DIY Hemming v.1

before

By popular request, a DIY is finally here. This how-to works best on circle dresses or skirts... basically a skirt that has one seam and when fanned out, looks like a circle. Just a note of warning, my techniques aren't exactly professional or even completely logical at times, but they work for me and hopefully will for you too!

How to hem a long circle dress/skirt:

What you will need:

• Sewing shears
• Ruler
• Straight pins
• Marking chalk
• Flat surface (I use an old drawing board)

step 1: Fold the skirt up to how short you want it. Pin up the excess and check the length in a mirror.

step 2: Remove the dress and mark your cutting line by measuring 1/2" down from where you pinned it. For example, I wanted 9" off the bottom, so I marked it at 8.5" to leave room to sew the new hem. If you want a wider hem, measure further away from the pin.

step 3: Measure all around the skirt and mark the cutting line.

step 4: The scary part! Cut along your marked cutting line and follow the original hem shape as much as possible.

step 5: Spread out the skirt and make sure it lines up front and back. Trim as needed to get it even.

step 6: Fold over the fabric and pin it. If your fabric irons well (mine didn't at all), iron the edge to create a sharp crease. This would also be a good time to try on the dress again to make sure the length is to your liking (be careful of the pins)

step 7: Sew along your new hem completely around the skirt. I wanted a thin space between the stitches and the edge, so I sewed 1/8" away from the needle. If you want a wider hem, sew further away from the edge.

step 8: After you've sewed all around your new hem, trim the excess thread.

And the result...

after

Buy It Here

I hope this guide is easy to follow. Definitely let me know if you guys have any Q's or suggestions to how I can make it easier. In addition to the hemming, I also changed up the sleeves a bit and made them shorter. Please excuse my mosquito bitten legs in the 'after' photos. My normal downtown Saturday night ended up being an adventure through a tiny town and into a camp site in the middle of the woods (long story), and of course inappropriately dressed for the occasion.