Chapter 18 - Hems

A hem is a twice turned edge. Its width is the same all along the hem.

Unless it is used for decorative purposes, a hem should be inconspicuous. The steps in making a hem are: (1) Measure. (2) Pin. (3) Pin or baste close to fold on outside. (4) Measure and trim inside. (5) Press with damp cloth. (6) Finish with loose, invisible stitches. Slip stitching (see p. 11) is recommended for light cottons, light or medium weight rayon’s, firmly woven silks. Seam binding is recommended for heavy materials and materials which ravel. Catch stitching (see p. 11) is recommended for heavy fabrics.

To turn up a hem at the bottom of a skirt or dress, see p. 105.

Plain hem is made by turning in edge ¼ inch and stitching close to the fold. Baste stitched edge to position and slip stitch. With very heavy materials, sometimes only a single fold is made and the edge is catch stitched. Seam binding is also used on heavier materials. Gather edge first, sew binding on to right side at the edge and slip stitch.

A narrow hem is often used on sheer materials. Turn in edge ⅛ inch, turn again ¼ inch and hem. Or the second fold may be machine stitched on certain informal kinds of clothes, on towels and sheets. The foot hemmer attachment makes a narrow hem.

Wide machine stitched hem is made like a plain hem but stitched to position by machine. Used often for pillowcases and sheets.

Rolled hem is used for handkerchiefs and dainty lingerie. Stitch close to edge, roll edge over enough to cover stitching, and slip stitch or whip (overhand).

Turned picot edge is good in transparent fabrics. Measure the hem, hemstitch the edge and cut through center for picot. Turn over ⅛ inch and slip stitch.
 
Lingerie hem is used for collars, ruffles and undergarments. Turn in narrow hem on wrong side and baste. Take two firm tight overhand stitches one on top of the other, slip needle under hem concealing thread for ¼ inch, and repeat. Effect is like tiny scallops.

Shell hem is made like lingerie hem, but puffs are wider, and a few tiny running stitches are made between puffs. Or the puffs may be made with a simple overcast stitch.

Napery or damask hem is used on linens. Make a narrow hem, crease very sharply with your fingernail and fold hem back to right side so that the fold of first turning and the new fold are directly in line. Make tiny Over handing stitches.

Multiple stitched or stitched band hem is done on sportswear with heavy fabric. Make hem depth of ¼ inch to ¾ inch and stitch near the fold as many times as desired, usually three to five. For heavy fabrics, omit first turn and overcast raw edges.

A reversed hem is a hem that is finished on the right side of the garment, contrary to the usual practice of turning a hem to the wrong side. It has a decorative function and is often emphasized at the top with cording, piping, or rickrack. It is used only in fabrics with no difference in wrong or right side of the material. Stitch all seams that run to the bottom of the skirt in the usual way on the wrong side of the material, but not all the way down. Mark the hem line and finish the stitching about one inch above the marked hem line. Clip the seam allowance at the end of the stitching as close as possible to the stitched seam line. Finish the seam on the right side of the skirt. Press the seam open, turn the hem to the right side, thus concealing the seam, and finish it.

Hem over a pleat is made by clipping the part of the seam under the hem and pressing it flat before turning the hem.

Faced hem is used where garment is too short to turn up a regular hem. Stitch facing (of same grain as fabric) of desired width for hem, right sides together. Turn so that at least ½ inch of the garment is on the wrong side. Finish as for regular hem.

Applied hem is very decorative and is in a contrasting color. Cut piece on bias twice width of desired hem, stitch to skirt, right sides together, and press seam towards bottom. Turn in bottom edge ¼ inch and turn up hem, slip stitching edge to line of machine stitching.

Circular skirt hems have a great deal of fullness, and are gathered near the hem edge or pleated in a series of tiny pleats all facing in one direction before being slip stitched to position. Seam binding may be applied after gathering.

Shaped hem, for example a scalloped hem, is often highlighted with a decorative stitch such as feather stitching.

Embroidered edging at hem may be applied as follows: For tucked effect, stitch edging to skirt, wrong sides together. Press seam up. Stitch one tuck in fabric. Stitch close to fold of tuck over seam. Make another tuck if desired. For bias trim finish, stitch edging to skirt, wrong sides together. With bias right side down, stitch to skirt below seam, turn bias up, press, and slip stitch to position over seam.
Hem with mitered corner: Crease hems, sharply, pin dart from corner to point where hems meet. Cut ¼ inch outside pins, turn raw edges in ⅛ inch, and overhand them together. Then finish hem.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...