Hemming

you so much for your advice.  Deb

Hi Deb,

I have the foot you are describing but I don't use it much. It works for some fabrics but not all. The finer the fabric the less likely it is to work well. I find it easier to just do it manually.

I NEVER accept a hemming job without being able to pin the hem on the body with the correct shoes on. If a bride, maid, or Mom shows up without the exact shoes she will wear to the wedding I refuse to take the job. I even tell each person on the phone this policy and some still show up with no shoes or  shoes that are "the same heal height as the ones I will buy". I politely say, "I'm sorry but you were told on the phone that you have to bring the exact shoe that will be worn on the wedding day in order for me to pin this hem." I get ladies leaving in huffs but I just want to get it right like you are saying. I have done this for many years. The word gets around and I have a great reputation for quality that I won't trade for one silly girl who thinks she can get me to lower my standards.

Most of my clients love it that I am this picky. Working on wedding garments is not for the faint at heart. All brides want to look their best for their special day. My reputation assures them that that's what they will get from me. It's hard to say, "No" but so worth it.

Danielle

Hi Danielle,

It's not hard to get what you are describing without  the maids having to be in the same place. Decide where you want the hems to be by measuring one maid with her shoes on. Measure from the floor to the desired hem placement. Then tell the other 2 to have their hems done to that measurement. Remember to tell all 3 to measure with their shoes on, especially if they will have different heals heights.

One thing to think about before you do this. If the ladies are very different in height this may not look good. Picking a placement that is flattering to each ladies' legs is not always easy. If the maids are of different heights you will get some knees showing and others covered by the hem fabric. Hems like this are often done by telling the maids to have the set at 2" below the bottom of the knee or right at the center of the knee. It's much more flattering then the same level when they stand together.

If the hems end up being an inch or 2 different, it won't be noticed by any guests. Plus 3 maids are not hard to get the hems close in length. I once had a wedding with 6 maids, 3 juniors and 2 flower girls, all different heights and sizes, and the bride was very sure about wanting the hems like you do. So, don't let this stress you.

Mari

Hi Mari,

If you will be wearing it fluffy, pin it fluffy. If you will wear it straightened, pin it straightened.

Thanks for your help, and all the great information on your website.

Reba

Hi Reba,

I see no way to prevent tripping with this very silly style. You need to explain to them this factor before you do any work on this project to protect yourself because someone will be tripping at the wedding or reception or sometime else. I flatly refuse to do a hem this way

Becky

Hi Rebecca,

Yes, it takes a long time to pin fabrics like Chiffon. Fabrics that are unruly need extra attention.

Sometimes I pin the layers together and sometimes I pin them separate. Horsehair is a factor. I do not take out the horsehair before pinning. I guess you could if that works best for you. When I have something at the bottom that would make pinning there inaccurate, like horsehair, I pin a tuck half way up the skirt so the bride can see how the hem will look more clearly than trying to turn up something like horsehair.  

I never use marking pens. They can leave a mark in some fine fabrics that will not come out.

Hi Amy,

I took a good look at the pictures but they aren't telling me what I need to give you a definite answer. To hem this type of gown the lace at the bottom needs to be removable. If the beading was sewn to the lace, then the lace sewn onto the gown, it can be removed, the gown shortened, and the lace put back on the shortened hem. If the beads were sewn on after the lace, they will all fall off when you try to remove the lace making a big mess and many hours replacing the beading after the hem is done.

In some situations the lace trim can be carefully cut from the hem and sewn on at the higher lavel, but I can't say if this gown can be done that way from pictures.

You can ask the seller if the lace can be separated from the dress fabric or if the beads are sewn all the way through the lace and gown fabric. If the beads are sewn all the way through hemming this gown will be very expensive. 

One inch is not a lot. You could easily solve the problem with higher healed shoes.

Hi Cheryl,

That's what I do. I usually open a front princess seam, do my hem work on the inside of the skirt and once the bride has approved the length, I trim the hem fabric I took up and close up the access seam I made by sewing on the outside edge of the original seam making a tiny bump that doesn't get seen from the outside.

Chiffon is a nasty fabric that does not cooperate with seamstresses. I have found ways of dealing with it's character that work for me. To do a rolled hem I machine sew a folded line 1/8" lower than the hem pins, trim the fabric 1/16" from this line, turn the folded edge up 1/16" and sew another line right on the fold.  

The pinning is set for 1" off the floor for the lining/satin layer. If the bride wants it longer or shorter I do it the way she wants. Most brides end up liking the 1".

I try to set the layers at 1/2 drop from satin to chiffon. I like that look better, but if the bride wants the original (1 1/2") drop ratio I do that. I do this from side seam to side seam and taper into the train from there.

There are many ways to do chiffon hems. You need to find a way that works for you. Good Luck,

Lea

Sincerely, Becky

 

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added June 2009

Dear Hemmin Gurus,
Regarding this dress (218279  Adrianna Papell Beaded Halter Dress  on Nordstrom site)  I haven't figured out how to copy it and show you, but
I believe this will bring it up                                                           http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3031220?search=true&searchtype=keywordsearch

Do you have any suggestions on how to hem this dress?  It has a pinkish separate liner, and both the liner and the dress look like it is cut on the bias (as I dont see straight seamsm but curved ones.  I thought I could somehow take it up at the waist, but my daughter (prom) is saying to just leaving long and she'll lift it. (all night?!)

The hem is sort of a flaired (wrinkled looking) hem...and the beads and sequins are all run together with the stitching. The fabric is silk.  Would I have to remove sequins, and somehow lock down the new bottom sequin, and the cut it?  I'm afraid of ruining it in general, and also, if the edge-movement (if there is any) might also be destroyed.  If you can help please let me know.  I've ordered a second dress, one size smaller (and shorter I hope) and we're looking for taller shoes.

There's always something!

