Hints & Tips

I talked before about the Oscars and other shows where the people are dressed superbly, but the hems are too long.  Trousers can fray at the bottom after half an hour of scraping on the ground.  It may only be the back, but that is enough for them to look tatty after one wear.  The problem with this is that usually trousers are JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG.  That means when they fray, you are left with no hem allowance if you cut at the fray.  So your choice is a false hem, which isn’t a bad thing, or you could try this little technique.  Iron the trousers so that the frayed section is sitting flat.  Have the person try them on and pin at the correct length.  Let’s say it is 1cm (1/2”) above the fray.  You need to calculate what the hem allowance will be.  For ladies I do a 4cm (1½”) hem allowance and for men I do a 5cm (2”) hem allowance. 

 Turn the trousers inside out. 

 Place the tape measure on the original hem fold, with the tape at 1cm (1/2”) at this point.  Place a mark above the fold at the end of the tape measure, then come down to 1cm (1/2”) BELOW the original hem fold and place a mark, then down another 4cm (1½”) for ladies or 5cm (2”) for men.

 Cut on the bottom line.  If the hem has to be unpicked, then unpick the hem first. 

 Check to see that the hem allowance will fit up into the trousers.  If it doesn’t then release at the side seams, or take in if the trousers are flared.  All of this is explained in my book Clothing Alteration Secrets Revealed.

 Fold the trousers at the ORIGINAL HEM and stitch around the bottom 1cm (½”) up from the original length.  This means that the frayed section is encased in the stitching.  Turn the trousers the right way, and under stitch around the base, joining the seam to the hem allowance.  This ensures that the hem allowance and the seam will lay flat.  Overlock the edge, or sew ribbon around the raw edge and stitch.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

The types of hems I am talking about are the full skirt gown.  Gowns like this are generally worn out for a special function, or a bridesmaid gown or wedding dress.  The skirt is full, and this means that at certain sections the skirt will fall on the bias.  The fabric drops at this section which causes the skirt to be uneven.  Shops that sell gowns have them hanging on the rack ready for the customer to come and view.  The longer a gown hangs, the more the gown will drop. 

 The other extremely important point is that when a gown is manufactured, the hem is not always completed accurately.  Added to this is the fact that we are all different body shapes, so that means when the gown is on the body, it may dip in the front or dip in the back because of a large bust or round bottom.  The most common problem I found was that the back was usually higher than the front!

 So imagine what happens, when a person brings in a gown and says, “Take it up 10 cm (4”)” and doesn’t try it on. I have had people bring me gowns that are shorter in the back than the front, and are looking for solutions.  If this ever happens to you and you then you can insert a panel across the bottom, but make it look like it was meant to be by having one side longer than the other as if it is a triangle.  This is just another good reason for saving off cuts from alterations.

Another tip when pinning a gown is to make sure that the straps are correct, BEFORE you pin the bottom.  Even if they do not need to be altered, check to make sure they are sitting correctly on the person.  It is very frustrating when you have spent time pinning the bottom – all the way around the gown, only to have the person give a tug here and a tug there AFTER you have done all that.

Generally I will say something like, “Before I pin the hem, I need to be sure you are comfortable with the top section.  Because if that changes then the hem will change.”

Pin the front of the gown first; getting the length the person wants.  Make sure they are standing with their spine straight.  A person’s first reaction is to bend down and look at what you are doing!  Then they look up and it’s too short!  Work with the person wearing the gown.  They have paid a lot of money for that gown, and having the hem straight it important.

 Have you ever noticed at the Oscars how the hems are all over the place!  Seriously, the ladies gowns are very seldom straight, and men’s trouser hems are generally way too long!  I watched a show on Oprah one day where they did a transformation of these men.  The transformation was amazing, but the only thing that I felt let it all down was the fact that the trousers had not been hemmed to the persons correct length.  They were so long; they bunched up around their knee and thigh area.  But I am digressing…

Once you have the length at the front, measure from the floor to the new fold.  Whatever this measurement is move around the gown folding the hem up the same amount. Double check the side seams because they may have pulled up slightly with the stitching.

