How to Shorten a Wedding Dress with a Colored Band Along the Bottom
You can shorten a wedding dress that has a colored band along the bottom without losing the interesting detail that the band provides. The key is to remove the band before performing the alterations. When the band is reapplied, you will have a wedding dress that is the correct length, and shows no sign of having been shortened.
Things You'll Need
- Seam ripper
- Iron
- Tailor's chalk
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Serger (optional)
- Straight pins
- Thread to match dress color
- Thread to match band color
Instructions
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1
Use a seam ripper to carefully break and remove the threads holding the band to the dress. Pluck off all tiny bits of thread remaining on the band. Iron the band on low heat to press out indented stitch lines.
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2
Have the bride put on the dress, wearing shoes with the same heel height that she plans to wear for the wedding. Mark the desired finished hemline of the dress by making 1-inch horizontal marks with tailor's chalk every 6 inches around the bottom of the dress. The bride can now remove the dress.
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3
Make a second set of marks with tailor's chalk 1/2 inch below the hemline marks. Carefully cut along this lowest set of marks. Finish the raw edge with a sewn zigzag stitch, or a serged overcast stitch.
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4
Turn up the cut edge 1/2 inch, following the marks made for the finished hemline. Pin in place. Sew the turned-up edge in place using a machine straight stitch 1/4 inch away from the zigzagged or serged edge.
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5
Pin the band back onto the dress, lining up the bottom edge of the band with the finished hemline of the dress. Topstitch the band onto the dress, sewing 1/8 inch away from top and bottom edge of the band.
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Tips & Warnings
When marking the dress's hemline, it is helpful to have the bride stand on a sturdy stool or box so the dress hangs down freely rather than puddling on the floor.
To create a very clean-looking topstitch on the band, leave 4-inch tails of thread at the beginning and end of your stitching, then pull the thread to the opposite side of the dress and tie the ends to secure the stitches.