Thanks, Nancy

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added May 2009

 

Hi Leanna,

  You do hvae a wonderful website that has seemed to help many brides for at ease.  I wanted some alteration advice from you.  I have  Maggie Sotero gown seen here- http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?keywordText=amy&keywordType=any&page=0&pageSize=12&style=V7022

When I initially tried it on it was too big, but they ordered it in my size (a 4) and in petite to help with the length.  I was fairly upset after my first fitting because I was under the impression that the smaller size would fix some of the issues I had with it.  Attached are two pics from my first fitting.

I want to know if I would be able to shorten the torso some.  I am only 5 feet tall and I am wearing shoes in this pic, but I am wearing low heels (maybe like 1.5-2 inches).  I just feel like the dress is losing the effect of the flowing/flared part because she has to hem like 4 in off she said.  I thought if the torso was shortened, the flare part would start higher up like on the model picture (I know you can't always go by a model).  But do you get what I mean?  I though when the dress was in my size and petite that this would be fixed but I guess I forget how short i am!

The other issue is that the bustline sort of "floats" off of my chest.  The line under the bust does not touch my skin because the dress is backless, so my breasts so sort of jsut hanging in there.  She was going to sew in bra cups, but I didn't think this was going to help so I am going to find a backless strapless and I hope it fills it out more.  But do you have any suggetions with how I could get the bust to lay flatter against me?  The seamstress just didn't seem ti understand what I was talking about.  She said the only thing that could be done was to take the back in, which I though was sort of unreasonable.  Is the dress too intricate to take the cups in?

I hope that everything I said makes sense and I hope that you can offer me some guidance!  I am really worried now and told the seamtress not to touch the dress until I go back in to get the alterations just right.  I need to go back in better prepared this time.  Thank you!

Amanda

I do get what you are saying. You have two issues that I'll try to answer one by one.

First - it is a very involved job to shorten the torso for this style of design. If you try to raise the middle at the seam under the bustline you throw off everything. The hips, waist and zipper area will all need to be reshaped creating a lot of work that your seamstress my not know how to do. BUT - there seems to be a seam around your knee area where the bottom flounce might be able to be raised. I'd need to see this from inside the dress, but I have done this type of alteration before to hem a dress and though it's more difficult than hemming at the bottom, it's not any where near as hard as raising it at the empire seam.  

Second - the floating bust. Due to the plunging back there is just no support to the front in the design. A long line bra should help to get your bustline looking better but it can't do much for the dress. You can take in the back to help this, but that will change the plunging line of the back to the point that you might no longer like it. There is a type of tape you can get to stick the front of the dress to your skin but I don't think that will get the look and feel you are going for. The model in the picture you sent is doing a couple of things to look so good. She is pushing her boobs into the front of the dress and arching her back a little. Not so much that it looks funny though. I tell my brides that these dresses are designed to make you look your best, but to accomplish that you need to learn how to stand with the posture the dress needs. Think of it as squeezing your shoulder blades together. This automatically sets your bustline in a flattering way. I know this feels really odd, but once you try it, I'm sure you will start seeing this dress in a different light.

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added April 2009

I am making a dress for my daughter to be the flower girl in my cousins’ wedding  the dress has a large tulle skirt the patterns says to just leave the cut edge, but I want it to look really good and I think a finished edge would be better. Can you help?

I have not seen any finished edge on tulle that I thought looked "better" than a clean cut edge. There are many things you can try - satin ribbon, rolled surging, rat tail braid. I just prefer a well done cut edge. 

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added February 2009

This band is in between the outside material and the inside material.  It's there for weight.  It was  put in the dress before the waist was sewn on.  Can I just turn it up and hand hem it?

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added January 2009

Hi,

I saw your website and wondered if you could give me some advice on how to hem a bridesmaid dress 2-1/2 inches without affecting the train. Normally I hem a dress all the way around, but the wedding show said they don't touch the train.  So, how do you hem just the front, but make a smooth transition where the train starts?  I should add that this dress has princess seams, no bodice that I can just lift the skirt and shorten.....Any advice?

Thanks,

Sue

Yes, that is exactly what you do.  Hem it to the side seam area and gracefully make a smooth transition through the side of the train.

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added January 2009

I will always try to do a bridal hem at the bottom, even when it is hard. It is more accurate and waist hems add problems that I usually decide are more trouble than doing it at the bottom. Even if I had to sew that trim back on by hand, I probably would want to do the hem at the bottom. I would need to see the dress and hem detail to say for sure. I do, on occasion decide to do a hem at the waist, but that is usually when the waist has gathers or other such design elements that will hide the extra fabric that will be there once the waist is raised.

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added October 2008

Hi Leanna,

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added August 2008

Hello,

I love your website!  It is nice to see someone with so much experience trying to help folks like me make a sound decision.  My concern is my dress has a “bubble hem” and I’m not sure if that makes my dress harder/easier to hem (I need probably 1-2 inches off) and bustle. 

Would you recommend going shorter on the hem if  you are getting married barefoot at the beach?  I plan on wearing the dress again to our reception a week later, but I will be wearing flats. 

I like the ballroom bustle but I’m afraid with that much volume on the dress near the bottom already it won’t turn out pretty.  My dress has a “sweep train” according to David’s Bridal website.  The lady at the bridal store told me that the small bit of poufy stuff at the bottom of the dress could be removed if I wanted it.  But I think it would take away from the dress since it is so simple.  I have attached a couple of pictures to give you any idea of what the dress looks like.  The last picture is not of me, but of a different girl wearing the same dress.  I am short like she is,  I am only 5’2.  I don’t want the dress to end up looking to bulky for my frame when it is bustled.

Do you have any experience with this type of hemline.  Can you offer any advice?

Thanks!

Tiffany

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added July 2008

Hi Leanna,

I didn't think to bring the camera until after we were there. This is a link to the dress.

http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=S774&backUrl=%2fviewBride.aspx%3fId%3d1671%26backUrl%3d%252fdress.aspx%253fline%253dm%2526showAll%253d1%2526pageSize%253d8%2526style%253dS774
Maggie Sottero Jorie Ann

The dress just touches the floor w/o shoes.  I'm sorry to bother you, she was upset and I just jumped on the internet to see if there was anything we could do. The dress has free alterations (is that because it is a MS?).  On the receipt it says she will be wearing heels,  it is fitted but tight around the bodice. My daughter is a size 0 and short, which is why she prefers to wear heels. The sales person really did not do a good job in measuring. I was watching her and she seemed (to me) not to know what she was doing. Of course we didn't know the right questions to ask.  We found the dress right away and ordered it last October.  It came in in June but the fitting was set up for today. I had a red light in my head but my daughter didn't think that was unusual. We're going back next week because she bought with her 1-1/2" heels so the seamstress could not do anything, the owner of the shop suggested a dart be let out to open the bodice a little as the line fell crooked against the waist or hip.

