Originally Posted by
barny
I have hemmed my Mothers clothes a very long time. I have a
[I call it a hem squirter]. It is a yardstick with chalk holder and a rubber squeezer to blow
chalk on the skirt. Put it on the person. make her stand still while you go around her with
the squirter putting a chalk line on the skirt. If it is knit, sew hem binding on the cut off
skirt and turn it under. Sew very loosley on knit[hand sew]. Because she isn't straight
up and down, it never will be straight unless she has it on when you mark it.
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My little hillbilly Grandma raised me and I think she was a very smart lady. She showed me
how to shorten or hem my own skirt. I tape a piece of chalk to the edge of a table or chair,
letting the end of it stick out. Then I walk up to it and let the chalk rub a spot here and there
and here and turn, etc. Then I can remove it and connect the dots, and each dot will be where
I am and not where anyone else goes in or out. Then I can measure how long or short I want
it to be, pin and check, then sew and press. Works for pants when you want to make them
into shorts of whatever kind, walking shorts, short shorts (Gads, I NEVER did wear any of
those things, feed sack dresses was what I wore.)