 If you have a hem chalk marker, you could have the person stand on a stool.  Place a pin at the new fold, and drop the hem.  Then set the chalk marker at this new length and puff chalk around the new hem line.  This is a major time saver, and saves your back. 

 Sewing your hem

 1. Most domestic sewing machines have a rolled hem foot.  They can be an excellent method for sewing a small rolled hem on a gown, but they are not without their frustrating points.  When you hit the bias of a gown the fabric is harder to feed through.  And when you come to side seams, the thickness can be a problem.  Try sewing a row of stitching around the bottom of the hem just in from the cut line.  This may help you a little to stabilize the fabric.

 2. Use your normal sewing foot and stitch around the bottom of the gown, then fold this over and stitch around again.  The first row of stitching makes it easier to fold and gives you a nice tiny hem.

 3. Instead of sewing around the bottom just up from the cut line, fold the fabric over .5 cm (1/4”) and stitch in place.  Once you have stitched all the way around the garment, fold this section over and stitch around again.  This also gives a tiny hem.

 4. Convert your overlocker to a three thread machine.  Take the needle out of the left hand position and only have one needle in the right (next to the machine).  Set the overlock width to as wide as possible, and overlock the edge of the garment.  When you are finished, use your normal sewing machine to fold the overlocking over and stitch a small hem.

 5.  If you want to create a flounce on the bottom of the gown, switch to zigzag with a medium width stitch and lay some fishing line underneath the gown.  Zigzag as you go and make sure you catch the fishing line as you stitch.

 6. If you own an overlocker, and the gown is a chiffon or similar soft fabric, you could put a rolled hem on using your overlocker.  Switch to the rolled hem foot, or if it has an adjustment only, make the adjustment.  I find that turning the blade down so it is not cutting the fabric gives a nicer finish.  Also consider putting an embroidery thread in the middle.  This gives a really great finish.  For some fabrics, I will go around once, and then go around a second time over the top of the first.  It makes the rolled hem thicker and looks great.

 Tip – Instead of hanging a gown in the wardrobe on a hanger, either lay in flat in a draw, or place it inside a clothes bag which you can hang in the wardrobe, but have the bag folded in half and attached back on the hanger, so that there is no weight pulling the skirt down.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Cutting old clothes up and making new

Patch work Tee shirts can be made from stretch clothes that no longer fit you, or that you don’t wear any more.  Cut all the old tee shirts up so you are left with pieces. Make a pattern from an old tee shirt that you love, and then make a patchwork in the shape of your panels from the old tees.  You can be very creative here, and the big benefit is that you can make the tee to fit your body shape.  Pieces can be zig zagged together, or joined from the back side.  You could use tape to join each section.  Your imagination will have you creating wonderful pieces to wear.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

False hems

When I do false hems, I always use a fabric that is a similar WEIGHT to the trousers.  The last thing you should be using is bias binding.  It flops and looks terrible after a few washes.  Try using a look quality fabric, cut it into a strip about 6.5 cm (2 ½”) wide for men and 5 cm (2″) wide for women.  I always prefer to put a larger hem for men.  Also unpick the overlocking on the edge of the old hem.  This can make the false hem bulky.  Sew the new false hem on, and under stitch the new seam and the new false hem together because this will help it to stay up.  I save all my off cuts.  Because I do a lot of alterations, and most people do not want their off cuts, I save the pieces are a reasonable fabric.  That way when I have a false hem come in, I have a hem ready to go.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Insert a “V” (Upside down) in the side seams and an extension on the bottom.

I was sent this information by a wonderful lady called Nancy who is from the USA.  I thought it was a brilliant idea.

Open out the seams on the outside leg, cut out a triangle which you can insert into the opening, along with a strip for the extension on the bottom.  For jeans, heavy lace would be great, or heavy curtain fabric, or something to contrast with the trousers.  If you can work it out, cut the triangle and the piece to go around the bottom all in one piece.

Thank you Nancy

Idea – The triangle could be lace, with a satin ribbon gathered at intervals down the lace.   Begin at the top where it would be a small section, and all the way down the triangle (4 cm (1 ½”) apart) then attach the lace or satin around the bottom for the length.