My daughter wants to cut the satin train out to make that part into an a line dress, so only the lace is the train and bustle the lace). We were planning to make a little jacket out of the material from the train, but now I don't trust the salon and suggested we go elsewhere for the jacket (church wedding). 

It is paid for (not by credit card-read that in your suggestions). I guess I was looking for the right questions to ask when we go back or find out if there is any recourse to this. The salon really has a good reputation, I just think we got a green salesperson.

Thank you for listening. Wish I found your website earlier.   Ann

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added July 2008

I am shortening a tucked skirt. It is floor length-Is there any special way to do this and get the skirt even all the way around?

It depends on how much you have to take up. I sometimes add more tucks and I sometimes measure around the bottom as for a normal hem. Neither is going to be perfectly even. You just do the best you can.

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Whether the dress height is ok or not is up to you. Hems can be anywhere from touching the floor to 2" up for a full length look. 3' to 6" is called Waltz length. Tea length starts around 6" and goes to about 9". Street length is just below the knees. Most wedding gowns are floor length but what ever length you like is the correct one.

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added May 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

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added May2008

Wow, what a great website!  I really enjoyed your information and answers on alterations.  You answered so many questions and had it very nicely organized.  The pictures were helpful too.

I recently purchased a dress that has a beaded lace hem.  My only concern is the hem and how and if they will be able to take it up to fit my 5'1 frame.  The salon assured me that they would, maybe at the waist or re-stitch the lace on the bottom which seems labor intensive.  Can you tell me if you think I will have an issue with this?  My other concern is that my wedding is in 4 months, with my dress expected in 2-3 months.  Any information would much appreciated and valued.  Thanks if you have time to answer.

Here is the website with the picture as well as one with me in it.
http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/wedding_dresses/vendor/designer/enzoani/detail/166477

Sincerely, Jodi

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If the flowers can be removed without loosing the beads than I would remove then, hem where needed and replace them. If the beads fall off when removed you need to carefully collect them and sew them back on. It's not incredibly hard, just a tedious pain. Some of the flowers won't need to be replaced. It's up to you how far you want to go with it. No one will know what flowers were there and they won't be looking at the bottom of the dress that closely anyway.

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added March 2008

Hi,
We bought this really expensive gown at a consignment shop. It's about $1800 when it was new. It's about 4-5 inches too long, so it has to be hemmed. A retired alterations lady is going to hem it by lifting it and cutting it at the waist, because of all the decoration at the bottom. Here's my concern:

She said she altered model dresses in NY, but I don't know her experience level with bridal gowns. Plus she's hard to understand (heavy accent).

She said she's not going to hem the back because of the long train....

With a difference of 4-5 inches, will it have to be shortened at the back to get the bustle right, or just move the current bustle points?

(She's waiting till we find the heels before she hems it).

Thanks, Francie

DO NOT LET HER CUT ANYTHING!

When I hem a gown in this manor, I baste the waist back together - cutting nothing until the bride tries it on again. Once it is approved of I cut away the excess underneath. Yes, it is done in the front only. I sometimes have to taper it around the side and half way around the back to get it to gracefully fall at the sides, but the back is not included.

If you are not comfortable with the lack of communication find a different person who can converse with you in understandable English.

Once the hem is correct and done the bustle points can be set.

Thank you, Leanna. We really appreciate your advice! After receiving your message, I talked to her today and she agreed to not do anything till she sees us again, but we are also considering changing to a different seamstress who we feel assured will communicate well.

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added March 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't see clearly in the picture but I think this is the type of gown where I would remove the decoration at the bottom and move it up the necessary amount to make it the right length. Then the lining and under skirts would be hemmed to match the top layer.

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added March 2008

My daughter recently bought a pageant gown and it has a train built into the dress she wants to shorten the dress and the train but it is covered with beads if i cut the beads will they all evenually fall off. I sew but i am unsure of how to shorten the dress without losing the beads It is an A- line dress and has no seams at the waist please give me an idea how to do this soon She needs it in 2 weeks
norma

I can not tell you if the beads will fall off or not without seeing the dress. Usually only a few fall off in the area where you cut. Often the place were they fell off ends up being inside the hem and it's no problem, but if not you just sew them back on once the hem is where you want it to be.

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added March 2008

I have a prom dress to hem for my niece. I was just doing a "simple" double rolled hem. On the curves of the dress the hem seems to want to roll out and up. Any thoughts on what causes that and what to do about it?

Thanks

This is common. You can try a longer stitch width and steam it really good.

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added March 2008

Hi Leanna,

I am making bridesmaid dresses for my granddaughters wedding in December....To have a little flare, I need to use either horsehair around the bottom or tulle netting attached to the lining or both.......any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thank you, Darlene

Horsehair adds stufness, so it depends on the type of fabric you are using and how much flare you want.

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added February 2008

Hi Leanna,

I have a bride that purchased a used gown that is 4" to short in the front. The bottom of the gown has a lace trim at the hem. The fabric is satin. I am thinking that I can add satin to the front at the bottom and place the trim at the hem of the new fabric. Is this a correct way to add fabric to the front of the gown. There will be a seamline in the front.

Thanks, Barbara

There is no correct way to do this. There are many ways to camouflage this seam. You can add more fabric than needed and pleat the front to hide the seam. You can buy more lace and applique it over the seam. How about leaving the lace where it is and add the fabric below it and maybe place more lace under this?

