Alterations
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Fig.5 |
In an effort to simplify the process, I came up with
this sort of rig which allowed the dress to hang just to the left of my
machine (Fig.5). This way I figured I could work on the hems without
even having to completely remove the protective plastic, and without
having to move a bunch of this delicate fabric around. To me, sewing is
as much about planning and making things easier to accomplish, than it
is about the act itself. Often, mistakes happen when good sewing is done
out of order, or without adequate forethought.
My next
step was to sew a zigzag stitch around each of the three layers of
fabric at exactly five inches from the original hem. To accomplish this,
I actually marked on my machine where the 5" was (Fig.6), and went
around each part of the new dress hem. This way, I would get a nice
smooth even stitch, and the edges would stay together, with minimal
fraying, while I sewed the fold around the bottom of each.
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Fig.6 |
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Fig.7 |
After I had
made the zig-zag stitches around each of the skirt parts of the dress, I
took my trusty sharp shears, and cut just below the new stitches about
an 1/8" of an inch (Fig.7). From there, all that was left to do was to
pin the fold around each hem, with the zig-zag stitch hidden neatly
inside, giving added strength to the eventual single stitch that would
hold each hem in place.
Unfortunately,
my customer was pressed for time when she picked up her altered gown,
so I don't have final pictures. Via text, I was told it was great but a
little short. This is why shoes MUST be worn at a fitting of this kind.
The learning never stops.
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