How to Hem a Wedding Dress With a Scalloped Hemline

Use a pattern as the basis for the scalloped hem.

Weddings are in large part based on design and decor: the lavishness and meticulousness of the aesthetic qualities are designed to express the beauty and importance of the occasion. For many people, the centerpiece of bridal aesthetics is the wedding dress itself. Though they may be worn only once in a lifetime, wedding dresses are veritable works of art in themselves. Among the many flourishes a wedding dress can have is a scalloped hemline, which is composed of a series of curved ridges reminiscent of a scalloped shell. Scalloped hemlines add an elegant, attractive touch to any wedding dress.

Things You'll Need

• Tracing paper
• Muslin
• Fabric scissors
• Fabric pen
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Place a muslin around the dress itself and draw a rough template of the scallops on the muslin. An odd number of scallops is usually more aesthetically pleasing than an even number.

2. Draw a baseline that parallels the hemline to ensure accurate measurements. Measure with a ruler and divide the length of the baseline by the number of scallops to determine the uniform length of each.

3. Place tissue paper or tracing paper over the muslin and trace a working template of the scalloped hem you will use for sewing.

4. Apply the template to the wedding dress itself and sew along the designated template lines. Make a small stitch (no more than 2 millimeters), which ensures a sharp, clean look.

5. Clip away the seam allowances at the fabric line with fabric scissors.

References

• Threads Magazine; The Scalloped Hem; Susan Khalje