Thread: how to create a wired hem..without the wire

Costumers, is there a way to create the flouncy curly hemline (like the ones on the wired hem skirts Dahlal sells) but NOT using silk?


does anyone have instructions, or do you know if it's possible to create a curly hem on a large SILK half circle veil?

aloha, thanks!

[QUOTE does anyone have instructions, or do you know if it's possible to create a curly hem on a large SILK half circle veil?

aloha, thanks![/QUOTE]

To make a curly edge, also called 'lettuce edging' press or baste hem up about 1/4 inch. Then sew a small width, very close together zig zag stitch over the FOLDED edge,holding it fairly taut. Now the tricky part! with scissors, cut the excess fabric close to the stitching.
With some fabrics thats all you have to do, but I like to go over it after it's cut,with another row of small Zig zag satin stitch. If you need diagram, let me know!

PS. You can get this effect by using the rolled hem setting on a serger, but it's not as durable, or as curly.

Thanks for the question and for the answer! I'd love to see diagrams.

As far as I know, there are two basic strategies for making curly hems: ones involving the addition of a curling "agent" (wire, fishing line, horsehair braid, etc.), and ones involving stretching the fabric and using more thread in the hem than a flat stitch would use (Post #2). Any of these methods would affect the float of the veil edge, since they're going to add weight. I'm tempted to say you might get the best result by running a very loose hem (either rolling or a simple overlock) and threading the finest gauge memory wire or fishing line through hem, since that would be less bulky than the stretching/thread method, but I've never experimented to know for sure.

re-reading my post i'm glad you guys made sense of that..it's what happens when i post late and night and the brain is hopping around faster than the hands

ok i'm gonna give this a shot..yeah I figured it may add some weight to the ends of the veils but i've been wanting to try this lettuce edge thing on the half circles for a while now..possibly put it on the skirts too..I love the way it looks..

I know the store is empty but there's a lot of re-organization going on (when I'm not at nurse job) and I'm also working on about 10 new color designs

this hem line project I wonder if anyone is interested in taking a pair of dyed half circle veils and trying it out? I'm after a very flowery appearance..

You can create a fluted hem (i.e. mildy curly) on a circular edge by stretching the edge of the fabric as you overcast it. And I mean give it a very firm stretch. I do it with one hand holding behind the feed dogs and one in front of them. This stretches the fabric out slightly and makes the edge hang in a soft wavy pattern.

You don't need a wire to make the curly edge, but I'm not sure how durable it will be w/o wire. This look was really popular back in the day when I used to make bridal dresses and accessories. Everybody wanted wire ruffle veils.

The curly, almost ruffled effect comes from stretching the fabric as taut as possible while sewing the hem with an overlock or tight zig zag stitch.

The sections of hem cut on the bias with have more ruffle than the sections cut close to or on the grain. To get a nice, evenly ruffled hem on a skirt I used 1/4 circle panels (instead of the usual 1/2 circle) cut slightly off-grain, leaving the whole panel on a slight bias.

The wire inside the hem keeps the fabric stretched into smooth arcs. Without the wire the smooth arcs might collapse into flattened crumples. Especially on something like a dance veil that gets whipped around a lot.

Nothing helpful to say, but I'll be a tester once you get one made

thanks for the input, it's worth a try

I second ssipes.
Any fabric with a slight stretch - silk cut on the bias perhaps?
Use your serger and pull very tight as you run it through and you will get a lettuce edge. I do this on mesh all the time.