Thread: how to make a lettuce edge hem (on silk)

Or I should ask is it POSSIBLE to make a lettuce edge hem on something like a half circle silk veil? Would the weight of the silk matter?

Could it be sewn beforehand and then dyed or would the dyeing and rinsing/drying process cause it to lose its shape?

i always thought it would be so pretty to have the hem like that..maybe there's an option besides lettuce edge?

Ohhh THAT would be pretty! Unfortunately I have no idea...

maybe with just a serger? I get lettuce looking edges on my chiffon with a serger.

do you think it would have to be done after dyeing a veil or would the shape hold during the dye process?

Good Lord, Jes, you've reached "Bow Down Before Me" status! Is there anything after that?
Yes I think to get the lettuce thing you have to make a very thin serged border that's stretching the edge of the fabric. And you'd have to do it on a cut edge; a selvedge wouldn't work because it wouldn't stretch.
Rosette

Originally Posted by jesennia

do you think it would have to be done after dyeing a veil or would the shape hold during the dye process?

I'd do a smaller test veil to see. I want to say it would hold because it was sewn that way, but my logic's not always the best. .w.: I get the lettuce edge by pulling the bias edge while it's being sewn. The advantage to sewing and then dying is if you use a cotton or silk thread it will match perfectly.

I think that's the way to do it, stretch as you serge the edge.

I've done it by stretching and using a serger-like stitch on my sewing machine. Unfortunately, not as pretty as a serger, but I also can't afford a serger right now.

I don't see why the dying process would alter the lettuce leaf look, but I also haven't done that myself to confirm that it will not.

The circle side will lettuce up, as will other bias cut hems. Hems on the straight will not lettuce. Bias has give and can be stretched out, that is why it will lettuce.

Because the fabric is stretched during the lettuce edge, it would probably survive dyeing, but of course the serger thread would need to be 100% silk or cotton depending on how you plan to dye.

However, lettuce edges often look uneven, which is part of their charm, and why they are often used on extremely full skirts and ruffles. A veil swirled through the air with a lettuce edge might be sacrificing the fluidity of the even edge.

Sometimes hems like this are done by sewing nylon fishing line onto the edge and then by pulling the nylon slightly to make it ripple more.

Originally Posted by Rosette

Good Lord, Jes, you've reached "Bow Down Before Me" status! Is there anything after that?
Yes I think to get the lettuce thing you have to make a very thin serged border that's stretching the edge of the fabric. And you'd have to do it on a cut edge; a selvedge wouldn't work because it wouldn't stretch.
Rosette

uh yeah..10,000 posts. what a thing to aspire to huh? i wish i could change the bow down message.

between this board and the nursing forum and etsy and all the other places i blabber, it's more than 10,000 i can guarantee

i consider it a profession..l;,

Originally Posted by jesennia

uh yeah..10,000 posts. what a thing to aspire to huh? i wish i could change the bow down message.

between this board and the nursing forum and etsy and all the other places i blabber, it's more than 10,000 i can guarantee

i consider it a profession..l;,

Maybe it should just say "Superglued to My Keyboard"

..l;,

Thin fishing wire or plastic filament sewn into a rolled hem with a zigzag stitch will hold the lettuce edge. It holds up thru washing and dry cleaning, I imagine it would hold up thru dying.

I used this technique many many years ago for ruffles and hems on wedding and bridesmaid dresses and veils back when ruffles and lettuce edged hems and veils were in style for wedding wear.