 ”If any of you have ideas you would like to pass on to others, I would be only too happy to include them in this newsletter.   It’s all about “sharing the knowledge”.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

1.  If trousers are too tight at the waist, you can release the pleats or darts.  It may or may not have a band.  If there is no band it is easier to unpick the darts and put a panel in the facing or unpick the lining darts. For trousers (or skirts) with a band, unpick the band from the button end around to the button hole end, but not all the way.  Leave the buttonhole end attached with enough room for you to get in and sew the band back on.  Release the darts or pleats the amount you need, and sew the band back on, putting an extension in the end.  Usually the original band will hide the extension.  Try to use fabric of a similar colour and weight.  I actually pin the band back on with the pins facing forward, and I sew with the band on the top so that I sew back into the original stitching.  You will never know that the band has been unpicked if you do this.

2.  If the trousers are too tight in the crotch area, or you have what is called a camel foot appearing around the crotch area, this is usually due to the crotch being too tight.  This means you need to lower the “rise” of the trousers.  The rise is the seam that runs from the centre front to the centre back.  If you turn the trousers inside out, then pop one leg into the other with right sides together, you will have easy access to the rise.  Lower the rise without taking in too much around the tummy or bottom area.  In other words you are going to begin sewing about 6cm (2 ½”) from the crotch join front and back.  This will lower the rise and give you more room. To be honest I would not lower a rise more than 4 cm (1 ½”).

3.  Put a panel down each side of the trousers, but use a fabric that is a good colour match or a contrast colour that works with the trouser.  Something that looks great is a heavy lace panel with a fabric behind the lace. The backing could be any colour.  I have inserted lace down the sides of trousers in this way and backed it with a skin coloured “two way stretch” called peek-a-boo.  It looks like you are looking at the person’s skin but in reality it is the stretch fabric.   There are some fantastic fabrics out there so use your imagination.

4.  What about opening out the side seams of the trousers and sewing loops on the sides like the back of the dress.  Then making a long cord, or buying some and threading it through the loops.  If you are concerned about exposing your skin, sew some stretch fabric underneath.  Make sure that the stretch fabric is smaller than what you want, so that the fabric doesn’t bunch if the trousers become too big.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Because tee shirts are stretch they are easy to add panels to.  Unpick the side seam and the sleeve about half way to the shoulder seam on either side.  Cut out a panel from fabric similar to the fabric or in a contrast.  Allow around 7.5 cm (3″) at the top (slightly curved for the armhole, and make a little wider as you come down the panel.  Because you have unpicked the sleeve, you can ease the new panel into the sleeve.  I have done this with a few tee shirts that I bought but found they were too small.  (I have a big bust) Most of the clothes I wear are black, so I had no trouble matching the black stretch fabric. If you want to have a contrast, you can sew some of the different coloured fabric onto the front of the tee to give it balance.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Above the waist

1. Do you have a top or dress that is too tight around the bust? If there is a zip in the back, unpick the zip or undo the centre back seam, or if there is no centre back seam – mark down the centre back and cut.  Make small loops and attach on each side about 2.5 cm (1″) apart.  Make a cord and thread the cord into each side of the loops making a crisscross down the back.  This is the perfect situation for a wedding dress that is too tight.  In the past I have had to do this for a number of ladies – days before the wedding.  If you don’t want to see any skin, then make a square panel and insert it under the crisscross.  This can be attached to one side.  Usually I would only have the panel around the waist, bottom area, and have the skin showing in the back.

2.  A lot of dresses have dress zips in the back.  A dress zip uses more fabric than an invisible zip, so take the dress zip out and replace it with an invisible zip.  You will be surprised at how much extra room you get, and if there are darts or seams at the back, release them as well.  Note that some darts have the machine burn hole at the end, so you may have to just reduce the size of the dart so that you still cover the burn hole.

