Sewing the Vertical Hem of Draperies
The vertical, or side hems, along the length of draperies are visible when the draperies are hung. When draperies are made with delicate fabrics, such as satins, this visible stitching can detract from the elegant appearance of the drapes and may cause unsightly snags. Make your vertical hems less obvious by using a sewing technique that hides most of the stitches. Use this blind hemstitch to create smooth, almost invisible seam lines on your elegant drapery panels and other decorator items. With a little practice, you will have sturdy but inconspicuous vertical hems.
Instructions
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Set your machine for the blind-stitch setting. The blind stitch is a series of three straight stitches followed by a single zigzag stitch. Look for the marking on your sewing machine stitch selector, and turn the dial to this setting. Attach the blind-stitch foot attachment to the machine.
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Press a folded hem allowance on a piece of scrap fabric similar to your draperies. You want to set the machine stitching, and practice the stitch on a scrap before sewing your drapery fabric.
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Place the fabric on your sewing surface with the pressed hem facing up and the fold facing the sewing machine. The wrong side of the rest of the fabric will be facing up.
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Fold this folded hem underneath the fabric leaving 1/4 inch of the edge of the fabric showing. Your fabric will now be facing wrong-side up, with a fold underneath and 1/4 inch of fabric, which is the cut end of the hem, peeking out. There will be three layers along this edge.
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Position the fabric under the foot with the 1/4-inch section of the fabric under the needle. The side of the presser foot to the right of the needle will be sitting on just the 1/4 inch of fabric. The other side of the presser foot will be sitting on the three layers of the fabric. The straight stitches will land on the 1/4 inch, and the single zigzag stitches will catch the fold of the fabric.
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Stitch several inches of the fabric to see if you need to adjust the width of the zigzag. If too much of the stitch shows on the fold when it is opened, decrease the width of the zigzag on your machine. If the stitch in the fold is too tight, adjust the tension on your machine. Practice several stitches until you attain the correct stitch width and tension for your fabric.
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Stitch a very narrow single folded hem along the vertical edge of your drapery panels. Then make a fold for the remaining width of the hem, press, and fold to complete the stitching technique. This will leave a finished edge on the wrong side of the fabric.
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Tips & Warnings
Regular stitching is most visible on thinner fabrics, and blind stitching is most effective and easiest to use on these. Heavier fabrics will better conceal regular straight stitching along the vertical seam.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
