Monday 31 January 2011

Hemming Sheer Fabric Tutorial

I am, at the moment, swimming in fluffly, shimmery, very sheer, very slippery fabrics, a.k.a Organza - yikes!!


As I am working, in my eagerness to sew using organza, I realised hemming it is a an issue, a HUGE one for me! I mean the usual press and turn won't work and organza frays like crazy!

So I experimented a few techniques, using different presser feet and managed to put up this tutorial. I hope it is useful to another adventurous sewing friend out there, braving sheer fabrics for the first time like me. Pay attention to caption notes I wrote under the pics. Enjoy! :)



You want a SMALL zig zag stitch length. This is what I used on my Singer Confidence.

No need to pin...Keep rolling/folding the fabric edge as you sew. Do it slowly :)
 

The result - rolled hem using regular multipurpose feet.


Let's try and see....

Somehow, the result is better using the regular foot  :)


After a lot of trial and error and this experiment, I personally feel that hemming organza using a sewing machine is neater and more uniformed. You'd see some bits of fabric fray on them, just trim it and you'd achieve a nice result.

BUT, because I'm churning 3 gowns over here - I am opting for the serger rolled hem this time aound, purely because it's faster. So again, it's a matter of personal preference.

I hope you like the tutorial, have a great day! :)

54 comments:

  1. This is the best sewing tip! Thank you so much!

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  2. You rock! I tried using my rolled hem foot; crazy stupid. So, I looked it up and found your page. Thank you for taking the stress out of my project. <3 <3 <3

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  3. this is VERY helpful,i've never sewn with sheer fabric but really want too,the only thing preventing me from doing so was how to hem it. Now i know how! thanks so much!

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  4. Happy to help, thanks for dropping by! :)

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  5. Farida Purnaminingrum11 November 2013 at 22:40

    i always think think rolled hem foot is rock, (many tutorial said that). but your tutorial said in other way, and more easy.. i have to try it. thanks for sharing.

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  6. Thank you! I don't own a serger and was a little panicked when my daughter chose an organza for her homecoming dress. I was even toying with just cutting it and using fray check. Now I can finish her dress.

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  7. You're welcome I'm sure the dress turned out pretty! :)

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  8. With sheer fabrics I love to use a "walking" presser foot. I started using a walking presser foot about a year ago...it changes everything. Adding trims is so much easier with the walking foot. Also, when I start a new project I put a new needle in the machine.

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  9. Great tips! I have the walking foot but only use it for quilts or thicker fabric I didn't know we can use it for sheers! Will try it thanks! :)

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  10. It looks like in the 2 photos where you show a close up of the fabric and foot that the fold of organza goes OVER TOP the left notch of the foot. Am I looking at it right? Is that the important part in making this work?

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  11. I had a sheer polyester blouse to shorten and hem. I'd been so afraid of ruining the material and, thus, the blouse that I hadn't done anything. Thanks to a Google search on hemming sheer fabrics, I found your tutorial. You made it sound easy so I tried it. It turned out GREAT! I had no problems at all. thanks for posting.

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  12. I had a sheer polyester blouse to shorten and hem. I'd been so afraid of ruining the material and, thus, the blouse that I hadn't done anything. Thanks to a Google search on hemming sheer fabrics, I found your tutorial. You made it sound easy so I tried it. It turned out GREAT! I had no problems at all. thanks for posting.

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  13. Question: whenever I try to do a rolled hem with my serger I get a lettuce edge (which I don't want). Does this make it lettuce-y at all? Thanks!

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  14. Question: whenever I try to do a rolled hem with my serger I get a lettuce edge (which I don't want). Does this make it lettuce-y at all? Thanks!

