Tricks to hemming a flared sleeves, pants, or skirt - tutorial

First Trick:  When following a pattern, often they will tell you to sew the sleeve or pant leg together and the last step they say is to iron the seam allow and then sew.  Just like the sewing in the sleeve tutorial, I have found that it's much easier to iron the fabric when it's flat, so I do the ironing out of order.  I iron when I have the flat pattern piece at the beginning.  Then, after I sew up the side seams, I can iron the seams open and just re-iron the hem at the seams.  I like that better than ironing a circular piece.




 The next trick I have pictures for.  Let's say the pattern allows 1-1/4" for your hem.  The pattern says to iron 1/4" from the edge and then 1" from that fold.  Here's what I do.  I iron 1-1/4" from the edge, then tuck under the quarter inch as I sew if it's a straight hem.  If it's flared and the pattern tells you to "ease" in the extra fabric, I sew a basting stitch 1/8" - a scant 1/4" from the edge, leaving plenty of thread on both the starting point and ending point.

(Finished basting stitch)

   Next, fold on your ironed line and pin in quarters.  Gather the basting stitch, a little more than you need at first and then smooth out to match the curve of the sleeve/skirt or pant leg.

 Fold the 1/4" next to the raw edge up and under.  Then pin well.  Your basting stitch should no longer show, but is close to that folded edge.

 Sew close to the folded edge.

 Hem lies flat and smooth without any twists in the fabric.

Baby Fleece Quilt for Lisa's 2nd

Emerald made, and I quilted hearts on this blanket for our friend Lisa's 2nd baby.  I love that something so wonderful can be made from scraps!  I hope she loves it and drags it all over the place.

Stars-A-Lined Shorts for Trenna

Emerald made these short for Trenna Travis Design Studio from McCall's pattern #M6548 out of the Michael Miller fabric called Stars-A-Lined.

Cool Cats Girl's Dress for Trenna

Dress I made from red Cool Cats and black Pinhead - Michael Miller fabrics for Trenna Travis Design Studio.  The pattern is McCall's #M6786.

Dapper Cats Skirt for Trenna

Little girl's skirt made from the McCall's pattern #M6984 for Trenna Travis Design Studio out of the Michael Miller fabrics Dapper Cats in light blue and Little Stripe in black and white.  This was made by my mother.  I know I use the word "Cute" a lot, but it seems to apply so often.  Guess it's time to pull out the Thesaurus. ;-)

Girl's Blouse in Pindots for Trenna

Blouse in Michael Miller's white Pindots fabric with black trim.  Made from McCall's pattern #M6783 for Trenna Travis Design Studio by my sister Emerald.  How cute is that?!

Girl's Funfair Dress for Trenna

Cute dress in the Michael Miller fabrics Funfair and pink Ta Dot that my mother made for Trenna Travis Design Studio.  The pattern is McCall's #M6945.

Smock and Pants in Carnival fabrics for Trenna

Early March brought a slue of outfits that Trenna needed.  I wish I had the time to make every one, but the turnaround time is such that I have to call in help from my sister and mother.  The material was dropped off Friday afternoon and she needed all 7 things back by Tuesday afternoon.  On weekends and after kids get home from school, I don't get much done, but Friday I started cutting this out, and got the top done on Saturday.

Smock and Pants in pink Ta Dot, Fluttery and Carnival Stripe - all Michael Miller Fabrics.  The pattern is McCalls #M6497.  The back of the top is the Ta Dot.  They didn't send enough fabric, so I lined it with the Fluttery.