How to Hem a Long Peasant Skirt & Make it Look Good

Hemming the bottom edge of a piece of clothing is a fairly simple task, but some garments make creating a successful hem that looks nice slightly more challenging. One such piece of clothing is a skirt, which typically has a slight curve to the bottom edge that is visible when the skirt is flattened. Add a lot of length and fullness, which is the case with peasant skirts, and you might begin to feel overwhelmed. Don't worry -- if you take the hemming process a step at a time, you can make the hem look good.

Things You'll Need

• Long ironing board
• Seam guide
• Iron
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Set up the ironing board. Turn the skirt inside out and slide it onto the ironing board, waist band fist, so the bottom edge of the skirt is at the tapered end of the board.

2. Adjust the sliding part of the seam guide so it is at 1/4 of an inch. Fold up the bottom edge of the skirt about 1/4-inch by eyeballing the fold. Adjust the fold to a true 1/4 inch using the seam guide. Place the straight edge of the seam guide along the folded up bottom of the skirt and adjust the fold until the folded edge of the skirt rests against the straight edge of the sliding piece, which is set at 1/4 of an inch. Lightly press this fold with your clothing iron. Work your way around the skirt, folding and pressing so the entire bottom edge of the skirt is folded up 1/4 of an inch. Some places along the folded up bottom will start to pleat a little because of the curved bottom, just press these naturally occurring pleats flat with the iron.

3. Flip the bottom of the skirt up another 1/4 of an inch. This time, use the first fold as a guide for the second fold and just double-check with the seam guide every few inches. Press the fold just as you did the first time working around the skirt. Pin the double fold along the bottom of the skirt after you press each section as you work your way around.

4. Using a sewing machine, sew around the bottom of the skirt as closely as you can to the top edge of the fold. Remove the pins as you go, pulling them out before they get under the needle to prevent breaking a needle.

5. Press the hem one last time to flatten the seam.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay special attention at the side seams of the skirt when folding up the hem to keep the seams lined up.