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From: Helen Weiss
Date: 07-28-2004, 12:15 PM (1 of 7)
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After struggling with the hem on a long gown, I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for making this job easier. My client's gown was 6 inches too long and standing on my head for half an hour is no fun. Does that wackey floor gismo for marking hems work? I've often looked at them...
sewhappy
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User: Helen Weiss
Member since: 10-16-2003 Total posts: 69 |
From: paroper
Date: 07-28-2004, 06:53 PM (2 of 7)
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You need to get a box and elevate your client. In our high school home ec class there was a tall round pill box looking thing that we would stand on to mark each other's dresses. In our house, we have a two step stairway. I stand the person whose clothing I am altering at the top I sit on the step. I just happen to be lucky enough that there are three doors at the top of this little stairway, so I have mirrors on those doors giving me a great advantage. I can make alterations and they can see and discuss what alterations need to be made as I work.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Helen Weiss
Date: 07-28-2004, 08:12 PM (3 of 7)
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Great suggestion. I too have a staircase near my fitting room - I would never have thought of such a simple solution. A bouquet of roses to you!
sewhappy
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User: Helen Weiss
Member since: 10-16-2003 Total posts: 69 |
From: paroper
Date: 07-28-2004, 09:07 PM (4 of 7)
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Thank you! I LOVE roses! How did you know? Actually, with a bad back, you do all kinds of things to make it a little easier!
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Holly Berry
Date: 07-30-2004, 07:13 AM (5 of 7)
I just use a kitchen chair or the cedar trunk at the end of my bed.
Holly Berry
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User: Holly Berry
Member since: 09-10-2003 Total posts: 77 
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From: MariLynnTX
Date: 08-10-2004, 03:08 PM (6 of 7)
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I don't have a stairway, but back when Idid a lot of custom sewing, I had a small backless step stool, 3 steps, and I had my customers stand on it and I sat on a stool to pin up long skirts. Then I would stitch with a straight stitch all around the marked or pinned edge, trim off the extra, and either finish the hem like a shirt-tail hem or with a fancy stitch from my Pfaff machine, according to whatever the owner of the skirt wanted. If you sew a decorative stitch with two threads through the needle (use a larger size than usual) it put a very nice and more defined finish on the hem. MariLynntx
Life is a song...we give it harmony or dissonance.
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User: MariLynnTX
Member since: 08-13-2001 Total posts: 256 |
From: paroper
Date: 08-10-2004, 05:22 PM (7 of 7)
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Generally speaking if I am just shortening a gown or hemming a skirt to about the same length, I try to duplicate the same basic type of hem that was in them in the first place. If, however I am shortening a gown to a length that is drastically different, I tend to use a more traditional type of hem.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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