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added February 2008

Dear Leanna,

I love your website! It's so informative and really makes me feel like I can buy outside a salon with confidence. I have an alterations question for you - I found a maggie sottero "grace" dress for sale by previous owner online. http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=J857
It's the right size (I've tried it on in stores) but not the right length - it's about 3 inches too long! Do you think given all that lace detail, it would be really hard/expensive to take it up a bit? Would a larger crinoline make the dress poof out more so I don't need the alterations? The dress is for sale for about $250, or I can buy the dress new, in petit length for about $550.

Thanks so much! Lisa

Adding a crinoline will take up the hem some, but I can't say if it will be enough for you to be comfortable. This gown can be hemmed. My hemming prices start at $90.00. I don't know what the prices are in your city. I doubt it would be much less and could be more.

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added February 2008

Hi Leanna-
I am going to hem my daughter's bridesmaid dress and she will be wearing flats for shoes - what is the rule of thumb for length - is it at the top of shoe or do I measure from the floor up - Also their was a bustle in the back and the bride has now requested that these girls have them cut away the fabric at the bottem and no longer have a bustle - with all this excess fabric should I again just cut away and hem like the front - every bridesmaid(8) will be going to different locations at they are all spread around the country so I am guessing no one's dress is going the be the same - the bride seems okay with this.
Thanks for your help
Patsy

If the bride does not give any instruction, I do floor length gowns at 1" off the floor with shoes on. If the bride does not want the train, yes, you simply let the bustle down, and treat the back just like the front.

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added March 2008

A) The prices they are quoting are reasonable.

B) I can not predict this. Dresses have to be ordered for the largest body measurement because it is very hard and sometimes impossible, to let out areas that are too tight. It is a better situation to have areas to take in.

Did you make a mistake? No. Many brides feel they didn't do something right because the gown needs alteration when in fact most gowns need something adjusted. It's normal. Brides don't like spending the extra money for this but it is not caused by poor decisions. When I was working in a bridal salon I saw only one gown a year that needed nothing done to it. The gowns are in stock sizes and brides bodies don't come stock. It sounds to me like you did the best you could do with the information you had.

C) You need to ask her this question. I do not know her or her experience. She may have bridal experience and be just a right situation for you because you already know her and feel comfortable with her, but if she does not wish to work on wedding gowns than that is for her to say.

As for the hem. It is generally impossible to compromise between high heels and flats with any dress hem. If you try to find an in between length, the hem will look silly with both. Your situation has a big difference though with the sand factor. When you are barefoot in the sand you will be sinking into it. I normally do a sand hem much above the usual 1" for this reason.

Your choice is either get a lower heeled shoe or hem the gown longer and hold it up when you walk in the sand. Then it will look better when you put on the heels.

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added December 2007

Hi,

My mom is hemming my wedding dress and is having some issues because of the gatherings on the hem. I have attached the web site with a picture of it. Do you have any recommendations that I can give her?

Thanks so much!
http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?stid=2838&prodgroup=127

Melanie

I need a lot more information. What issues is she having?

Mostly she doesn't know how to get started. She thought about putting more of the gathers in the dress but I am not sure I want that. But to cut the bottom is going to be very difficult since both layers come together at the bottom and you can't really see a hem.

 

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added September 2007

Good Morning,
Do you have any advice for hemming a straight gown that has almost no train? I pinned the dress and hemmed it , and shortened the crinoline and then when the Bride returned it was still a little long in the front. She had on the same shoes so I was wondering if I took a little to much off of the underskirt netting.
Thank you so much fro your time, Judy

I don't think you took too much off the netting, but what you did need to take off might be letting the hem hang longer than you pinned it. Your bride could also have lost a little weight or had eaten a big meal on her first visit and not the second. Both situations influence how fabric hangs sometimes. It's not a big problem. All you need to do is hem it again a little bit higher.

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added August 2007

i have a wedding dress that needs to be hemed adn i am bringing it up two inches and i need to know if folding it from center front to center back and then pinning it will allow me to get my even cut...well my two inches..there is a train and it needs to be brought up the two inches as well..so far i have centered the front to the back matched all seams and pined it and am ready to cut so i think. i have hemed skirts before but not sure about this on cause of the train. so i guess what i need to know is did i pin it right am i cutting it right ..thanks alot

Normally, wedding gowns are hemmed only in the front. If the hem has to be done at the waist, I take that area apart and put the front section up and resew the seam. I never cut anything until the bride has tried the gown on and approves of the length and the flow of the gown.

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added May 2007

Leanna,
I am hemming a bridal dress which has no waist and needs to be shortened approximately 1 1/2 inches. I plan to hem just the front part of the dress from side seam to side seam. However, the horsehair braid used for the original hemming is 2 inches wide. Do you have any suggestions on how to work with this? I don't want to cut the dress. One thought was to open the lining and slice the braid in half and fold up the alotted amount, but I was afraid this may make the front look bulky. The fabric is a heavier fabric. I would appreciate any help you can give.
Love your sight. I do costuming for a Christmas production and have sewn for over 35 years, and your tips will definitely come in handy for many of our applications.Thank's!
Cheryl

When there is horsehair, no matter what width, I remove it and move it up the amount needed for the hem. It's a tedious pain sometimes, but worth it. Do not cut the braid in half. It will unravel and be totally useless.

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added April 2007

Hello there,

I am pulling my hair out right now – my daughter’s wedding dress with “tucks” or “pull-ups” is too long and I need to shorten it 4-5 inches. I tried to pin it up the same hem length and it then hangs uneven, so I then tried to “eyeball” it with her modeling it and then pinning it up and got nowhere. It is taffeta and I think the hem itself is already uneven. Any help or advice or where to look for help on the internet would be greatly appreciated!

Teresa

I had a gown like this last week. I added to each tuck in the front. I just pinned more folds into each one until I got a length the bride liked. It's not going to be even across the bottom. You can make the tucks as deep or shallow as you need in the places where the hem is dragging. The unevenness is natural for this type of hem that has dips and curves. Where the tucks are will be a little higher than in between were the fabric curves down. It may take a little finagling of the tucks but you should be able to get the front looking nice.