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  15. Hi! I think it would also depend on the fabric used..it did not produce a very obvious lettuce edge on the organza for me. And we should not pull the fabric (at the back of the plate), let it roll on its own. Hope that helps! :)

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  16. Hi! I think it would also depend on the fabric used..it did not produce a very obvious lettuce edge on the organza for me. And we should not pull the fabric (at the back of the plate), let it roll on its own. Hope that helps! :)

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  17. Happy this has helped Sue! :)

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  18. Happy this has helped Sue! :)

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  19. Kena tukar tapak kalau nak buat rolled hem ni dear :)

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  20. Hi Clara! Yes, you fold over top towards the left side. Just s tiny fold, the stitch will roll it over & tighten it. Make sure you try on some scrap fabric first! :)

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  21. Hi Clara! Yes, you fold over top towards the left side. Just s tiny fold, the stitch will roll it over & tighten it. Make sure you try on some scrap fabric first! :)

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  22. I did try it and I was pleased, and such a big time saver! I have to sew three layers at 7 yards each (21 yards) just for one dress. I really was careful not to pull, but it lettuce-edged anyway. However, that unintended result was fine and will work nicely. Organza has a really stretchy bias which makes it hard not to lettuce-edge! However, I can proceed with the remaining 14 yards with confidence now because it looks so nice and is fairly easy! Thanks.

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  23. I did try it and I was pleased, and such a big time saver! I have to sew three layers at 7 yards each (21 yards) just for one dress. I really was careful not to pull, but it lettuce-edged anyway. However, that unintended result was fine and will work nicely. Organza has a really stretchy bias which makes it hard not to lettuce-edge! However, I can proceed with the remaining 14 yards with confidence now because it looks so nice and is fairly easy! Thanks.

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  24. And I just bought one of those after your last post about feet! Thanks!!

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  25. wow!! thank you for the great show and tell..
    I'd be in a fowl mood if I had to work with anything as slippery and as cunning as organza.. but they do look very girly and pretty.. can't wait to see the end product..

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  26. wow!! thank you for the great show and tell..
    I'd be in a fowl mood if I had to work with anything as slippery and as cunning as organza.. but they do look very girly and pretty.. can't wait to see the end product..

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  27. great post! thanks for sharing :)

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  28. Thanks for sharing

    the truth is I always fail with rolled hem too...:)

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  29. Thanks for sharing

    the truth is I always fail with rolled hem too...:)

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  30. Zura,
    i tak penah rolled hem utk organza, i hantar kedai suruh diorg kelim yg halus tu..mcm kelim tudung..
    yours ni cantik dan uniformed je..blh cuba lenkali, kalau2 menjahit organza lagi..haha..fobia.

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  31. Zura,
    i tak penah rolled hem utk organza, i hantar kedai suruh diorg kelim yg halus tu..mcm kelim tudung..
    yours ni cantik dan uniformed je..blh cuba lenkali, kalau2 menjahit organza lagi..haha..fobia.

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  32. dear, i know nothing about sewing. but i sure know that those sweet colors of organza sure look pretty. i never realized sewing them is really tricky. he3! good luck in ur endeavor. can hardly wait for ur post when it's ready. i just know that it's gonna be smashing :-)

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  33. Very nice. keep sharing.

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  34. Very nice. keep sharing.

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  35. Very nice. keep sharing.

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  36. Oh, thanks for that! I just LOVE it when the good old basics win the day. Your 'Singer Confidence' sounds like a fab old machine! (I love old Singers.)

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  37. Oh, thanks for that! I just LOVE it when the good old basics win the day. Your 'Singer Confidence' sounds like a fab old machine! (I love old Singers.)

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  38. Oh, thanks for that! I just LOVE it when the good old basics win the day. Your 'Singer Confidence' sounds like a fab old machine! (I love old Singers.)

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  39. This is great! I am working with organza right now and had the same concern!

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  40. This is great! I am working with organza right now and had the same concern!

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  41. This is great! I am working with organza right now and had the same concern!

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  42. Am glad to help thank you for dropping by! :)

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  43. Haha thank you Jane! Yup my trusted ol Singer, nothing fancy here but always works like a charm :)

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  44. Will do! Thanks saranya! :)

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  45. Hey luv! Will definitely post about the gowns...lots of work but hugely rewarding for me :)

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  46. Hey luv! Will definitely post about the gowns...lots of work but hugely rewarding for me :)

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  47. Hey luv! Will definitely post about the gowns...lots of work but hugely rewarding for me :)

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  48. Hehe...ingat your email ari tu ekeke....haa try le rolled hem ni senang je...I tak antar kedai coz kat sini mana boleh siap cepat jenuh menunggu siap and I'm the impatient type coz maklumlah selalu wat keje last minute huhu :D

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  49. thanks for sharing de info...pnat guna mesin singer....but never used for rolled hem...kena tukar tapak ker? he3...masih belajar lagi nie....

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