How to Apply a Horsehair Ribbon in a Hem

Horsehair ribbon stabilizes and supports the hem of a long, voluminous dress.

Horsehair ribbon is a loosely woven nylon braided ribbon that you apply to wide, full skirt hems. Rigid and stiff, the horsehair holds out the wide hem and prevents it from collapsing without the need for a petticoat. A 1 inch wide ribbon works well with any fabric lighter than duchess satin; the heavier the fabric, the wider the horsehair ribbon you should use. Apply horsehair to the hem after you sew the dress, just before finishing the hem.

Things You'll Need

• Horsehair ribbon
• Scissors
• Pins
• Hand-sewing needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Use the scissors to cut the horsehair ribbon to be 1 inch longer than the circumference of the skirt.

2. Use the pins to pin the horsehair to the right side of the fabric, with 3/4 inch of the horsehair overlapping the fabric and 1/4 inch extending beyond the hem.

3. Use the threaded needle to sew the horsehair to the fabric 1/8 inch from the top horsehair edge using a running stitch. Overlap the edges of the horsehair 1/2 inch and stitch each edge with a vertical line of stitching 1/8 inch inside each edge.

4. Fold the hem up 1 1/4 inch towards the inside or wrong side of the fabric. The fold of the fabric will be 1/4 inch above the horsehair ribbon edge.

5. Fold the hem again towards the inside of the fabric by 1 inch.

6. Sew the hem using a running stitch 1/8 inch from the top of the hem edge, stitching on the fabric not the horsehair.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a sewing machine for the project.

Resources

• Hand Stitches: Running Stitch