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added February 2007

Dear Leanna,

I have a problem involving a dress, and although I am not a bride, I will be attending a wedding in it!
The dress is floor length and a polyester/rayon blend fabric in a single layer. I received this gown for free and am on a tight budget, and therefore do not wish to purchase another gown if it is possible. Although it fits perfectly in the bust, waist, and hips, I do not wish for it to be a floor length gown (there’s a large wine stain at approximate ankle height). The skirt line is a simple, straight skirt, perhaps a slight a-line…do you believe it would be possible to simply cut the dress at knee length and hem it that way? Is this impossible? Would it be easier/less expensive for me to merely buy a brand new cocktail dress?

I’ve seen the advice you’ve given on your website, and I think it is simply fabulous! It’s wonderful that there’s someone out there looking out for brides and not merely exploiting them…I would be very grateful if you would take the time to respond.

Hemming one inch or 12 is much the same. What you might need to do different though is cut the dress to about 4 or 5 inches longer than you want it because the weight of the fabric will effect how the skirt hangs. Once that weight is gone the fabric might slack up and seem shorter than where you cut it. If that happens, you still have the 4 or 5 inches to fine tune it. This is not very important for cocktail dresses for the one layer of fabric probably won't create this effect, but I have shortened trains on wedding gowns to make them ballgowns and it makes a big difference.

Everyone tries to get the most bang for their buck. I don't think the hem will be so costly it would be better to buy a dress. If the fabric is satin I'd do a rolled hem and they are usually $30 for a single layer.

Thank you for the kind words and a question that is unique. I often get to thinking I'm saying the same thing over and over again. I put up stuff I've written so folks in similar situations can see what I've said and realize that they are not alone in their problem. I sometimes wonder if anyone is really reading any of it for they write the same questions that are there.

Well, thank you again. You have brightened my day!

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added February 2007

Hi Leanna,

My wedding gown is made of heavy silk shantung and the seamstress would like to change the original hem and instead do a machine roll hem. I trust her completely but wanted to get a second opinion on the way she is doing the hem. She showed me on another dress of lighter weight and it looks great but I'm not so sure how it will look on the heavy silk. She said that it will give it a softer look. The current hem is folder over and looks like it is handstitched. You cannot see any stitching on the outside of the dress. If you could let me know your opinion on this, that would be great.

Also, she cut the crinoline to my ankle...I didn't notice any change in the flow of the dress but I am now having second thoughts. What are your thoughts on cutting the crinoline to the ankle? (The dress is somewhat of a trumpet silhouette and flares out at the bottom. There is only one layer of crinoline that begins below the knee.)
Thanks,
SRP

My opinion is flawed because I can not see the gown, but I make it a general rule to put back the type of hem that was there because the manufacturer had a good reason to do it that way. Changing it might create problems that I will not see until it is too late.

Another problem you have with changing the hem type is the train. Bridal hems are done only in the front and tapered to the train. Changing the front will make the back look odd and the place were the 2 types meet will be really weird.

That said - I do not see where a rolled hem in heavy shantung will look better than the blindstitched hem that is there. Rolled hems are for light fabrics like chiffon, taffeta and organza. I certainly do not see how it can look "softer". Rolling a hem generally gives it more stability, thus the reason to use it for thin, fine fabrics. Rolling a heavy shantung will look bulky. If you need a skinny hem you can serge the edge and turn it under just once and stitch it, giving a rolled look without the bulk of the 2 turns.

I think she is suggesting this type hem because it is the type she knows how to do well and she may have never done the type that is on the gown now. Insisting that she recreate what is there may be a mistake if she has no clue how. Also, a hand stitched hem will take more time and thus cost you more and maybe she doesn't think you want the extra expense.

I don't see a problem with the crinoline being cut to the ankle. Many come that way. Since your flair is at the knees it makes sense to me for her to do it as she did. The other way to do it is to raise the seam at the top of the crinoline, but this would probably put the start of the flair above your knee where it would look goofy.

Leanna,

Thank you so much for your thoughts. This helps me a lot and I was able to get a hold of the seamstress and I told her that I prefer the original hem. It costs a lot more b/c it's hand sewn but I prefer the original hem.

Thanks again for your advice! Your website is great and if I lived in Cincinnati, I would definitely use you for any alteration needs.

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added February 2007

Hi there, I am hoping you can help me. I am considering purchasing a dress that I would want to shorten into a hi-low hemline. I would like the gown to be tea length in front and transition to floor length in the back. The dress has a chapel length train which I would think I would just bustle since I don't think it would be possible to just cut it shorter but I have no idea. The dress is overlace over satin. You can see a picture at http://www.anjolique.com/collection.aspx?Fav=&SelImage=3&Page=8&New=&Type=1

The bridal shop is telling me that they can do the alterations but I am worried that it will not be as easy as they make it sound, and I am really scared to purchase a dress that isn't exactly how I want it to begin with. Please let me know if you think this will be possible.

thank you!
Lauren

It can be done, but for your dress the lace pattern might look chopped off. They can rearrange the lace so it looks better, but it will add much to the cost.

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Added February 2007

I have a new polyester satin communion dress that I would like lengthened. If the original hem is removed, will the crease at the bottom be removable, and will the holes from the old hem still be there (or do the holes in the fabric close up)?
Thanks.
Lisa

Since it's new the odds that it will look just fine are great. The crease might show just a little, but most people won't notice it. Same goes for the holes. They should close up, but if they don't totally they should be very small and insignificant.

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added December 2006

Hi, I just want to know if it is possible to get a dress like this hemmed? My dress has a lace all around the bottom, I will attach a picture of it. Can you let me know if this is something that can be done? If so about how much do you think this kind of work would cost. I really appreciate any help or Ideas.
Thank you, Lisa

I just put up some pictures of a gown much like yours. It's on a new page: http://www.leanna.com/Bridal/Impossible.htm

This can be hemmed but it might be very difficult. Depending on how you choose to do it will determine how much it will cost. The gown hem in my new pictures was $80.

