The Sewing Place

At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!

Marniesews

At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« on: April 30, 2019, 22:50:30 PM »
I had two latin partner skirts to make (circle skirts) but the first one was a nightmare, getting 3/4 around before the thread started falling off the end of the chiffon. The only thing that worked was to use spray starch which a dip in water didn't entirely dislodge so it looks like I'll have to hand wash it to get it out.

And then the tip! Someone else was bemoaning the same problem on a FB group and there were all the tips and tricks I'd heard before and used without complete success (apart from the starch but that has its disadvantages). This time a few people said not to use the knife and take a bigger bite of fabric so I tried it and got great results (without the starch), including a better join with the start too.  :D

I'm delirious and although the stuff is still horrible to cut out (you know me and rotary cutters  :S ) and not fun to sew, I'm definitely not going to avoid it at all costs from now on. I'll finally have a go at floats for my DGD once I've got her new latin dress off my list.

Perhaps I should have another go with the rotary cutter while I'm having a lucky week... I've got one slot left 1. the chiffon hem resolved, 2. found my DGD's favourite leotard that I mysteriously lost 3 weeks ago. 3... Quick, what's your best rotary cutting tip?
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Kwaaked

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2019, 23:22:35 PM »
...use scissors.

I have an electric knife.  Sort of a rotary cutter on steroids.  Only way I use them.

Marniesews

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2019, 23:27:08 PM »
Is that a hot knife @Kwaaked  or the sort of vertical serrated blade type that they use for cutting multiple layers in one go?
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.


Marniesews

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2019, 23:49:26 PM »
Oh my, there are lots of these on Amazon including some smaller straight handled ones that would be fine for me as I'm working at a genteel rate these days - and what I'm sewing is benefiting greatly from that. Some of them have little built in grinding wheels to keep the blade sharp. I suppose that's essential for commercial use or they'd be going through blades like crazy.

Some distinct candidates for the Christmas list here. Thank you.  :D
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Kwaaked

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2019, 23:52:37 PM »
Using every day 8 hours a day or so, they need to be replaced every 3 months or so.  Average they claim about 7-8 months for an alteration shop. 

Thecostumelady

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2019, 17:26:36 PM »
Not really a rotary cutting tip, but I find when cutting circle skirts in chiffon/georgette the best way to get the fabric to lie flat on the cutting surface (you know it's going to move every time you look at it!) is to get your face down to the level of the fabric then very gently blow......  It will lie beautifully flat! Good luck trying to keep it that way whilst you cut it though! >:)

Lollipop

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2019, 19:43:57 PM »
Thanks Ann.
I hope never to have to do it though, because I hate chiffon with a passion  :angry:
Was Sewnanny

Thecostumelady

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2019, 13:03:23 PM »
I really hate cutting and sewing it but it looks really nice when its done.  My favourite is the superflow georgette from Trim-it. it is a bit heavier than the chiffon or normal georgette but it hangs and dances beautifully.  I use it for all my Greek costumes.  Sorry to go a bit off topic here.  Ann x

Marniesews

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2019, 06:22:28 AM »
Good to know @Thecostumelady as I was looking at it the other day and wondering if it would be good for ballroom floats. Is it perhaps too heavy for juniors not used to floats perhaps?
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Thecostumelady

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2019, 16:47:50 PM »
Think you may be right there Jackie, it is heavier than normal, that's why I like it. Probably not the best though to float dreamily after the ballroom dancer in a gorgeous slow waltz!  It is easier to handle though and doesn't fray quite as much as the chiffon.  Not quite so transparent either.  I've just finished a Ginger Rodgers type musical comedy dress in it, with a double layer skirt and one and a half circles in each layer and it looks really nice.  By the way, I tried hemming it with the overlocker rolled hem with the blade out of action and it was brilliant...new technique learned, I loved it!  I don't know what happened to all the raggy edges that didn't get cut off, they just disappeared, I couldn't believe it. I'll definitely be using that again Thank you for that!  Ann x

Sewingforfun

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2019, 17:48:24 PM »
Hello! What a clever idea about the rolled hems without the knife! Must try that.

Also don't forget you can use the overlocker with the knife but without thread. I normally cut my hems a little long to avoid too careful cutting on the table, then after they drop, mark the hemline with the dress on the dummy using a ruler and chalk, and just cut them with the overlocker along the chalk line as I hem. You could easily do that without the thread, then go back with the thread but no knife. (I also sometimes cut hems still on the dummy with scissors like hair - remember they DSI tour, that's what they said they did). 

The other tip I got either here or on TSF was to use a really fine needle for hemming chiffon - 8s if you can find them, and possibly also a finer weight of thread.

I've had samples of the Trim-It superflow georgette and thought it too heavy and rather opaque compared to normal chiffon. I can see it might be nice for the sort of very flowy, rather than floaty, skirts Ann is talking about, but I personally would not want floats made in it.


Dancing too much and trying to remember sewing is for fun! Used to be CarolC.

Marniesews

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2019, 18:27:48 PM »
I also sometimes cut hems still on the dummy with scissors like hair - remember they DSI tour, that's what they said they did. 

The other tip I got either here or on TSF was to use a really fine needle for hemming chiffon - 8s if you can find them, and possibly also a finer weight of thread.


I used a size 8 which worked well and a thinner thread (Gutermann 150s) which worked fine but then so did the 120s that I tried afterwards. I also got some Skala which is a very fine industrial thread but struggled to get the right tension and it wasn't the right colour for this job so a bit more testing required for that. Using the overlocker as a trimming device after marking up skirts is something I have used in the past but not that often as I've not used the slipperiest stuff that much for skirts, sticking mostly to the anti-stat linings and organza.

Don't think I mentioned them but my new Kai serrated scissors were great to cut the chiffon. They were only short latin skirts so I just went slowly and was happy with the results. Another benefit of not using the knife and taking a big bite is any wobbles or jogs are hidden too.

Like cutting hair! Yes I remember that but then I think of all the times I butchered my poor daughter's fringe as a child - just imagine what I could do with a 5m+ hem! I might snip and snip until it was knee length.  :S
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Sewingforfun

Re: At last - chiffon hem satisfaction!
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2019, 12:02:48 PM »
Like cutting hair! Yes I remember that but then I think of all the times I butchered my poor daughter's fringe as a child - just imagine what I could do with a 5m+ hem! I might snip and snip until it was knee length.  :S

I do mark it with chalk first....!  :D

And what a good idea about serrated/pinking shears.
Dancing too much and trying to remember sewing is for fun! Used to be CarolC.