https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 11 Apr 2026 03:50:35 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986988 Sun, 21 Jul 2013 21:41:14 +0000 Lantana 986988@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks again everyone for your further suggestions. I wore the skirt around the house yesterday, flipping (!) hem and all, and the sky did not fall down.<br /> But it definitely is not fab looking and I would not sport it out of the house.<br /> I think of it now as just a toile.<br /> Betti, if I ever end up making a tube skirt from scratch I'll go for ponte or something with a fair old whack of elastane;the tee fabric has too much give.<br /> I do have a serger Laura and I will practise on the sleeves I cut off to see if it sews flat.<br /> Steph, so glad you chimed in. I think it's time for me to invest in cutting aids.<br /> My little town doesn't run to haberdashery but I'm off to a bigger town tomorrow and will pick up the doings you all have suggested. Thank you! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986939 Sun, 21 Jul 2013 20:08:32 +0000 mrseccentric 986939@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>dang, you ladies got <i><b>this Covered! </b></i></p> <p>another voice piping up for the beauty of the twin needle - these make a truly stretchy hem that even my legs can't snap!&nbsp; they can be pricey so i try to buy them on sale/with coupon.</p> <p>another trick: get lightweight fusible knit interfacing and cut in strips the width of your hem turn-under. Fuse it to your hem with the direction of the stretch going around the hem (obviously you need to pay attention to this whilst cutting your strips), then stitch with twin needle. Makes a nice, neat, stretchy hem and you can do this nicely with as little as a 1/2" or 3/4" hem. A cutting mat, cutting ruler and rotary cutter help immensely for cutting thin strips of the fusible. HTH! and rock on, steph </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986834 Sun, 21 Jul 2013 17:24:10 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 986834@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just saw this thread and I agree with the idea to try a double/twin needle stitch for hemming knits. It will give you some built-in stretch with the zigzag in the back. Tension and feeding seems to be key when you're stitching knits as they can easily stretch out. Most RTW knits are actually made on a serger (it does that castover multithread stitch you've probably seen in a lot of your clothes) and a lot of sewers swear by having a serger to finish edges and sew knits. I don't have one myself, so it is doable without, but I'd love to get one someday!</p> <p>I have not had good luck with fusibles when hemming knits (too stiff), but I do like using wash-away wonder tape - it's sticky so you can use it as a stabilizer while you hem, but then the next time you wash the garment it disappears, leaving the hem appropriately stretchy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986719 Sun, 21 Jul 2013 14:06:18 +0000 Betti 986719@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The Vince skirt has a raw edge hem - no sewing needed! But it's not the normal T-shirt fabric. I don't have one here right now to examine but it felt a bit silkier maybe? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986350 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 22:51:54 +0000 Anonymous 986350@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You are all sorted, as Angie would say. If all fails, try a longer stitch and adjust the tension down (less tension). That's how I do it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986308 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 21:58:12 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 986308@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I see you've got it covered. Great ideas here. I'd use steam-a-seam and a stretch stitch. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986264 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 20:28:46 +0000 Lantana 986264@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You guys are amazing! I've just badged you all solutions and could just as easily have badged you wisdom and boost as well.<br /> I realise there are several things I have done that have contributed to the lettucing, bunching and flipping you describe.<br /> I did fuse the hem but I realise now I made it too narrow, also, when I tried on the skirt the stitching 'cracked' and I figured I hadn't used a stretch stitch after all. I' ll have to go back to the manual and check on this.<br /> I don't have any length to work with, which is why I made a narrow hem. I don't fancy my chances of unpicking it successfully but I'll try.<br /> I will undo the " lettuced" hem and sew wide stretchy lace on to it, using a double needle, stretch stitch, looser tension and not pulling on the fabric at all.<br /> I've had the double needle sitting in my kit for years and never knew its purpose.<br /> I will look out for a walking foot next time I'm in the city.<br /> I trust you will see that I have incorporated all your excellent suggestions.