3.  Halter neck tops or dresses can be made bigger at the bust by inserting a panel on either side of the front bust panels (armhole side).  I recently had a client who had a halter neck dress, and she wanted the length shortened, which I did, and then used the cut off for the side insert.  I folded the cutoff over and joined one side to the armhole side (which I had unpicked).  Then joined the bottom of the strip to the band that went under the bust, and hand stitched the back to the back panel.  Almost all bust panels in halter necks are double fabric.  You could use a contract colour if you wanted, because it doesn’t have to be with the same fabric.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

Zips are one of the most time consuming alterations, and therefore can be an expensive exercise for a person who has broken their zipper.  Let me explain about what I charge to replace a zip and why.  To replace a jean zip or trouser zip, I charge AUD$25.00.  Most clothing alteration shops in my area charge AUD$35.00 to replace a jean zip.  If the jeans are a designer brand like Versace then a person is not going to complain about the price I charge.  Even if they cost around $60+ it would be worth replacing, because replacing the zip is cheaper than buying a new pair of jeans or trousers, particularly if the jeans are worth $150.00.  But here is the kicker!!  What if the jeans cost $20.00 to buy?  Then to pay $25.00 to replace a zip is going to seem extreme.  It’s all relative!!!!

So this is where you need to do some talking to the person you are doing the zip for.  Most people have a little understanding of time and how long it takes to do things.  I explain that I have to unpick the zip which takes me around 10 – 15 minutes.  Then I have to put the new one in.  That takes me around 10 – 15 minutes – give or take a minute or two.  I work on AUD$44.00 per hour.  That means I have to unpick and replace the zip in around 30 minutes – give or take a minute or two.  

Once you explain this to the person, they have a better understanding of how you work. A seamstress should be earning around the same rate as your local plumber, carpenter or lawn mower man, because they run their own business and they usually work from home.  A seamstress is not someone who should be undercharged because people perceive them as doing a job that has not talent.  We are in the services industry, and that means we need to let the world know that we have a value just like the local plumber, carpenter or lawn mower man.  

A zip that is broken in a lined jacket is going to take me around 1 hour or so to unpick and replace.  I charge from $55.00 to replace a zip in a lined jacket.

The Clothing Alteration Home Business Package is a business package that covers everything from What you need, How much to charge, Marketing, Promotion and more. My passion is to have seamstresses around the world charging a reasonable amount to perform professional clothing alterations.  A lot of people are not charging enough and this leads them to be depressed and despondent with their own sewing skills.

We can unit if we first begin to believe in ourselves and to know that what we do has a value which means that the work we do has a value.

You can work for less if you want, but you will become resentful in the end. 

That is why I have started up the “Genies work magic on clothes” slogan. It unites us as a group.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie

These zips will take the most time to replace.  As you all know I am in Australia and I charge my customers up to $65.00 to replace a jacket zip in a lined garment.  Because I work on AUD$44.00 per hour, by the time I unpick the old zip, and put the new one in it takes over an hour.  Some people will be in shock when I give them to price, but I always do this BEFORE I take the job.  That way there are not shocks AFTER the work is done.  If you explain why it will cost this much money, they can decide if the jacket is worth it or not.  Some people will say no, but others will have it done, because they love the jacket and they can’t get another one like it.  Remember that if you under charge for your work, you are going to become resentful and if you become resentful you will not love what you are doing.  If you know that you will be paid for doing the job, you will do a good job.

When you unpick the jacket, have a look at how it is done.  Not all jackets are done the same, but there is a common method to them all.  With the zip unpicked you will be able to put your hand through the inside of the jacket lining from one side to the other.  Attach the lining to the back side of the zip on both sides.  Make sure that they are even.  Now pop one side through to the other side and sew the front of the zipper onto the jacket.  I do not mean the top stitching here but rather the right side of the outer to the right side of the zipper. You probably should pin into place first.  Sew with the fabric at the top so you can sew back into the same stitch holes.  When finished bag the top and the bottom of the zip on this side.  Pop it back through to the right side.  Now you need to open a seam in the lining so that you can pop the side not done through the lining to do the work.  Follow the same procedure as the other side, bag the top and bottom then close the opening in the lining by sewing a row of stitching close to the edge.

Happy sewing

Judith aka genie