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added October 2006

Good morning,

I have a wedding dress that is in two pieces. The skirt needs to be shortened about 3 to 4”. The bottom of the skirt is embroidered so I guess, it needs to be shortened from the waist. The skirt has a waist band with zipper in the back and is lined. The skirt is A- line.Can you tell me if this can be shortened and about how much that would be?
Thank you in advance for your response, Melita

Yes, it would need to be done at the waist and that is not a problem being 2 pieces. Unless you want the back shortened, the zipper is not a concern. Usually wedding gowns are only shortened in the front. The train is left the same length. If you don't have a train and want the skirt shortened all the way around it will cost much more.

Wedding gown hems at the waist start at $90 on my price list. I would need to see the gown on you to tell you if it would be more and I can not tell you what a seamstress in Georgia would charge for this type of alteration. There are many factors that go into pricing. Two gowns that look the same may be constructed very differently and take very different amounts of time to do the same alteration. Also, prices very greatly depending on if you have the alteration done by the salon where you purchased the gown or use an independent professional.

Thank you for your quick response. Since I am a seamstress on the side I would like to do it myself. However, I never done alterations for a wedding dress (with train) before. I would like to get some advice on how to do this. If you rather don’t get into advising people how to do this, I do understand. Maybe you know some who would.

Thanks again! Melita

It's hard to advise when I can not see the garment. There are many things that could be different in the way your gown is constructed than any gown I have worked on. In general, you open the waist seam pull up the skirt the desired amount basting it back on from side seam to side seam, taper it back to original length from side seam to the back dart area. DO NOT CUT ANYTHING, until you try it on again. The drape of the fabric might make you change your mind on the amount you want shortened. If you don't cut anything you can adjust it up or down as desired. Once it is in the right place, trim and finish the seams.

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added July 2006

Hi, I was looking at your great website about bridal bustles and I had a question that I hope you could answer. I just bought a bridal gown a few months ago and my wedding is not until next June. The dress has a few permanent bustles or "pickups" throughout the skirt. (gown by Jim Hjelm) Is is possible to remove a few pickups if I decide that I don't like them in the front of the skirt? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! Cameron

These are usually sewn with simple tackings that can be easily removed. You will be adding length to the skirt where you remove the tacking, so do this before you hem it.

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added June2006

Dear Leanna,
A friend of mine has brought her wedding dress to be shortened. The skirt and the train are one piece. There is an underskirt or slip with two crinolines attached to the slip. It is not a full skirt but one that drapes nicely in front and the crinoline looks as if it is there just to give definition and body. The main skirt and lining are are sewn together at the hem with the herringbone inside the hem of the skirt. There is a side front and side seam . The hard part is that the skirt needs to be shortened almost 8 inches!! It had been suggested just to shorten it from the area of the side seam forward but I feel that will look very odd and wondered if it should not be graded out slightly towards the side back seam. I do not want to touch the train as it flows nicely. Do you have any videos on this? I was thinking the crinoline should be shortened first so that we can really see how the skirt will fall at the front before we tackle the main skirt and lining. But 8 inches seems too much to take off the front without adjusting the side length as well. What would you do??
thanks,
marjorie

Your instincts are good to want to hem the crinoline first. I'd make a tuck at the top of where the netting is sewn. If that brings it up too far, you'll have to cut off the bottom which can be a big job if the netting is full.

I do bridal hems from side seam to side seam, tapering down the sides of the train gradually until it molds into the curve of the train side. Sometimes you don't have to go far to get a nice taper and sometimes you have to go well into the train back. With 8" I think you will be carrying the taper quite far.

I don't have a Gown Hemming DVD, but hope to some day.

One other idea that I have after checking with the bride's mother and sister is that:
the gown does have a set in skirt to the bodice and has a diagonal gather across the front.(concealing the waistline) I was thinking that I could also take the gown up about 3 and one half inches at the waistline (adjusting the side seams and zipper of course to fit) and then adjust the length about 4 inches which would mean that I might only have to start at the side back seam to taper it in towards the front. I am thinking this would give a gown that was more pleasing to the eye and though it would be a lot of work to do both, in the long run it might in fact be easier to get the length adjusted using both edges. What do you think of this idea??

I'd really need to see the gown on the bride but I would not want to do it in both places because no bride would want to pay me what I'd have to charge for that. I would do it from the bottom and taper it quickly so not much of the train is lost. It's usually more accurate to do it from the bottom. I have done many hems from the waist, but that operation has added complications that don't often look the best.

You are doing this as a friend, right? If you are willing to do that much work for your friend it is a great gesture.

Yes, I am a friend of the bride's mom, Leanna, and this is definitely a huge job. I was hoping not to have to taper it back too far. but hopefully going forward from the side back seam would work as well.

You can do the hem to the Princessline in the front instead of the sideseam. Start the taper there, gradually angle it to the side seam to about 2" longer than the hem, then you have only 6" to taper through the train. This will look nice and she will be able to walk with ease, but it will create a problem when you get to the bustling. When the taper is through the side, the bustle is harder to design so that the sides are lifted off the floor. It can be done. I just find that most brides like the bustle formed in the back, not edging near the sides or having funny pull looking places at the sides.

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added April 2006

Hello, I have a question about the length of the dress. I’m thinking about buying a dress that I love on ebay. She’s 5’4 and wore 3” heels. I’m 5’7” and plan to wear 1-2” heels. She says the dress measures 48” from center of bustline to the floor. I’m nervous the dress will fall too short. Judging by the pic of the dress, is this something that I can add length to if necessary (material is chiffon). Thanks for your help!

Anne

Adding length depends on how you want the hem to look. You can not add fabric and have it be invisible. Some kind of seam has to be used to add the fabric. You can use many things like a ruffle effect to add fabric if you are using the same chiffon fabric. Again it just depends on how you want the hem to look. If you want it to look like the picture, No, the dress can not be lengthened.

When you buy a used gown this kind of thing is what you have to deal with. You do have other options, like going with a lower heel on your shoes.

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added April 2006

What is the hem for a bridal gown is it one inch off the floor? I don't care for the look of this that is why I am wondering. Prior to a finalized hem should the material be cut? thanks for any help.

