It also means I have at least one store bought dress to alter. Ugh. But this years dress is really nice. It's well made with boning and lining. My daughter was delighted to find it also has POCKETS!!! She hasn't had a formal with pockets. I laughed because my dog show friends will pay dearly to have pockets fitted into the dresses they wear to compete their dogs. You gotta love a formal with a pocket full of dried liver - Blech!
I cut almost 4 inches off the bottom and hemmed the skirt. Then hemmed the net underneath. Then underneath that, I cut 4 inches off the lining and hemmed that. It's a full skirt, about 12 feet around! Lots of hemming. Lots and lots :)
Enter my amazing super sewing machine, the Janome 8900. My previous machine probably had a rolled hem foot but I never discovered it. I sat down today, pulled out my owners manual, found the correct page, found the foot and tested it on a scrap of fabric.
The Heavens opened and angels sang!!! It worked! This may sound nuts but to someone who has struggled for years to fold fabric twice over, super thin and sew it properly .... this rolled hem foot has revolutionized my life. It simplified a task I have struggled with on formals for over 15 years. I sewed my own wedding dress 28 years ago and it didn't even have a rolled hem. I bet I would cringe at some of the workmanship. But I made a beautiful dress on an old Kenmore sewing machine that cost about $100. I am still proud of the accomplishment.
Check out the finished hem. I love it! I had hiccups along the way but overall it's a great hem. All sewing should be this joyful.
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