Thread: Hemming stretch lace?

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I really love this costume. I wonder how hard it would be to hem? Any suggestions?

I'm no seamstress, but I would think you could do it by hand pretty easily. I would love to know where to get paisley lace, that is really cool.

Found some: Sexy Luxury Black Paisley Lace Fabric by the yards #515 | eBay

http://bluejayfabrics.com/Fabric_Sam...Collection.htm

I had never seen paisley lace before. I like it.

Stretch lace is a pain in the rear unless. You have either a serger or a cover stitch machine. Very pretty, tho.

Since it's straight up and down and not a lot of fabric, it should be pretty easy if done by hand.

{{{{HUGS}}}

I can't see it costing more than about $25 to have hemmed at your local tailor, if it comes to that. Someone who deals with bridal or prom wear should have all the right equipment.

Serger would be the easiest way, however you could sew some black trim to the hem,before you cut it. sew along the top of the trim, then cut the lace from the bottom. fold up the bottom of the trim and sew. So in the end you would envelope the lace hem in the trim fabric. it also helps to cut your trim on the bias.

If you don't have a serger, you can probably cheat with a narrow zigzag stitch, once you get the tension adjusted. Just run the stitch where you want the hem and trim off the other side of it when you're done. I'd guess the bigger problem may be keeping the lace from getting caught in the feed dogs, but you can use a stabilizer if the machine tries to eat the fabric (Making Sense of Stabilizers - Threads). If you use a thread like wooly nylon, it will preserve some of the elasticity of the fabric, too.

The hem is not a portion of this dress that needs to stretch, is it? Then it doesn't have to be treated as a stretching fabric so much. A hand or machine hem will be fine. I agree with Tourbeau's diagnosis of the feed dog problem, though; if it were me I would use some water-soluble stabilizer (like Solvy) to protect the fabric from that problem.

My concern with a stabilizer would be more to do with added weight than stretch. I suppose the water soluble would help, but I never can get it all out and do you really want to be washing just the hem to try to get it out? But stabilizer would be the lesser of evils if you have to use a sewing machine without retractable feed dogs. Just watch the tension!

Originally Posted by Lara L

My concern with a stabilizer would be more to do with added weight than stretch. I suppose the water soluble would help, but I never can get it all out and do you really want to be washing just the hem to try to get it out? But stabilizer would be the lesser of evils if you have to use a sewing machine without retractable feed dogs. Just watch the tension!

I've not had a problem with the Solvy on a looser weave fabic so long as I trim away whatever I can before hitting it with the water.

If the hem needs to be taken up quite a bit, I'd probably test a couple ideas on the trimmed-off portion first.

yes, tension... it's a problem whether you sew or not...

Originally Posted by tigerb

I've not had a problem with the Solvy on a looser weave fabic so long as I trim away whatever I can before hitting it with the water.

If the hem needs to be taken up quite a bit, I'd probably test a couple ideas on the trimmed-off portion first.

yes, tension... it's a problem whether you sew or not...

Ain't that the truth! What brand do you use? I've only used it a few times and it may well be the brand I ended up with.

The "Threads" article I linked recommended both heat-away and wash-away stabilizers for lace and other delicate fabrics. I've never tried the heat-away products, but they sound interesting. I assume you'd want to be careful with the heat-away stuff if you had heat-sensitive embellishments (sequins, acrylic gems, hot-fix stones, etc.) nearby, though.

Originally Posted by Lara L

Ain't that the truth! What brand do you use? I've only used it a few times and it may well be the brand I ended up with.

Sulky® Solvy : Stabilizer

I also keep some of their Tear-Easy around for when I start rolled hems on light silk. Sometimes a tiny piece helps get the end fed through safely.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

If you don't have a serger, you can probably cheat with a narrow zigzag stitch, once you get the tension adjusted. Just run the stitch where you want the hem and trim off the other side of it when you're done. I'd guess the bigger problem may be keeping the lace from getting caught in the feed dogs, but you can use a stabilizer if the machine tries to eat the fabric (Making Sense of Stabilizers - Threads). If you use a thread like wooly nylon, it will preserve some of the elasticity of the fabric, too.

When I was growing up, Ann Person was the Goddess who solved this problem! Using mainly a straight-stitch (featherweight) machine today, I still use her "stretch -n- sew" method.

When sewing the stretchy fabric, wear safety goggles and gently stretch the fabric as you feed it under the machine. This causes the stitches to fall at the stretched length, so that they don't tear. And, I tend to use lace hem binding for this (stretch sewing the binding halfway over the raw edge, then stretch sewing a second time to actually make the hem.

My Mom always swore I would thank her for sending me to those classes, and she was right! (dangit!)