Most hems I do are 1". That's what most brides want. It is a good length for not feeling like you are tripping and still looks full length. BUT - if you don't like the look put it where you want it.

I usually do cut off the excess once the bride has tested the hem length. Again, because the bride wants it that way. If the extra fabric is not pulling on the skirt and making the hem hang funny, you do not have to cut it off.

Thank you for responding, I went to get my couture gown altered and I'm 5'4 The seamstress had me try on her shoes and I ordered the same style shoes and she told me when my shoes came in she would finalize the hem. I went tonight for my second fitting because my shoes came in and hate the hem but she already cut the organza outer layer with the beading. She kept telling me it had to be that length or I would trip. Now I hate my $1200 gown and left in tears. Thanks for the info

I do recommend the 1" hem length, but I also never cut any fabric from any alteration to a gown until the bride has tested it and says it is good, but I do understand why the seamstress did the hem that way. Organza is very difficult to hem in the first place and it often gives a false look if the extra fabric is not cut out. The weight of the fabric will often make the hem seem longer than it will be once it's cut.

Why do you not like the length? Might it have something to do with the beading looking different and not necessarily the 1"? If she had to shorted the gown a lot than some of the design at the bottom might have gotten sacrificed to the necessary amount that had to be shortened. The seamstress should have warned you about it and not let you get shocked at the second fitting. AND she should not have cut the fabric until you gave the final ok.

I know you are feeling really lousy. Did you tell her what you don't like? Did she offer any alternatives? She doesn't sound very experienced to me or maybe just bossy. Can you explain more of what happened?

The trim work when she pinned the hem was an half inch to long, in certain spots. She had 4 inches pinned up. I purchased a moonlight ball gown. I left not liking the way it look I wanted the organza to skim the ground. Now the organza is higher than the underneath still pinned uncut satin. the whole flow of the gown the organza is longer than the satin by an inch. If I had a say prior to cutting I was going to ask her to make the organza a half inch off the floor to keep my trim work intact. In the meantime prior to the second fitting I found a three and 1/2 inch heel that came in wide. I purchased a 2 and half inch heel from her it was the highest heel her books had in wide she told me that was the highest heel I would be able to find in bridal shoes. I told her I wanted a three inch or higher since FH is 6' 1" but settled for the shoes since her books contained no higher heel for wide feet. I believed the higher heels would be fine since my shoes I had purchased had not come in and she was going to finalize the hem when I had my shoes. I came to the fitting and my dress had already been cut she did not leave any organza to play with she cut it on the first fitting pinned line. To me that was final she cant add the material back. She said she was sure of the hem so she cut it. Then even with the shoes I purchased from her the hem seem high you can see the top of my foot in the mirror. She told me to remove my petty coat that the dress place recommended and cost me $50 since my dress has a built in petty coat. I don't like the way my feet show under the gown. I dreamed of a Cinderella ball gown that touched the floor. That's what I purchased and worked hard to pay for. I just wish she had waited to cut it especially because I did not even have my shoes yet when she originally pinned the hem. Then the bustle I have one spot when she hooks it you can see my knee from the side. she told me when I dance it wont be noticed. It has to be that way to get the train part off the ground. I left hating my gown I don't even want to look at it till I have to wear it down the isle. She said she could put horse hair and hem the organza and it might add a 1/4 but it would be more work for her. She kept saying the gown looks fine you want the one inch hem I don't want you to trip. Then I finally after 15 min. herein the I don't want you to trip so it has to be this way all time I am thinking it has to be this way because you cut it that way. I said have you heard of fashion over function. I did not buy a ballgown for function if I was that worried about tripping I would have purchased a pantsuit. I left in tears and her telling me I was over reacting. She never once apologized for cutting my gown. I plan on picking it up after she hems it and not looking at it till I have to walk down the isle thanks for the advice.

I am so sad this is happening to you, but it is not hopeless. I really think this lady does not realize what she has done. She thinks you will come to see that she is right about the way the hem should be. My personal opinion that she ought to be hung out to dry is beside the point. I do have a suggestion for you that may get the situation back to the way you originally wanted it.

Now, I am really sure you are not going to like this suggestion, but just give yourself time to think about it. Ok, you are 5"4" and your groom is 6"1". That's a 9" difference. You planned on wearing 3" heels? Taking the difference to 6" - not a bad amount for pictures - but 7" isn't bad either. Just one inch difference in your heights will not look different to anyone, but it could gain you that 1" you are wanting for your hem to look great. What I'm saying is given the choice to have a 1" difference in height or a 1" longer hem can make you love your dress again. And if you love your dress, you will feel better in it and feeling better will make you look better for your groom, who I am sure thinks you would look great in a paper bag.

Your groom loves you at the height you are. There is no rule that says you have to try to look taller for the ceremony. Just be yourself. And in doing so, you can gain back what that stupid alterationist messed up.

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added April 2006

I have a wedding dress to shorten for a client. The dress has an overlay of tulle with glued down lace appliques that are beaded and sequined. The hem is edged with glued down lace appliques and the client may need it shortened as much as 1 and 1/2 inches in the front. My 1st thought was to try to remove the glued appliques, but is that even possible? I would then have to rebead and sequin the appliques. My next thought is to cut around the appliques and move them up and reglue them to the tulle. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you, Joyce

I've tried both ways. Attempting to remove the glued appliques is frustrating and usually tears either the lace or the applique. I have had luck steaming the area to weaken the glue and then pealing off the applique, but this doesn't work with all types of glue.

It's much easier to cut around the edge and re-glue. It looks good, but be careful to use a glue that is flexible so it won't add more stiffness to the already glues area.

With some applique designs you can tuck the lace under the top edge of the applique and sew or glue it to the back of the applique.

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added March 2006

I am worried my ballroom dress is to short. How short / long should it be? How much should my shoes show?

Thanks

I like to do hems at 1" above the floor. Some people think that is too short and that the dress should touch the floor. I find that most brides like it up a little so they don't have a tripping feeling while walking.

Sometimes brides have the hem a little higher to show off their pretty shoes.

