Saturday, March 26, 2011

Hemming Ball Gown With a Tulle Skirt



Hemming a big ball gown can be intimidating, but it's actually pretty easy if you take it one layer at a time!






Start by hemming the two fabric linings.  Use any method.  I like to use this type hem, but you could even serge the very bottom lining.


Next you need to hang the dress so that you have access to all sides.  I use a hook in the ceiling with a ribbon.  It looks like this:









Don't you love the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling!  A reminder that this was once a little boy's bedroom.


Clip all the layers you aren't working on out of the way using  chip clips.  Start with the innermost
netting layers and trim one at a time.








  If you have a sharp pair of scissors you can hold the bottom of the netting and slide the scissors right through.   Continue until all layers of the white netting are cut.










Now let down the top lining and make sure it's straight.  At this point I usually have to spray the top layers of netting with static spray.  If your dress has been in a plastic bag, it's probably got lots of static cling!
This is what I use:  smelly, but effective.


The top layers of tulle all get cut at the same time.  In order to cut them evenly, I make sure all the seams of tulle are lined up and then line them up with coordinating seams on the lining and pin together.  You will usually have pins holding the dress and tulle together in the back and on both sides.






Now you can do your final cut.  Make sure you leave the tulle a little longer than the lining.  Good luck!!
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15 comments:

  1. Hemming is not as easy as it looks. You need a steady hand and a lot of patience, especially for ball gowns. Thank you for the guide. They will help all those who want to do the hemming on their own. I will hire a professional however.

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  2. Thanks for your comment. I absolutely agree about the steady hand and LOTS of patience! Someone with sewing experience should be able to tackle this kind of hem. I know that wedding and prom dresses can be overwhelming and most people do hire professionals (as evidenced by the amount of work I have!!), but it is certainly an option to do it yourself.
    It looks like you are a professional also. Good luck in your business and thanks for stopping by!

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  4. How much shorter do you cut the underneath netting layers?

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  5. Just slightly shorter than the lining

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  9. Should the tulle just touch the floor on a ball gown

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    1. I would suggest anywhere from just grazing the floor to about an inch off the floor.

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  11. The hem on my daughters flower girl dress is a raw edge does that mean I can cut it with scissors? Or will it unravel?

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  12. oh my gosh! I am so glad that I found your blog. It is Great! Thank you so much for this tutorial. haberdashery

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