Ribbon Hem
Posted on Friday, July 9th, 2010 at 5:09 pmSkill Level: Advanced, Intermediate
Niceness: Envy of Her Majesty's Court
Pros: Entirely Machined, Super Tiny, Very Neat, Will Not Fray
Cons: Can Be Tricky, Can Look Modern, May Affect Drape of Garment, Requires Additional Supplies, You Must Be Able to Sew Quite Straight
Best For: Decorative Hems, Narrow Hems, Reinforced Edges, Thinner Fabric
PDF This technique produces a lovely hem – fully finished, and with a decorative ribbon right at the edge.
Sample:
A Ribbon Hem, front side, worked with 1/8" wide gold grosgrain.
Critical Stats:
Width: Determined by size of ribbon.
Seam Allowance Required: 1/4″-1/2″
Additional Supplies Needed: Ribbon.
Good to Know: The thinner the ribbon, the trickier this will be. But it will look amazing!
Process:
Select your ribbon. I'm using 1/8" wide gold metallic grosgrain, which is pretty much the worst choice ever. You must suffer to make beauty, darlings....
Working from the wrong side of the fabric, sew the ribbon down on the seam allowance line. The main of the ribbon should sit on the seam allowance. Sew as close to the edge of the ribbon as you can.
It should look like this. The red stitches are right on the seam allowance line.
On the right side of the fabric. you have a single line of stitching.
If your ribbon is narrower than your seam allowance, as mine is, you'll want to trim your seam allowance to be just a hair narrower than your ribbon. Important: don't cut all the way to the stitches. You have to leave some fabric, or the hem will fall right out.Press the ribbon to the front side of the hem. (Technically, I did less of a press than a vigorous squishing. It is easier if you actually press it.)
Sew the other side of the ribbon down.
The finished hem, seen from the front and the back.
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