Using Fusible Hem Tape in Place of Stitching
If you are needing to add a hem to a garment or home decor project, but don’t want to see a stitching line or want to spend the time doing an invisible hand stitch, fusible hem tape is a great alternative. Ashley Hough teaches you about fusible hem tape and shows you how to use it.
Tips for Using Fusible Hem Tape
Fusible hem tape is a double sided fusible adhesive tape that can be used to permanently adhere two layers of fabric together. While there are several different brands and types of fusible hem tape available on the market today, they are generally all adhered the same way. Ashley shows one brand of fusible hem tape and explains how if can be found in different widths, depending on the size of hem you are doing on your project.
She then shows how to start by measuring, folding and pressing your hem in place first and then adding the hem tape. Ashley shows how to ensure that no edge of the hem tape extends beyond the fabric and touches the iron. She explains what iron setting you should use and then shows how to adhere the hem tape in place. While using fusible hem tape is a quick alternative to sewing a hem in place, it is permanent and cannot be removed.
If you are hemming a garment that may need to be adjusted at some point, for example hemming pants, this may not be the best solution as there is no way to remove the adhesive once it has been fused. If you are hemming a project that may need to be adjusted and you still do not want to see a stitching line, hand stitching using an invisible stitch is the best solution. Check out additional tutorials on tips for hand stitching.
Great video, very clear for an absolute beginner like me. Am I able to use Heaming Tape on Stretch Velvet. (Curtains). Thanks .
Thanks I was going to ask the same question as Geri!
Can hem tape be used around neck and arm hole facing? The facings on a dress I made do not lie flat.
Hi Geri,
Yes, hem tape can be used in these areas, however I would not recommend using exact one demonstrated in this tutorial because it does not have any stretch to it, and generally you want a little stretch and give in the neck and arm areas. They do make a knit stay tape or a knit hem tape that has some stretch to it and would be a better product to use for this application.
Cheers,
Ashley