How to Temporarily Hem a Jersey Maxi Dress

baseballmom94

I just bought a black jersey maxi dress and want to wear it for my son's graduation party this weekend, however, it is an inch too long. With a party for 200 people to prepare for, I don't have time to have a tailor do it -- is there any way that I can temporarily hem the dress? I thought of hem tape but I think that may be more permanent and leave a residue. How about duct tape or masking tape? Any experience or advice would be very much appreciated!

13 years ago

Dressing

11 replies

Latest reply was from Nadya

Nadya

Veteran

Fashion tape should work: it's less permanent than hem tape and the residue washes right off. I buy it at fabric stores.

13 years ago

Anonymous

I agree with Nadya, I was going to suggest double sided parcel tape or similar. Just don't get the iron near the tape! I would trim off the bottom neatly first, apply the tape , then press firmly with finger tips all round trying not to twist the fabric. Good luck.

13 years ago

baseballmom94

Active Member

Thank you so much, Nadya and Diane G. My only concern with the fashion tape is that I have bought the "Hollywood" fashion tape in the past and it never worked for me -- not sure why. Is there a better brand? Thank you!

13 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

I've used "Hollywood" fashion tape to hold cloth together and it's worked like a dream. Too bad it doesn't work with my skin that well.

If you have time, maybe you could do a quick test and compare a few different ones with the dress.

13 years ago

Rachel

(website)

Active Member

I might be totally off, because you might want only non-sewing solutions, but basting the hem up with a quick whipstitch could work! If you use a similar-colored thread, it'll be pretty invisible from the outside, and if the temporary hem just has to survive one party, you can get away with only putting, say, one stitch every half inch.

Since it's a temporary hem, I would just fold the existing hem under until it's short enough and then stitch it down-- let the tailor do the trimming when you have the time.

http://www.ehow.com/video_4940.....titch.html

13 years ago

KikiG

Veteran

What Rachel said. Just do a bad, quick job with big stitches. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes.

13 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

3rd what Rachel said. Duct or masking tape are both too stiff and are going to leave you with a hem that looks weird and stiff. A quick whip stitch isn't great for long term, but it is going to look a lot better than tape or pins.

Ooooh, just did a quick Google search and found Wash Away Wonder Tape mentioned. Maybe it would work? Check it on Amazon.

However, just keep in mind that if you consider the time it will take you to get the stuff and get the hem done with it, you probably will have spent enough time to whip stitch this one dress.

13 years ago

Abie

Veteran

I would baste it. I would do it by machine, matching thread and longest stitch length. It would be really easy to do by hand too.

13 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

Be careful using a machine to sew on jersey. In my experience, it's been a harder fabric to sew.

13 years ago

Traci

Veteran

An idea to try, I have a midi length jersey dress that I needed to bring up a couple of inches on the fly. I decided it had to happen on my drive to work. I stopped at Walgreens and bought a pack of large safety pins. Along the seam on each side of the dress by the hem I fed, almost like a long basting stitch, the material onto the safety pin. I probably brought about 5 inches of fabric gathered to one inch. It took that much gathering to bring the front and back middle up an inch or two. It gave a gente curve to the hemline and got me through the day feeling more in proportion. You'd have to give it a try to see if the shape works for you.

13 years ago

Nadya

Veteran

I do use the Hollywood fashion tape that comes in the little tin. If I press firmly its worked well for me, but I understand it may not be your friend :-).

13 years ago

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