Crafty Solutions: Lengthening a Hem
SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE CRAFTY SOLUTION TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR CLOTHING. SO BEFORE YOU THROW THAT GARMENT INTO THE CLOTHING BIN, THINK AGAIN – CAN YOUR CRAFTY TALENT GIVE IT A NEW LEASE OF LIFE? HERE’S MY LATEST CRAFTY SOLUTION.
By Judy Newman
Issue: This lovely lace dress was just a little too short for comfort. (Sorry – there’s no before picture – I didn’t think of it as something to share until I was halfway through the process!)
Problem: There was very little hem to let down.
Solution: I let the hem down to its full extent, then cut and joined a 5cm-wide strip of silk organza.
Step 1 A gathering stitch was run along one edge of the strip, then pulled up slightly to give a ruffle effect. No need for heirloom sewing here – the strip then just needed a zig-zag stitch to attach it to the bottom of the dress hem then another row of narrow zig-zag along the raw edge to prevent fraying. (Picture 1) |
Step 2 Then I dug into my stash and found some cotton lace that had been in the drawer for about 10 years and stitched that over the stitching along the hemline. I just love finally using something that’s been sitting around for that long!! (Picture 2) |
Step 3 Add another lace trim to the bottom edge of the organza. (Picture 3) |
Step 4 Trim any loose threads and stand back and admire. (Picture 4) |
Result: I think it looks lovely. Very pleased to have the dress back in action AND to have used up something from the cupboard… always a great way to justify buying more stuff.
Reward: A new lease of life for one little dress!
Share: If you have some crafty solutions, please share them. We’d love to hear about your clever fix ups, wardrobe renovations, or just good ideas.