<br /> Even if I succeed in achieving a flat hem this skirt is not ever going to be dressy enough for "good". The tee fabric doesn't have the hefty hand a skirt needs but I wanted to see how the stripe looked on me.<br /> What I really want is a Vince striped midi pencil skirt -your help encourages me to make a proper go of making a copy.<br /> I cant tell you how much I appreciate your solutions. You are all fab. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986228 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 19:53:22 +0000 abc 986228@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't sew but grew up watching my mom sew. Reading this thread brought back some fond memories so thanks, ladies! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986216 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 19:34:30 +0000 Sarah A 986216@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I *think* a walking foot can help the layers of knit not get stretched unevenly causing bunching when hemming. (It is on my to buy list for working with knits (along with blunt end knit specific needles) but I haven gotten it yet so I cant say for sure, my beginner machine wont take a double needle so you'll want to check on compatibility if you go that route). I've really enjoy others responses as well as I am still very much a beginner and learning sewing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986060 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 15:53:50 +0000 Elly 986060@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Are you using a sewing machine? If so, I would pick up what is called a "double needle" which sews two lines of top-stitching (the stitching you see on the outside/right side of a garment) at equal width apart, which makes the hem less likely to roll and also looks professionally finished. This tool is great for knits since it creates a stretchy type of stitch which is good for knits. </p> <p>Sometimes having a wider hem will help with flipping and rolling, and the very last attempt would probably be sewing the raw edge of the knit between some hem tape or bias tape and then heming the tape to to the body of the skirt&nbsp; to add some weight to the hem and make a crisper hem that shouldn't flip. It also won't stretch, so that is something to think about. Sometimes you can sew the raw edge to a piece of wider lace, then sew the lace up to the body of the garment as well. </p> <p>Having too tight of stitch tension on a knit fabric can create a taut hem that almost indents into knit fabric and that can be part of the reason for the flipping. </p> <p>Pinning and pressing the hem prior to sewing might help as well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-986044 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 15:22:26 +0000 charb 986044@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I use Steam-a-Seam (available at chain fabric stores) whenever I hem lightweight knits. Fuse up your hem, then stitch. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-985955 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 13:30:40 +0000 Vildy 985955@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>if you mean that you cut the original hem, then the fabric will roll. <br />Fold it under about an inch+ - you don't have to clean finish the edge of a knit -&nbsp; and stitch it&nbsp; once around and then you could stitch it once around again about a 1/4 inch away.&nbsp; You don't have to do the second row and I wouldn't do it until I tried on after the first row. </p> <p>When you sew a knit, don't hold the fabric taut behind and in front or you will get lettucing, rippling. Just let it lie smooth as it goes through the machine. Don't try to force it in any way. Sometimes it will want to lie and feed through in curve. Let it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-985938 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 12:55:06 +0000 Ornella 985938@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's one&nbsp;clever idea! I'll be watching this thread for the issue resolution.</p> <p>One thing that came to my mind is folding the seam to one side, then&nbsp;sewing over it so the stitching shows on the outside. Sorry i can't describe this better, I have no idea what that sort of seam is called in English.</p> <p></p> <p>ETA: Just googled it, i meant something like ths:&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlN8xpeTVuQ/UFnKzOPm8xI/AAAAAAAAF7Q/yRFXC1bJ17A/s1600/welt_seam_right_side.jpg">http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlN8.....right_side</a></p> <p></p> <p>Would it work for you?</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-quick-question-for-sewers#post-985887 Sat, 20 Jul 2013 11:28:04 +0000 Lantana 985887@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I turned a tee shirt into a tube skirt today and it would be OK except for the hem. It wont sit flat. Is this because of the fabric? (It is a nice soft jersey.)Or is there some method or thingummy I can use to make it lie flat?<br /> I'm hoping some of you fab sewers can help me out here. </p>