How to Fix a Hem that you Cut too Short, correct mistake, repair hem, lengthen skirt, sewing fixes

[@mistagqarmani]

The steam and pull saved the day! I made a wedding dress and it was my first time working with acetate fabric. I marked the hem to the floor and cut and hemmed of the dress as I always do. The bride put dress on and it was about 2 inches shorter than it should have been. Your channel was the first place I went to look for a fix. In the next fitting we did the steam and pull method which caused the hem dropped all the way back down to where it should have been. I can't thank you enough!!!

[@rebekahmarks8292]

I also remind the bride to keep her chin up while I'm pinning the hem. They always want to look down to see what we're doing, and that changes the hemline.

[@BridalSewing]

Yaaaaaas!! "On Repeat!"

[@sueiverson258]

Omg yes. Look straight ahead is on a replay loopcoming out of my mouth!

[@BridalSewing]

@Sue Iverson, we seriously need to meet. I think we were separated at birth. Lol

[@sueiverson258]

@@BridalSewing that would be fun. Have been doing this since1984 so have lots of war stories and I bet you have a couple too!

[@amandawhite6086]

Yes! Constantly reminding brides to look straight ahead haha

[@ericagiles2035]

Happy to see this video!! I have just learned not to trust that dang organza. It will inevitably be short in one spot on the front panel, usually where one of the bias grains is. Trust those pins is right. I will sometimes compare my hem from side to side to itself and even it... sometimes helpful... sometimes not. I have had to use the steam and pull trick on organza for sure. No more evening for me. Trust those pins once and for all! Another tricky fabric I have found is a bouncy net that is much much to long. I’ve had several dresses that were net and had a foot of hem that we were taking off. The weight of the net pulls it down! I’ve had to cut them 1” To 3/4” longer too in order to get the desired length because once the weight is gone they bounce up. Keep up the videos! Love them!!

[@iheartbridalcouture5989]

Right on target with every hem!! I have done it only twice that I can remember. Once on a tulle gown. I had her come try it on again for another fitting after I steamed and pulled it to death lol. It worked. The idea came from when I had worked at a high end ladies dept store that had a Bridal dept. The other was a knit prom gown. I steamed it too. And took out the edged hem. I learned my lesson very early with chiffon on a custom bridal gown I was making. Thank God I had extra chiffon at my disposal lol. I just swiped out the front panel. This next one wasn't my fault or theirs it was just a prom gown that wasn't long enough. It was alencon black lace So I just bought a few tubes of those tulle trims and gathered them and sewed it to the under skirt. It peeked out liked it belonged there after I hemmed the lace up so that about 2 inches of the tulle showed. She was ecstatic!! She twirled around in it. I was happy she was happy. So much great press word of mouth. Lol Btw I had to change my profile name. I'm formerly Rita DivineBridal Keep up the good work!! I find myself nodding while you talk all the time!! Amen- ing your points. ❤❤❤😷😷😷

[@MarissaJOAT]

Very Clever Girl bottom part of your comment is. Cute lol Amen -ing

[@iheartbridalcouture5989]

@@MarissaJOAT Thanks. God has led me so many times to be creative in my sewing. He's given me ideas also on how to make my sewing business better. 💜💜💜

[@MarissaJOAT]

O my goodness you are stinking creative I love the end of the video... I would hug you right now but sorry I have to practice social distancing 😂😂❤️ so AIR HUG!!

[@smcarney]

Thank you. I came here specifically looking for something to fix the hem on this dress. She's not unhappy with it, but I am.

[@ruthcline5465]

So many good tips! Thanks ❤️ I have the very best (consistent) results by pinning at the floor for every layer beginning with the innermost lining. Depending on my customers choice if finished length, I slightly raise or lower as I go around and turn each pin vertically. First, I sew the narrowest hem I can manage, knowing 1/8” is average for me. I carefully trim away the excess length as close as possible to the stitch line. Then simply roll the narrow hem once more and stitch right on top of the first line of stitches. I get a perfect hem every time. It doesn’t seem to matter what the fabric is, for me this simple technique works well. I do use a lot of pins to keep the circle curve true and NEVER rely on measuring from the bottom of the original hem. That’s a recipe for disaster. Does anyone else sew hems this way PS I adjust my tension for stretchy fabrics since the bobbin thread is going to be on the outside and always use the appropriate needle for the fabric.

