How to Hem a Dress| 5 Steps to Get It Just Right

Have you ever hemmed a dress only to have it come out uneven? One side is shorter than the other. In this tutorial, I am going to tell you how to hem a dress. Hemming a dress can be easy if you use the right techniques and follow along with my step-by-step instructions.

Using a dress that fits you well, trace out the hem using an erasable pen on the dress.

If you don’t have a dress that fits, use a piece of paper as a guide to measure the length you want your skirt to end at.

Cut off the hem on your dress or paper and then fold over 1 inch of fabric so that the raw edges are hidden. Iron down this fold and pin in place, making sure you pin at least 3 inches away from where you will be sewing.

Using a straight stitch and matching thread, sew along your marked line with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Turn up the edge, iron it flat and then topstitch about 1/2 inch from the edge of the hem.

If you’re not sure how wide to make your hem, try on your skirt and then mark how much excess fabric there is at each side seam before measuring straight down from there to make your hem circumference measurement (this will be longer than your waist circumference). Then add 2 inches for seam allowances and cut off any excess fabric after sewing up both sides of each seam (if there’s any).

Trim the excess fabric off of your dress.

You should have a nice, clean line where the fabric stops. I like to use pinking shears because they add a decorative touch.

Now you’re ready to sew!

Sewing Tips

-Use a long stitch length when sewing your dress. This will help keep the stitching from coming out and prevent rips from forming. It also makes it easier to take out stitches if you need to make alterations later on.

-Use thread in a matching color for your dress as much as possible. It’s easiest on both you and your machine!

-If you aren’t using a matching color, use matching thread in at least one color so that it blends in with your dress better.

-You can also use clear thread if you want something more subtle than white or tan yarns. Just remember that clear thread will show through any holes or tears in your fabric, so don’t use it if there is any chance of it getting caught on something sharp (or if there are sharp things like buttons or sequins on your dress).

Fold the hem up by 1/2 inch, pin it in place and sew along it.

Sewing on the hem is a simple process that you can do with a basic sewing machine. You’ll need to fold the hem up by 1/2 inch, pin it in place and sew along it.

To begin, fold the hem up by 1/2 inch. The seam allowance should be 1/4 inch. Pin the folded edge in place so that it doesn’t slip out of place while you’re sewing.

Sewing on a straight stitch, sew along the pinned edge from the bottom up to about 1/8 inch from where you want your hem to end. Stop here and backstitch for strength before continuing to sew away from yourself until you reach the starting point again, where there are still two pins holding down your folded edge. Remove the two pins, then pull out your bobbin thread so that only your top thread remains in place (as shown).

Take out your needle and turn over your garment so that its right side faces up. Stitch along this edge again until you reach the end point where there’s still just one pin holding down your folded edge — this time you don’t need to remove any pins because they’re already out of the way!

Turn over your hem and fold again so that no raw edge is showing. Iron in place.

If you are working with a fabric that frays easily, like linen or silk, you can use a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine to finish the raw edge of the hem.

If your fabric is delicate and prone to fraying, use pinking shears to cut the edges before folding them under.

Pin the hem in place and topstitch close to the folded edge of the hem. A blind stitch is an invisible stitch (meaning you can’t see it) that is used for sewing hems or attaching facings to garments.

Fold down one side of your hem so that it overlaps about 1/4″ from the other side and pin into place.

Using a blind stitch, sew along the raw edge of your fabric where it overlaps itself (1). Make sure not to catch any fabric from inside!

Hand-stitch along the inner folded edge.

The finished size of my bag is 7 inches wide, 4 inches tall and 1 inch deep.

Cut a piece of fabric that is 8 x 10 inches.

Fold in half lengthwise and press. Open up your folded fabric and fold it in half width-wise. Press again. Fold in half again length-wise and press, creating a center crease along the entire length of your fabric strip.

Turn your fabric strip over so that the wrong side faces up (the side with no folds) and fold one end down about 1/2 inch from the top edge and pin it in place so that it stays put while you sew. Unfold the rest of your strip so that it is completely unfolded with all four sides visible with no folds or pinning along any edges to hold them down (so you see four open sides).

Making clothes fit better is easier than you may think!

You’ve probably heard that it’s better to have clothes made to measure than to buy off the rack. But even if you can’t afford bespoke tailoring, there are ways to make your clothes fit better without spending a lot of money.

Here are some tips for making clothes fit better:

Choose the right size

When shopping online or in department stores, choose the size that fits best over all your other clothing. If you’re trying on a shirt or jacket, try it on over a shirt that fits well and then compare how much larger or smaller it is than what you’re used to wearing. Once you know how much roomier or tighter each size is compared with what you normally wear, take that into account when ordering online.

Shop in person at specialty shops where salespeople can help you find the right fit. Many specialty stores offer free alterations for their customers if you purchase an item from them, especially if they feature European designs (like Zara) or brands that require special sizing (like Levis). If they don’t offer free alterations, ask if they can give you a discount on alterations if they’re not included in the price of the item (some will).