Saturday, June 05, 2021

The hem is done...

 On the Bridesmaid's dress.  I had to pull out the backup machines because 1) my serger still is not cutting well and it was straight up chewing the poly knit lining.  The backup machine sliced through it like butter.  And, I discovered the back up machine makes a nicer rolled hem...I think that's just 20 years of improvement since I bought the first serger.  It actually rolls the edge of the fabric under and puts the stitching on a fold, instead of putting the stitching right on the edge of the fabric.  2) My 2014-purchased main machine does NOT have an adjustable-pressure for the foot, which meant the hem would get stretched and distorted.    The 28 year old machine allowed me to soften up the pressure foot, so the drag was greatly reduced.  

I'm still a klutz with a rolled edge foot, though.  The end product is ...passable.  But I think I probably sewed all of it at least twice and I have a pile of pulled-out thread from unstitching it when the rolled edged got wonky.

Then I took the rolled hem out of the chiffon bit that I cut off and unstitched the seams so that's available now for the filler panels.  The lining knit was not so cooperative.  I can NOT get the rolled edge on that unpicked.  I don't have much; the lining is not very flared, and I hate to cut off the rolled edge but I don't have a week to unpick it one stitch at a time.  If I can squeak the inserts out of that bit of excess, maybe I won't have to cut up a pillowcase, lol.

I drew a little schematic of the pieces I'll need to used on the sides; I will use those measurements to cut actual pattern pieces.  But I still have to unpick about 50% of the (lined) bodice from the skirt and open the side seams  so I can attach the insert panels, once I make them.  There are darts in the lining and gathering on the overskirt.  I can release/ redistribute the gathering so the overskirt will be fine, but  I don't think I can release the darts enough; I may have to put a godet in the top sideseam of the skirt lining to get it to match the expanded bodice.  We'll see.

Tomorrow's a full day so it'll be Monday before I can hit it again.  

I will be super relieved once this is finished.  I can't imagine doing formalwear alterations on a regular basis...

4 comments:

  1. Hope that goes well in the end, I dislike alterations!!

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    1. I honestly would rather make a new garment from scratch than do alterations...but in this case, alterations are the only option.

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  2. those alterations are made quick and dirty, most people don't notice what you have done, only that it is wearable. There is big money in alterations.

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    1. Oh, yeah, I know. But I just don't have the temperament for it, lol.

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