[@lynnevincenttowear8865]

This is exactly what I do. I mark the floor for every layer.

[@michellecothrun1048]

Excellent tips! Wow - I learned a lot! Glad I watched this Before cutting a chiffon dress I need to hem. I can't assume the hem was done incorrectly when I see a wonky hem on the table. Now I know why it takes two or three fittings for a so called simple hem! Thank you for sharing your expertise!!

[@IWasntDoneYet]

I had a customer who ordered a dress online, it was 2" too short but she was so attached to the dress that I added a satin band in a slight contrast fabric and made it an extra style feature. Wish I had seen this video first, you make the impossible seem plausible with so many tricks up your sleeve!!

[@MarissaJOAT]

Did I ever tell you that I love you?

[@teresa9188]

I warned my friend I don’t sew that well, but she insisted I help her out with the alterations in her bride of the groom dress: bra cups, straps shortened and hem. I think she was telling a little white lie when she said it came out perfect. There wasn’t time for a hem check, so I never saw the dress back on her. But, As I watched this video I realize I did not consider that shortening shoulder straps lifted the dress.....so it MUST have been too short. Soo silly for me not to think about that. (Glad I did it for free).

[@amandawhite6086]

Great video! Such practical tips. I love the one about adding some material at the waist under the lace!

[@juliewhite6887]

Great tutorial, as always. Thank you for sharing!

[@cesareduardoglzf]

Thank you so much, your diagrams taught me a LOT. 💕

[@PamelaCollins-xn2pu]

I really enjoyed this video

[@Didi-yu4zy]

Thank God! I never had that problem! I never pin dress if customer doesn’t have shoes on her! Never! You are awesome! Thank you!

[@debiperkins]

No shoes. No hem. You gotta come back. I had one grandmother who made the hour trip to my house twice. Don't you know that was a miserable ride to get the shoes, and the ride home. 4 hours total. Bet she NEVER forgets the. Again. 😣😁

[@engien460]

I absolutly love your video ..thank you very much .my friend here that i purchased sewi g mashine and jump with idea thar i will sew for her a wedding gown ....o m g i send her this video so she will understand what horror its is when you ar ebeginner to say no to friend on a big day like this ....maybe she get complexity of it ...she now change a dare for a year later bcs of covid ..hope she pick up the skils of sewing herself hahah so i dont need have nightmares

[@valentinaufimzeff3527]

Great video! Thank God I’ve never had that issue yet but great suggestions. I wanted to share my tip working with any chiffon gown. I never trust manufacturer and the fabric being so finicky, I found that pinning the whole hem takes way too long. So the bride always has her shoes on and I just cut the bottom on her, leaving a little extra for rolling the hem. It’s so fast and the hem is always perfect length. Girls, try it and let me know if it’s a yay or nay for you💕. BST, always love your videos

[@BridalSewing]

That's actually the way I do it, but it's not the way I *teach* it, if that makes sense. There's too much risk involved for new seamsters to cut on the gown of a standing bride. Sometimes, I have to pin it, but most of the time I cut while standing.

[@valentinaufimzeff3527]

Bridal Sewing Techniques that’s awesome. True, a lot comes with experience

[@bobbinsew]

That’s the way I do it too, I find that even the silk pins can cause distortion and add weight. My only problem is my back and knees are starting to show their age! 🤣

[@smcarney]

I find it scares my brides to cut in front of them.

[@BridalSewing]

I def have to coach them through it sometimes.

[@art2wearstudio]

My only really bad short hem was a prom dress from last season. The skirt of the dress was a very full taffeta style with crinoline underskirts. Because the client was really tall, I didn't notice that she did not put on her shoes - her feet were far out of sight under here skirt. Needless to say that her hem was exactly short by the 3" height of her shoes. She decided that it was OK and she would wear flat shoes because her date was shorter anyway. I offered to buy new shoes for her because I felt so bad. I never forget now to check if shoes are on for fittings.

