How to Hem a Full Skirt
You just bought a full skirt. It hangs the way you want it to but it is slightly longer than you like. You want to wear the skirt for a date. Do you take it to a tailor and take a chance of it not being finished in time, or do you attempt to hem it yourself? This article will tell you how to hem that skirt in plenty of time for your date and save the money it would have cost you to take it to a tailor. When you are finished, you will be able to hem any skirt in your wardrobe.
Things You'll Need
- Skirt that is the correct length
- Skirt needing hemming
- Matching thread
- Needle
- Tape Measure
- Hem Guage (sewing ruler)
- Straight Pins
- Fabric Chalk
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Gather all materials and place them on a flat surface. Make sure you sit beneath a lamp or plenty of light. Take the skirt and measure from the waist band to the bottom of the hem. This is how long you will make the new skirt. Turn the new skirt wrong side out. Measure from the waiste band to 2 inches longer than the measurement for the old skirt.
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2
Mark the new skirt with the fabric chalk all the way around. Cut along the chalk line all the way around the skirt. Set the hem guage for 2 inches. Beginning at a seam, go all the way around the skirt, measuring 2 inches and pinning it up, with the 'wrong' sides together. Cut a length of thread 2 1/2 times longer than one section, from seam to seam.
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3
Thread the needle and pull the ends together. Tie a knot large enough to stop the thread from pulling all the way through the material. Beginning at a seam, catch 2 threads of the skirt and 2 to 3 threads of the hem material. Pull the needle and thread all the way through to the knot. Move over 1 inch and catch 2 more threads of the skirt and 2 to 3 of the hem material. Pull the needle and thread all the way through. Continue this until you run low on thread. Leave at least 2 needle lengths of thread for tying off.
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4
Tie off the thread and cut another length of thread as the first time. Continue catching 2 and 2 to 3 threads all the way around the skirt. Tie off each section as on the first section. Measure the new skirt length and compare it to the old skirt length. It should be exactly the same length. Turn the skirt right side out and press in the hem. Your skirt is ready for wearing.
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Tips & Warnings
When hemming a full skirt, make sure you measure each section. Make sure each section is even and measures no more than 2 inches in hem length.
Double your thread to make your stitching stronger. If only 1 thread is used, it may break after just a few wears.
To check your work and make sure you have hemmed the skirt evenly all the way around, gather the skirt at the bottom of the seam. This should leave the waiste band even at the top.
Make sure you add 2 inches to the length to allow for the hem.
