Dollieh Sanctuary Where no dollieh is left behind.

by **Trethowan** » Tue May 07, 2013 7:23 pm

Hi there, I really need some help.

When sewing my usual human-sized fare I've never had this problem so I'm a little confused as to what I'm doing wrong.

When sewing tiny doll sized things I'm finding that my hems are twisting and rolling. It only does it when sewing a curved item, like the hem of a skirt or the bottom edge of a cape.

What am I doing wrong? Are my seam allowances too big for the curve or size of the garment? Should I cut little notches in the fabric like I do on my armholes so it rolls better?

/sigh. I don't know why I can make a 1776 coat for myself and have no problems but I can't sew a simple a-line skirt for a doll. It isn't new information, you guys know I've mentioned it before. Is it the size or am I just missing crucial information about patterns and methods when sewing for dolls? Fabric hasn't magically changed overnight, nor have the basics of sewing but I can NOT seem to wrap my brain around sewing tiny things. This is a skill deficit I'd definitely like to overcome.

Thanks to everyone for your wisdom and advice. I really appreciate you. <3

by **OkamiKodomo** » Tue May 07, 2013 7:27 pm

I typically cheat at that, so I can't tell ya. I fray-check the skirts and then hand-sew trims to the edges if the fray check causes too much discoloration.

by **Trethowan** » Tue May 07, 2013 8:37 pm

I traditionally do a 'double-roll' type of hem so the raw edges are completely hidden. That's where I'm messing up, the double-roll keeps tightening down into a tiny tube and then my hem isn't straight.

by **zirconmermaid** » Tue May 07, 2013 9:13 pm

It's the curve. Put a gathering stitch close to the edge before you turn anything up. Gather it to the length of the upper edge of the hem - where the stitches are. Press before sewing. Pin a lot. Then sew.

by **Trethowan** » Wed May 08, 2013 12:37 am

Thanks for the tips! I found this link for visual aids based on your advice. I'm going to give it a shot. I'll post pictures.

http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/curved-hems

by **oniakki** » Thu May 09, 2013 12:59 am

Oh, nice, very useful. I was just assuming I didn't have enough practice myself.

Dollieh Sanctuary Where no dollieh is left behind.

Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Re: Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Re: Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Re: Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Re: Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Re: Sewing Question: Hems that roll, twist, and bunch up.

Who is online