How to Sew a Rolled Hem

How to sew a rolled hem

Rolled hems are an excellent choice for many delicate fabrics, such as tulle, which need a narrow hem; sewing one may seem difficult if you have not tried it before. Rolled hems are not difficult; you can learn how to sew a rolled hem which looks professional.

The quickest way to sew a rolled hem is on an overlock machine (serger). Set the stitch length between 0 mm and 3 mm. Setting the length at 0 will make a hem with a fine firm edge; if you want a soft, supple picot or scalloped edge set the length at 3 mm. If you want to cover the fabric edge, but not have too stiff of an edge, 2 mm works well. The 1 mm setting will give a satin stitch look and be fairly stiff.

Before beginning you may want to press a crease to mark the hem or mark it with disappearing ink. Accuracy the first time is very important when using a serger (overlock machine) since these machines trim the excess fabric as they sew.

When producing a rolled hem or other hem on the serger, you must carefully align the overlock knives with the hemline. Place you fabric right side up under the machine foot; this is important, because you want the hem to roll to the wrong side when finished. If this is first time you have ever sewn a hem on a serger, I strongly suggest that you practice first on several scrapes of fabric before sewing on your garment or other project. Practicing will also give you a chance to experiment with the different stitch lengths and see which suits your project the best. Soon you will master the art of sewing a professional-looking rolled hem.

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