There is No set hem length. What is "right" is what you want it to be. If the length is comfortable to walk in then it's right.

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added July 2005

Thanks for the great site. I am shortening a princess seam, a-line, no waist bridal gown with a long train from the hem and then will be bustling the train. My client asked if the train should be shortened as well. I usually only shorten to just beyond the side seam blending into the train. This got me thinking, for better proportion, should I shorten the same amount off the train? I realize this is subjective, just wondering your thoughts. Thanks, Deb

I never shorten a train unless the bride specifically asks for it. If she wants it that way do it, but be sure to charge enough. That's a lot of work. At least $150.

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added June 2005

Hi Leanna,

So, here I am, up late at night worrying about alterations for my wedding dress. I'm starting to wish I had seen your site BEFORE I bought the dress.

Here's my situation. I went to a bridal shop and found a very beautiful dress that fit quite well, except it may have to be taken in a little bit. What I didn't think through was that it's at least three inches too long and it can't be taken in at the waist because their is no waist line. The dress is satin with a sheer overlay completely covering it. There is very intricate beadwork at the bottom, on the sheer overlay. As you discussed on your website, I am beginning to feel that the saleslady lied a bit about what could be done to it to fix the problem so that she could sell the dress. She, herself, offered to do the alterations. If there is beadwork at the bottom of the dress, are there ANY options for fixing it? The beadwork goes all the way down the train. The saleslady/seamstress said that she could do something that involved folding it up and sewing it down. I'm so worried about this that I can't sleep at night!

Any suggestions or ideas would be welcome.
Diana

I have taken a tuck under beadwork that would have been very difficult to move or recreate. It may look a little different from the original, but it should work just fine.

Did she say anything about your second fitting? When I do any wedding gown hem, I do not cut any fabric until the bride has tried on the gown and walks around some in it to test how it acts at the new length. It often looks funny with the extra fabric still attached, but it gives the bride a good idea of what the hem will look and act like and allows her to change her mind about the length if she feels different about how it is acting as she walks in it.

Altering a wedding gown is part science and part art. It's often a long process as the bride discovers things she had not thought of at the buying stage. Most brides are patient and understand at my asking them to come back several times for more fittings. I know it is not easy on their nerves. I'm sure your lady knows this too because she took the time to explain what she was going to do.

Try to not be too worried about it for now. I'm sure at your second fitting, you will be more relieved to see that the process is working.

Oh, cool, so you have more options. I usually advise that you find an alteration person who lives near you. It's such a hassle to drive out-of-town adding to your already stressful chores.

Hemming a bridal gown is usually done only in the front. I take up the needed amount from side seam to side seam and then taper it out along the edge about 18" to 2' of the train so the train is not shortened at all. I had a tuck type hem once that I did have to taper further down the train than I wanted to but it needed to go that far to look right. But she needed a lot of length taken up and her fabric was very heavy. You are dealing with a sheer fabric and less length.

It will cost more, but if you can find someone who will recreate the beading, than do that. I charge $30/hour for hand beading. If it's a simply pattern, than it might be quite reasonable to get the hem you are wanting.

About the neckline - if the gown is fitting well in the bust area, I would not advise lifting the neckline. Lifting moves everything on the front, not just the neckline - the bust points also lift. You could end up with puckers above your breast that are supposed to be where your breast fits. You can test this by trying on the gown and pull up the shoulder and watch how it effects the front of the bodice.

Also, your cleavage looks different to you as you are looking down at your self than it will to your guests looking at you. And looking at yourself in a mirror does not give you this perspective. Do you have a friend about your size? Have her put your gown on and stand back and look at her. You will be amazed at how different it looks from the guest viewpoint.


Thanks for your response! Actually, the woman who sold us the dress at the shop who also offered to do the alterations does not have the dress right now and has not started any kind of alterations. We were shopping out of town so we brought it home with us and planned to take it back to her a little later in the future. All she did was show us how it could be altered by tucking it up with her fingers to give us an idea.

Your response made me feel quite a bit better and gave me some ideas about what can be done. The beadwork is not that intricate, so maybe we'll be able to find someone who can recreate it instead of tucking it up. I was also wondering, if they tuck it up all the way around, will it throw off the shape and line of the train ? The train has no satin underneath it, it's just the sheer overlay with beadwork so I was worried the tucking would be more noticeable there.

I also wanted to ask your advice about something else. The dress is ever so slightly low at the chest and shows a tiny bit of cleavage. There are no seams at the shoulders, so would it be possible for them to make a seam at the shoulders to pull up the front of the dress a half inch or so? Or is there some other way to fix that ? I was thinking that just having them take it on a tiny bit on the sides and getting a good bra might fix that problem, and it's not really that big of a deal if I show a tiny bit of cleavage, I just prefer not to.
Thank you again for your advice and I'll be sure not to let anyone make alterations until they've pinned it up and let me try it on first.

Oh, cool, so you have more options. I usually advise that you find an alteration person who lives near you. It's such a hassle to drive out-of-town adding to your already stressful chores.

Hemming a bridal gown is usually done only in the front. I take up the needed amount from side seam to side seam and then taper it out along the edge about 18" to 2' of the train so the train is not shortened at all. I had a tuck type hem once that I did have to taper further down the train than I wanted to but it needed to go that far to look right. But she needed a lot of length taken up and her fabric was very heavy. You are dealing with a sheer fabric and less length.

It will cost more, but if you can find someone who will recreate the beading, than do that. I charge $30/hour for hand beading. If it's a simply pattern, than it might be quite reasonable to get the hem you are wanting.

About the neckline - if the gown is fitting well in the bust area, I would not advise lifting the neckline. Lifting moves everything on the front, not just the neckline - the bust points also lift. You could end up with puckers above your breast that are supposed to be where your breast fits. You can test this by trying on the gown and pull up the shoulder and watch how it effects the front of the bodice.

Also, your cleavage looks different to you as you are looking down at your self than it will to your guests looking at you. And looking at yourself in a mirror does not give you this perspective. Do you have a friend about your size? Have her put your gown on and stand back and look at her. You will be amazed at how different it looks from the guest viewpoint.