• How To Shorten An Enclosed Horse Hair Braid Hem Styles
• How To Shorten An Enclosed Horse Hair Braid Hem Video

Hem (From Waistline) and Re-shape Skirt: $ 175 Baby Hem: $ 40 Baby Hem and Re-shape Panel: $ 50 Attach Original Hem on Skirt (Each Layer) $ 70 Horse Hair Skirt Hem (Each Layer) $ 50 Hem (Non-Wedding Gown Fabric - Up to 3 Layers Above 200') $ 70 Shorten From Waist and Reshaping (1 Skirt) $ 75 Sleeve and Shoulder Alterations.

Share the Joy. 0 103 1864-69 Skirt with Hem Facing at LACMA MuseumAll the Victorians did it. They knew what to do to keep clothes lasting longer.

They finagled fabric and thread until it gave them the silhouette they wanted.One of the best things they utilized was the method of using a second or third layer of fabric to stiffen a particular area of a garment. (You may have heard of this as or mounting.) This reinforcement gave body to the fashion fabric, supported the silhouette desired, and miraculously cut down on the wear & tear of the garment.Most obvious of this reinforcement layer is this use of supportive fabric in skirt hems known as hem facings.Hem Bias Sewn to TrainRarely did the mid-to-late 19 th C. Woman hem her skirt with just turning it up once and stitching down. No, they were as attentive to the bottom of their garments as anything else.

Really if you think about it, the skirt hem gets nearly the same amount of wear (if not more) as the wrist cuff. Those folded up edges take a beating.Generally, in modern sewing terms, facings finish raw edges and help support them as well. The facing is sewn on to the garment then turned to the inside and either left loose or tacked down.

Cut on the same grain as the garment or a true bias, facings follow the edges to be finished like armholes in sleeveless tops and necklines.In historical sewing, facings are kind of a mix of (a full lining layer) and simple edge finishes like bias strips. They can be flatlined to the inside of a garment which the raw edges are then finished together. Or facings can be shortened linings actually finishing a raw edge like in modern garments.In terms of skirt hem facings specifically, there are two methods I’ve found to be the best when finishing the hems in skirts. Wide sections of fabric are laid flat on the inside of the skirt with the lower raw edges matching. The raw edges are then finished together.

The facing and skirt are placed right sides together, seamed and the facing turned to the inside of the skirt.Both these methods serve the purpose of supporting the skirt hem and are used according to the type of skirt and time period you are working with.Types & Widths Of Hem FacingsHem facings are a traditional way to finish the lower edges of skirts. They can be cut in straight strips across the fabric or on the bias for use in shaped or curved hems.If your skirt is cut in straight panels such as those in the 1830s to 1850s, straight strips of fabric are fine to use as a hem facing. Straight hem facings can be from 1” up to 12” or more. In 1830s skirts, the hem facing could go as high as knee level.For curved hems, as most skirts are, strips cut on the bias are best and can be anywhere from 1” to 6” or more in width.Fabrics To UseHem facings can be cut from the fashion fabric or from a lining or underlining fabric. Being a support to the skirt fashion fabric, the facing fabric will depend on the time period you are creating. The style of the skirt and the weight needed at the hemline are also considered in choosing your facing fabric.Try a heavy, tightly-woven muslin for lighter-weight dress fabrics. Polished cotton (chintz) was VERY popular for underlinings and facings in the 19 th Century and can be used from light cottons to heavy wools and silks.Silk organza, although a fabulous bodice and collar underlining is not recommended for skirt facings because of the wear a skirt gets.

Use a light muslin or calico instead.Cotton organdy, the, is perfect hem facing material. Make sure to use the appropriate stiffness according to your fashion fabric. The stiffest stuff is great for 1890s hems which really need that hem support as it kicks out over the petticoats.To strengthen a curved hem, modern horsehair braid can be enclosed between the bias hem facing and skirt. It is especially effective in kicking out the hem from the petticoats.The modern horsehair braid available is a nylon mesh woven on a bias grain. It is usually sold in clear or black and comes in ½” to 3” widths.

