How to Shorten a Dress With a Panel Skirt
A dress needs to be a precise length to match your body shape, leg length, shoe style and the overall look. If you need to shorten a dress with a panel skirt to get the right look, you easily can do so in a few simple steps.
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Things You'll Need
- Dress with a panel skirt
- Iron and ironing board
- Straight pins
- Needle and thread
- Sewing machine
Instructions
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Preparation
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1
First put the dress on with the shoes you intend to wear and stand in front of a full length mirror. Turn the dress under at the hem to the length you want it to be, and pin it up so you can see what it looks like. Only use a couple of pins as you will not be able to make the hemline even without measuring it. The purpose is to identify the desired length.
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Next, take the dress off, and lay it out flat. Measure from the waistline to the marked pin.
Then, measure this same distance at several intervals around the bottom of the dress, marking each measurement with a pin.
Place each pin into the fabric horizontally parallel with the original hem.
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3
Measure 1 to 2 inches below the marked line and cut. Keep the pins in place.
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4
Base stitch close to the raw edge of the skirt. Do not back stitch at the beginning or end of the line. Pull the bottom thread gently to create a tension in the stitching.
Fold the fabric up toward the pinned line, so the new edge is aligned with the pins. Because the bottom is slightly wider, the tension created by the base stitching will allow you to match the seams of the panels as you fold. Press the fold into place. Next, fold the fabric again along the pinned line. Remove the pins as you go, and replace them to hold the double folded fabric in place. Press again.
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You can either hand stitch a blind hem or machine stitch around the new hem. Press again for a more professional and finished look.
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