in garment. Pin or baste in place • Ease fullness on wrong side so that there are and remove the row of pins used to mark the bottom no double layers of fabric to cause press marks fold of the hem. Press folded edge lightly to make on the right side. a crease. Do not press over pins or basting. • Press seams open when practical. Then mark width for hem with pins or tailor's • Grade and clip seams on wrong side to avoid chalk (Fig. 1). If you use pins, put them through bulk. the hem allowance, but not through the skirt itself. Before cutting out the garment you determined the If the hem is uneven, begin measuring at narrowest length of the skirt and the width of the hem. The part. width of the hem will vary with the fabric, the style Trim off excess fabric along line marked by pins of garment, your figure, and your personal taste. or chalk (Fig. 2). Then open the hem and trim A very flared skirt of medium-weight or heavy fab seams inside the hem (Fig. 3). This makes the ric may have a narrow hem. A full skirt of sheer turned-up seams less bulky.
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FIG. l-Mark width for hem with FIG. 2-Trim off the excess fabric FIG. 3-Trim seams inside hem pin$ or tailor's chalk. along' marked line. "' to point >just above crease.
EXTENSION SERVICE INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY PULLMAN. WASHINGTON
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FINISHING THE HEM lines. If the hem needs easing, pull up the bobbin thread until the edge of the hem just fits the garment The hem finish will depend upon the weight of at the place where it is to be hemmed. Distribute the fabric, the amount of flare in the skirt, and ease. Press lightly. Always press into ease with whether or not the fabric ravels. point of iron. Slip stitch hem to garment (Fig. 5) . If neces sary, snip off loops of ease thread as you sew. RAW EDGE TURNED UNDER The raw edge can be turned under on sheer or medium-weight fabrics that do not ravel. This TAILOR'S HEM method of finishing should be used only on straight A tailor's hem is particularly good for heavy skirts or other skirts with no ease in the hem. fabrics that do not ravel. Turn raw edge of hem under %, inch. Press. Stitch through single thickness of fabric %, inch Pin hem to gf.!rment. from the edge of the hem. If the hem needs to be Slip stitch hem to garment by hand (Fig. 4). eased, use 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Pink hem edge Pick up one or two yarns in garment with needle. if desired. Then slip needle inside folded edge of hem for about %. to % inch. Repeat stitch in garment and con Place skirt on ironing board and pin hem to tinue around hem. garment, matching seam lines. Adjust ease by pull ing bobbin thread. Shrink out fullness. The amount will vary ac EDGE TURNED AND STITCHED cording to the fabric and the degree to which the The edge can be turned and stitched on sheer, yarns can be tightened up. Steam helps smooth out light- or medium-weight fabrics that are slippery or fullness, even in cotton. It is very effective on wool tend to ravel. The stitched edge is good when you and wool blends. Slip paper between hem edge and expect to let hems down, need to ease in fullness, or skirt to prevent press marks on the right side. Hold are making garments that will get hard wear. iron over hem and let steam penetrate the fabric Some inexperienced sewers find it easier to turn before you lower the iron. As a precaution, try and stitch the edge than to turn under a raw edge your iron on a piece of the fabric before you try it as in the previous method. The turned and stitched on the skirt. Steam until ease has been shrunk in edge may be used on any garment where a turned as much as possible. Do not overpress. This makes under raw edge is acceptable. the fabric harsh and presses down the nap. Turn edge of hem under %, inch. Press. Ma Baste along the hem about 1 inch from the chine stitch close to folded edge. If there is more stitched and pinked edge. Turn back the edge and fullness in the hem than in the skirt, lengthen the stitch hem to garment along the row of stitching machine stitch to about 8 to 10 stitches per inch (Fig. 6). Pick up a yarn or two in the underside before stitching along the folded edge. of the hem near the row of stitching and then catch After stitching, place skirt on ironing boar d, a single yarn in the garment. Press edge flat over wrong side up. Pin hem to garment, m atching seam stitches. FIG. 6-Tailor's hem. Turn back stitched edge, FIG. 7-Stitch seam tape to hem. Turn back tape, hand stitch along row of maehine stitching. fasten to garment with a running stitch.
SEAM TAPE a single yam in the garment, just under the tape. Then slant the needle up through the tape. Seam tape is a good finish for heavy fabrics and those that ravel easily. BIAS TAPE If the hem needs to be eased, make a line of ease stitching through a single thickness of fabric about Bias tape is used to finish circular skirts or those ~ inch from the edge of the hem. Use 8 to 10 with much flare. stitches per inch. Pin hem to garment, matching First make a line of ease stitching through a seam lines. Adjust ease by pulling bobbin thread. single thickness of fabric ~ inch from the edge of Steam to shrink out as much ease as possible. the hem. Use 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Pin hem Shrink and press seam tape before applying. to garment, matching seam lines. Adjust ease by The tape can be shaped slightly while pressing to pulling bobbin thread. Steam press lightly to shrink fit the curve of the hemline. out as much ease as possible. Remove pins from Remove pins from hem and place edge of seam hem. tape on the ease stitching line. Pin in place. Shape tape to match the curve in the hemline Machine stitch close to the edge of the tape. Press. and steam press. Then unfold the lower edge of Pin hem into position and fasten tape to garment the tape. with a running stitch (Fig. 7). Turn back tape Place right side of tape to right side of hem, and stitch about Ys inch from edge. Pick up a yarn with the crease of the fold on the ease stitching line. or two in the tape and then catch one or two yams Machine stitch along the crease (Fig. 9). in the garment. Pin hem to garment and slip stitch along the Or blind hem tape to garment (Fig. 8) . Catch edge of the tape.
f t FI S~ 9- Machine stitch bias tape to hem along crease line. Then slip stitch tape to garment.
j _ RIGHT SIDE RIGHT SIDE
FIG. 10-Turn facing back against FIG. 11-Trim out excess facing that FIG. 12-Turn up hem and then turn right side. Machine stitch across would be in the hem to reduce bulk facing back to wrong side so that facing on crease line for hem. and make the garment look better. facing covers the end of the hem ..
COAT-TYPE HEMS hem will reduce bulk arid make the garment look better (Fig. 11). However, the facing should not .. Turn up hem around garment, including the be trimmed out if the garment is to be lengthened facing. Press to form a good crease. Turn facing later-as in children's clothes. back against right side with the two crease lines Turn up hem and then turn facing back to wrong against each other. Machine stitch across the facing side. The facing will cover the end of the hem on the crease line (Fig. 10). (Fig. 12). Proceed from this step as you would for Trimming out excess facing that would be in the the hem type suitable for the garment.
This bulletin was adapted, by permission, from material originally published by Iowa State University.
Published and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the Washington State University Extension Service, C. A. Svinth, Director, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating. 15M-8-64