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This is a great question. Weighing down the back of the jacket may be difficult with a sheer fabric. There are such things as “hem weights” that can be inserted into a hem, however the hem would need to be large enough for the weight to fit in (a chiffon fabric generally has a very narrow hem) and you might be able to see it through the fabric. Have you considered adding some kind of heavier edging to the jacket that might weigh it down a bit? Or even make an edging that you could hide hem weights in?
Another option to try and keep the back of the jacket down while wearing it would be to stiffen it. It would depend on what the chiffon was made from, but a polyester chiffon can take well to starch. This would only be a temporary fix and would need to be done after every washing and/or before every time it was worn, but it could work.
Good luck!
Ashley
Related Video: How to Hem Lightweight or Sheer Fabric
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I’m just starting sewing again after 40 years and when I laid out the pattern for my shirt and cut it out, I realized I had the material folded with wrong sides together as opposed to right sides. How much of a difference will this make and what do I have to do differently, if anything, when putting the shirt together to sew?
Hi,
If you cut all of your pieces with the wrong sides together rather than the right sides together if actually won’t make any difference at all. When something like this would make a difference is if you cut only some of your pattern pieces out with the fabric wrong sides together and then cut the rest with the right sides together- especially if the fabric has a definite right and wrong side. What essentially happens is that the first group of pattern pieces cut out will be opposite of the second group and they will not line up when you go to sew your pieces together.
Hope this helps!
need to know how many yards for a Nuevo Leon, Mexico dress. The skirt is double circular and the blouse has long puffy sleeves, the size are for youths. Thank you in advance.
I’m trying to make a button hole and instead I get the needle to mark only in one position.
Can you tell me what machine brand and model you are using? This will help me better help you get your machine set up to do a button hole.
The “riding up” problem might be solved by rubbing a fabric softener sheet either on the inside of the jacket or on the outside of whatever is being worn under it. This method definitely solves the problem with skirts clinging to pantyhose in the winter (static electricity), and I think it would work just as well with a jacket. Of course, this has to be done each time an article is worn.
The jacket may be riding up because your body wants more fabric than is available at the upper back. If you cut a muslin with just front and back from this pattern, put it on, and then make a slash across the back at the high back. This will open what we call a “fisheye” dart. Take the dart to nothing at the armscye. Recut another muslin and see if the “rideup” has improved.
If your friend enjoys hand needlework, she could sew beads (glass, silver, seed, bugle, crystal, etc) along the hemline, either in a line or in a decorative pattern. Beads are surprisingly heavy, and are beautiful on a sheer fabric.
I’m rely intrested in dressmaking and sewing. I’ve bee. Practicing for forever and I can see fine but wish I could do more. I want to Learn but Can’t find any courses. Nowhere will take me for work experience. Can anyone recommend a YouTube channel or anything to learn stuff? Or ways to perfect things like alterations,zips and my biggest thing corsets!! I’ve been trying to percet corsets for over two years! Please help if you Can
Hi Laura. Here is a link to the National Sewing Circle site. We offer both Free and Premium content on our site if you would like to check it out. https://www.nationalsewingcircle.com/
What is the best PVC vinyl (thickness) to sew with in order to make cosmetic zipped bags? Thank you.
Hi Lorraine. This will depend on how thick you want your bag to be. Vinyl comes in gauges ranging from 4 to 20 with 4 being very light and 20 very thick. I would recommend around a 10 for a cosmetic bag, as that will be strong enough to hold everything, but doesn’t need to be super thick to stand up to wear and tear.
Hope this helps
Use a thin chain in the seam
You could sew small beads either to the inside or outside at hemline.