Tag: hemming

Hem Sewing Machine

A hem in sewing is a garment finishing method, where the edge of a piece of cloth is folded narrowly and sewn to prevent unraveling of the fabric.

During my teaching sessions I often see students (beginner level) struggling to keep the hem folded while they can sew it and for obvious reasons they do get stressed. So here are few tips and techniques that can help you hem comfortably making the whole process enjoyable and relaxing.

1. Pinning

Fold the edges based on the seam allowance you are working on using the pins and then hem.

2. Tacking

Fold the edges and do a long distant running stitch on it with a single thread. Once you are done with the hem simply remove the running stitch by pulling the end thread.

3. Ironing

You can fold the edges based on your seam allowance and iron on it. But this technique is more useful if you are dealing with stiffer fabric such as linen or cotton.

4. Fabric glue

There are lots of brands in the market like Sewing box, Quick sew etc. that would easily get hem folded while you sew them. However using the glue can get messy and make your fabric slightly stiff. Make sure to thin spread the glue.

Here is a simple recipe to make fabric glue right in your kitchen. All u need is some white flour and warm water. Just mix 1/2 teaspoon of flour in 4 tea spoon of warm or hot water. Mix it nicely and thoroughly to avoid any lumps . Once the paste is smooth apply it on the edges with a thin brush and press fold the hem.

Hope you found the information useful!

Happy sewing!

Kalpana Singh