[@mariaduszak2973]

What a kind thing to do, Im always amazed what hurdles we can go trough smoothly if we're just nice to eachother. I'm pretty sure in my country, 90% of seamstresses would opt to yell and blame the client instead.

[@BelgraphicaStudio]

thank goodness for this video. i got a complaint that the BM dress was too short. I know I measured it correctly, but your description helped me understand that when I hemmed it on the machine, I likely stretched it horizontally (i know I did because i made the hem really small and tight) and if I just steam it and pull down, I should get the length back. i lost about 1" or less.

[@conniemoody5063]

You are so right about not trusting chiffon!

[@kristiyourweddingdresser6716]

great video! I always pin .5-1 inch below where I think she wanting it. It leaves me room and sometimes they like the longer romantic look. Trust your PINS! :)

[@yreneromogannon9174]

I’m addicted to your videos! My future daughter-in-law wants me to make her gown. I’ve only sewn for myself, I’m not a professional, I have made my own dresses, some with lace overlays, I’ve made costumes etc but never made a wedding dress. If you were going to give me one piece of advice (I know there’s lots!) but I don’t want to waste your time….what would that be? Thank you so much!!

[@BridalSewing]

Dig in. Have fun. Don't be scared. It's only fabric. You can get more if you have to!

[@rosejacks8662]

Very helpful tutorial! Thank you so much 🤣

[@Renakares]

really appreciate you

[@trishhester6905]

I always remind myself to trust my pins, they never lie! It's scary to follow them when they appear to be off but once a body is in it, it's like magic!

[@paulasiefert2059]

Would you consider sewing an open weave fabric with tissue paper under it?

[@juliewhite6887]

Great tutorial, as usual :)!!

[@sueiverson258]

Excellent video! Worst case I ever saw was luckily not my fault. A bride brought in a dress for rescue after someone else had messed it up. It was a bias cut silk charmeuse architectural gown with no lace and it was hemmed (badly I might add) about 3 inches too short. I tried steaming it down but to no avail. Luckily the seamstress had cut off the dress in a continuous line instead of hacking it up and I sewed the old hem to the dress lining. Voila! Not only was it even prettier than the original it really looked intentional because it went so well with the original design. After seeing that I developed my "sneak up on it" technique for bias gowns. Has saved me many times from unhappy brides and extra expense!

[@BridalSewing]

I call it that exact thing!! I tell my brides all the time, "We're gonna sneak up on it." I say thins to explain why we have to hem in increments sometimes.

[@sueiverson258]

@@BridalSewing oddly what I do is a little different. When I have bodice stuff satisfactory where I feel comfortable hemming I put my bride up on the pedestal and mark a with a pin a specific amount from the floor then I cut off a few inches on the bottom about half of what I think I will need to cut off. Then I let them relax for a few minutes and fluff the gown a few times. I then measure how much it has shrunk by measuring where the pin is now. Then I will cut off a bit more and repeat until I am close to where it needs to be and then I pin. It works for me. I worked in a place where multiple fittings were considered a waste of time so I got good at condensing things.

[@lisavaniderstine6212]

You need more videos! Serger troubleshooting

[@kathydekker8324]

Ok I have a question. What do you do with a bride that gains weight (because it doesn't take much to throw off a fitted gown) just before the wedding and now you have to let things out or lenthen a hem because of it? I've had this a often enough and I try to say nicely that now that the gown has been fitted there wont be an option to gain weight..regardless of the pre-parties. Please any advice is appreciated.

[@BridalSewing]

I leave a dress where it can be easily adjusted until the final adjustment fitting. If it requires more than a small, quick adjustment, example; a gusset is needed, then they are charged for a new alteration. Here's a few record keeping things that you should consider working into your work flow. When you have their initial consult, you should record the date & her measurements on the contract. That gives you and her a way to track her size throughout the process. Also- make sure you take pictures before, mid-process, and after. This helps so much!!

[@rayhanadadabhay1885]

Hi! Thank You for your excellent videos. I have a brocade A line that’s about 1.5cm short. Can I lengthen it, bride wants to wear heels

[@BridalSewing]

It depends on how much hem allowance there is. (That's the extra fabric at the end of the hem.) You can DM me pics @bridalsewing on instagram.

