I am mostly a lurker but now I need some advice. I recently purchased an evening pants outfit to wear to a wedding next weekend. The pants are 4 inches too long. Although I am an expereinced sewer, I have never sewn on georgette so am very apprehensive about cutting and hemming the pants. Are there tricks I should know about georgette? I think it might ravel - if so what to do etc. Should I hand stich the hem or can I machine stitch it? etc.
Thank you for any advice you can give me.

You can hem gorgette on the machine- if you have a hemmer foot, it will do it all in one step. If you don't, I would turn under a 1/8" to 1/4" on the machine, then do a very small hem by hand. If you have time, it will be very pretty like that. If you are running out of time, you can probably do it by machine, as long as you have matching thread. You could do a running stitch or a very small zigzag along the edge before you turn it under.

Be sure to have all raw edges completely enclosed or it will be a major headache to trim the strings the first time you wash them.

I bought a nice dress with the bottom ruffle of georgette or something similar. Apparently the hem of the ruffle was not stitched carefully enough and I had to give it a good 'haircut' after washing it. Now I need to redo that hem so it doesn't continue to be a problem.

You might practice on the part you cut off first to see how it handles and then you will be a pro on the pants. Good luck...

I use my serger on these kinds of fabrics. If no serger, a careful rolled hem would be the way to go.

I would hand stitch, rolling the hem would work well.

I found this information on the internet because frankly, I wasn't sure what "Georgette" was. After reading this, I would make a mad dash for the nearest tailor instead of trying to hem the pants myself. I'm pretty good quilter, but this stuff sounds scary...

Bridal gowns, evening dresses, and other formal wear are sometimes made with georgette fabric. It may also be used to make jackets and shirts, usually for women. The fabric can be left plain, or decorations such as embroidery and beading may be added. Decorations are usually kept simple so that they do not drag the fabric down and pull the garment out of shape. High load seams may be doubled to ensure that the fabric does not unravel.

Because georgette fabric is textured and slightly slippery, it can be difficult to sew. Interweaving tissue paper or something similar can help to keep pieces of the fabric together while they are worked on, and pins should be used with caution since georgette fabric can show pin holes. As a general rule, georgette fabric can be hand washed in cold water with mild detergent and hung to dry, although it should be kept out of the sun to avoid fading. In some cases, dry cleaning may be necessary; always check product tags to make sure that you care for the garment as the manufacturer recommends.

Great idea!

Wedding is July 9 and just purchased outfit this past week.
I called several local tailors/seamstresses but not enough time for them to do it - that's why I must tackle the job.

You might try stabilizing the edge with fray-check or a light interfacing before working with it.

If your pants need to be 4 inches shorter measure up from the bottom of the pants 3 3/4 inches. Place straight pins all around the pants leg at this measurement. (Parallel with bottom of pants). Turn under at the pins, take the pin out and pin up. Press lightly, sew with matching thread at very edge, about 1/8 inch. Cut close to stitching and then turn up again and stitch again. This gives a finished seam.

i did alterations for about 10 years and this is how i would do it sew trim to about 1/8 and turn up and sew again practice on the bottom of the pants if you want to try it out

I used to do wedding garments. I found the best way is to stitch a1/4" seam with a little longer stitch. Then press the first 1/4" up at the thread line. Next, press that 1/4" up again and hand stitch catching the threads from your seam.

I have done machine hemming when there is lots of material or very little time but expeience has shown me that hand hemming is much prettier and you don't have that much to hem.

I have an alterations business and work on this type of fabric often. One of the easiest ways would be to stitch a line 1/4 inch below where you want the hem. Cut off the extra fabric leaving 1/4 inch. Then turn the hem under and stitch, either by hand or machine. You could also just press it under the 1/4 inch, cut and then sew, but if you are not used to doing this the stitching method might be easier.