Wider goods are sold but it can get real expensive real fast.As an option to horsehair, you can use hair canvas (found in the interfacing section of a fabric store) or a heavy fabric cut into bias strips and used as an inner layer between your hem facing and skirt. This would add weight and form to the skirt. Hair canvas is best for wool skirts.Reproduction Costume SamplesHere are some examples of hem facings in use in reproduction costumes. Skirt hem facing & bias finished edgeAbove is a 1860s straight panel skirt with a straight hem facing of 3”. To further protect the lower edge of the skirt, a plain cotton bias tape was wrapped over the folded hem and top stitched on. This bias tape can be easily replaced and keeps the skirt in good condition.

Wide Skirt Hem Facing on 1830s Straight SkirtAbove is a 12” wide straight hem facing applied to a straight panel 1830s skirt. The facing is in the fashion fabric. After the facing was stitched to the skirt right sides together, the seam was rolled ¼” to the inside so the seam was not seen from the correct side. This is a period method that leaves the bottom of the skirt as a fold rather than a seam. Hem facing pinned in place on curved train hemAbove is a sharply curved 1870s skirt train with a 6” bias hem facing. The skirt was flatlined in a polished cotton and the facing cut from the same material.You can see the small darts taken up in the hem facing to match the curve of the train or skirt hem. These darts are historically correct as seen on some original garments.

Most often this hem facing was covered with a balayeuse or street sweeper which is simply a pleated ruffle that kept the hem edge clean and could be easily removed and cleaned or replaced. Bias Hem Facing with Horsehair Underneath for SupportThis is another bias hem facing applied to a 1870s natural form era curved skirt hem.

A 2” wide strip of horsehair was sandwiched between the skirt and the hem facing before the facing was whipstitched to the skirt.Do you finish your skirts with hem facings? Have you noticed the difference they make in the overall silhouette of your skirt? After a costume was completed, do you wish a longer or shorter hem facing was used? Posted in, Tagged, Post navigation. Says:It would be stiffer than organdy but would work as a hem facing. Not sure it would be best for a Natural Form skirt however. I’d stick with organdy or cut a very narrow underlining facing with the crinoline, like 1.5″ or 2″ max.

A hem facing IS the hem out of fashion fabric or other lining fabric, so you’d need to apply it to the entire skirt hem. The crinoline or organdy is an underlining or backing to the facing out of fabric put in for hem support.

Flatlining in silk organza is fantastic! Says:I am trying to draft an original design for a gored skirt with knife pleating in back (i.e. I don’t have a pattern and I want to make one anyway). I am making it from a lovely polished cotton (I think), and I want to make it “right”. I have read so many pages here my head is starting to swim. I have always just folded up a deep hem on my skirts, like 3″.

How To Shorten An Enclosed Horse Hair Braid Hem Styles

Would this suffice as a facing? Should I underline the whole skirt with muslin? Should I use some of the extra fashion fabric to make bias strips to attach? I’m a little confused. It looks like you are saying that most facings are cut either on the straight grain or on the bias, but I don’t know if that eliminates deep hems. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Says:Hi Judy,The treatment would depend on the era of skirt you want to make and your fashion fabric.

Instead of folding up the skirt 3″ you could make a separate facing that’s 3″ plus seam allowance and turn under which will give you similar support – you’d only have that extra seam and allowances at the very bottom. Original facings were generally cut from a strong, inexpensive and basic fabric. You could certainly cut facings from a fashion fabric if you want.

For your gored skirt panels I’d recommend cutting your facing strips on the bias so they can curve with your hem. Straight panel skirts call for straight hem facings simply for best use of fabric.Also the hem facing IS your hem. You generally don’t need to apply a facing then fold up the skirt and hem. Although that is a bit like flatlining the skirt but only around the hem. You do this when you really need the bottom of the skirt supported, and it can be used in addition with the panels entirely flatlined, or stand-alone.Sorry for making your head swim! 😉 Learning is fun.Cheers,Jennifer.

Maureen says:My two 1898 (Past Patterns) skirts of a beastly slippery light brocade have a Hymo front lining about 15 inches deep, cut on the bias. The Hymo was very carefully hand pick-stitched to the fashion fabric. Before the fashion fabric, Hymo and cotton underlining were stitched together at the lower edge, the skirt was hung for 48 hours. Then edged with 3 inch wide black velveteen bias. The pattern called for a two inch wide strip, but I was afraid it would be too narrow to sew effectively.

How To Shorten An Enclosed Horse Hair Braid Hem Video

The handstitching to secure the bias took me as long as machine sewing the rest of the skirt, but I have zero wear damage, and the hem flares nicely.