[@laurastahl6336]

With the added precautions, and all of your tips... how do you price the work on a bridal gown hem? ( and other alterations) Do you use a formula, charge by the hour? Can you do a chart so that I am not cheating myself in the alterations? This has been the best subscription ever!!! Thank you :)

[@BridalSewing]

Check out my schedule blocking/ dayminder video. It goes into all of this! Here ya go! :D kzbin.info/www/bejne/g52nh2VsrcaeitE

[@Truereality1226]

How make nice and even hem for chiffon double 360 degree very very wide length wedding gown? It is hard to make all around even length hem. When i to cut ,they moving all the time and can not make nice cutting . When i cut it supposed hang the dress? Or lay down on the floor

[@BridalSewing]

Either put them on a 1" block and cut to the floor & tell them to stand still & look straight ahead. If they need a break to "shake it out" then give them that. Or- put **a LOT** of safety pins in it & then cut later.

[@Truereality1226]

Bridal Sewing Techniques thanks~

[@maryvogel1558]

What thread and sewing machine foot you use?

[@BridalSewing]

Gutermann mara100 & right & left invisible zipper feet.

[@theresalirette24]

HI MY NAME IS THERESA I HAVE SEWED FOR WEDDINGS FOR A VERY LONG TIME I SAID SEWED BECAUSE I DO NOT DO THIS ANY MORE I HAD A BAD ACCIDENT 10 YEARS AGO AND HAD TO QUIT IHAVE A SMALL HINT FOR YOU THE YOUNG LADIES I SEWD FOR ASKED ME TO MAKE AVERY STRONG HEM ON THEIR DRESS BECAUSE ONE OF THEM SAID HER SHOE GOT CAUGHT CAUGHT ON THE HEM AND TORE THE HEM --I AM STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT ONE OUT SHE MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A DANCER SO WHAT BI DID WAS TO ROLL EDGE THE HEM FIRST ON MY SERGER AND THEN TURN THAT HEM OVER TWICE AND THAT MADE ANICE STRONGE HEM BUT I APLAUDE YOU I HAVE BEEN WATCHIN YOUR VIDEO,S AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB AS A MATTER OF FACT YOU REMIND ME OF ME WHEN I WAS A LOT YOUNGER I AM 79 YEARS OLD NOW BUT I SIMPLY LOVED SEWIN FOR BRIDES NOW I PASS MY TIME OFF PAINTING MY SECOND LOVE .

[@BridalSewing]

Thank you for watching and commenting, my dear. We are so glad to have you with us. ❤️

[@erinsmith3335]

I have a story about a hem cut too short: A customer came to me with a floor length dress that the dress shop cut too short in the back by 3 inches. The seamstress had put a few pins around the front of the dress and then placed the dress on a dress form to mark the rest of the way around it. Big NO NO! I ended up making the dress tea length since we had no extra fabric to work with.

[@BridalSewing]

Woops! Yes the dress form likely doesn't have the same bum as the customer.

[@deloresarocker6140]

Today I have made my first major mistakes I have cut the second and third layers too short on this chiffon wedding gown and dont know how to correct please help

[@BridalSewing]

Definitely try all the things listed here. Good luck! :D

[@deloresarocker6140]

@@BridalSewing Thank you for reply, but to be more accurate the unlining charmeuse is too highly indented, is it possible to reattach hem?

[@MsAmazon2u]

One client made me crazy with a beast alteration that was in and out, in and out only a 1/4 inch. On the last fitting, she showed up with her newborn child that she was breastfeeding!!!! OMG My fingers were numb and the material was worn out! But at least I knew what was going on.

[@amyashworth9259]

reminds me of a girl that I found out later was wearing different bras every time. I don't ask to inspect their underwear, but I do tell them to wear the same one! Saying "it's about the same" is like saying the shoes are "about the same" and one time she was wearing 2 bras! I caught that one. yikes.

[@MsAmazon2u]

@@amyashworth9259 I know that one too!! And don't look down, head up, head up, head up! even when walking. lol

[@annecyle]

So the alterations person did this to my daughters dress