They (JoAnne's) sell a lace strip found with the bindings. Just machine sew this to the fabric edge and then hem carefully with 1/4-inch long stitches. Many years ago all dresses bought off the hangers were hemmed with this lace strip. Good luck. Yolanda Wood River

I would do the above, serge, or use hem lace or hem binding--Georgette is the stuff of nightmares if you are not used to working with it. I have sewn what seems like a million miles of the slippery stuff.

Use the cut-off to practice---you will not regret the extra time!

If you are having problems cutting because it is so slippery to work with, I have a couple hints that may help. With slippery fabrics I use painters tape to tape to my cutting mat and then weights (or canned goods) to help keep the fabric (and/or ruler) in place while cutting.

Hope this helps and good luck!

If you have a rolled hem attachment for your machine, that would work best. Yes, it can ravel out so I think machine stitching would help.

Just don't hem the same leg twice like I did. Had to go out and find something else. Luckily, I had a week to do that.

I would turn under 1/4 in. and sew by machine, then I would hand sew the hem usually 1/2 in. to 1 in. hem. I feel that dressy outfits need a hand sewn hem. Makes them look nice and not cheap.
Sue

I have used 1/8" ribbon the same color and stitched it then turn that uover twice for hem and it gives it more manageability.

If your fabric is washable then be sure to wash it FIRST before you cut anything. The georgette or the lining may shrink in different amounts. Try it on again after washing and then decide where or if it needs cutting off. Stitch 1/4 inch longer than you think you need then cut below the stitching line. The stitching will give you some stabilization as you do the hemming. Practice on the part that you have cut off until you are comfortable as possible then damn the torpedos, full speed ahead. Good luck and best wishes to the happy couple.

What about putting a line of No Fray in a line just above where you are going to cut, let it dry and then cut the excess off? If you use a roll hem, the No Fray will be inside the hem and unseen and not felt - I don't know how flexible it is when it dries.

Try them on first and make sure you have someone mrk the hem when you bend, move, etc.to get an accurrate hem. Someone said hemming ft and this is appropriate with good results. You want a rolled eded hem, not too wide.
Have fun at the event.

If you have a serger, the easiest and neatest way I have found is to cut the garment 1/4 inch longer than you need. Then serge the edge with the right side of the fabric facing up. Turn the 1/4 inche to the inside and press. Then stitch on the right side as close to the edge as you can. I have a ready made garment on which this was done and I find it useful on any crisp fabric. Nancy Zieman also has a method of sewing a straight stitch 1/4 inch from edge ( then turn it up and stitch 1/8 inch from edge. Trim very carefully the raw edge. Then turn it up 1/8 inch and stitch again very close to the edge.) You would have to cut off the garment at 3/8 inche below where you need it. The sheer shirt she showed looked really nic.

I would definatly use matching silk thread,It is very fine and doesn't show very much.

d.swinslw

I made dresses for a chorus at the university out of georgette and would advise finishing the raw edge.I used a serger and then turned them up 1/4 inch and stitched by machine.

I agree with Mar32428, that's how I"ve done it before and the results are professional looking.
Blessings,
MaryAnna

I have found that Fray Check leaves a wet look on georgette & similar fabrics. I suggest to use Fray Block, it's alittle pricer, but does better. I also use tissue paper between fabrics to keep it from slipping when machine sewing.

I personally have altered over a hundred formals and wedding gowns and can certainly understand your concerns. With Georgette I have always used my serger on the raw edge after measuring for the hem length. Then turned under 1/4" and used a loose stitch all the way around. Then turned it up once again to hide this with a 1/2" hem, did this on all the hems until I got my serger. Now I simply trim off the excess, serge the edge, fold up the hem to the length I want, press it well and either use the roll hem foot or hand stitch. In a pinch I've even used fabric glue in a pinch but don't really recommend it for georgette - It leaves a mark on the fabric that in some colors is really noticable. There is also something called steam a seam but it will melt the fabric - So don't use this stuff. I learned this the hard way. Ugh!

I think I would look at the dry cleaners for an alterations person

Sounds like the easiest solution of all!!! :thumbup: