How To Hem Chiffon With A Serger

Sewing has become more of a decoration if you know what to do and when. There are plenty of ways in which you can make your fabric look pretty and make them completely finished. Hemming is one of the best ways to do that. Also, all the fabrics can be hemmed beautifully without worrying about the fraying of the threads. Some fabrics require more efforts and time to get things done, and we are talking about the chiffon fabric. Everybody loves the shiny and slippery fabric that works best for the skirts and loose tops, but we hardly want to think about the time when we decide to hem them.

You can hem chiffon in different ways, one of the ideal ways to sew is by hand where you leave ¼ hem allowance for the first stitch. Another popular method is to hem with a serger. It is a type of sewing machine that uses multiple threads to hem the fabric. A serger is also called the overlocker that works as a great trick to hem light fabrics like chiffon. In this article, we will be discussing how you can hem chiffon with a serger.

How To Hem Chiffon With A Serger?

To hem chiffon with a serger, you can either use rolled hem or narrow hem for a perfect stitch. First, lower the length of the stitch right before the smallest stitch. Bring the upper looper tension to low and the lower looper tension to high and start serging from the right side up. A serger will always give you a better finish than any sewing machine.

Step-By-Step Guide To Hemming Chiffon With A Serger

A serger will help in overlocking your chiffon and give it a proper finish. A narrow hem or a rolled hem is considered the best way to hem your fabric. For this, you need to have a good quality overlocker that can do the work. You need to work patiently at the beginning and need to remain vigilant throughout the process; a little mistake can cost you your fabric. Here are a few simple steps that you need to follow for both rolled and narrow hem.

  1. Make sure you remove the thread in the left needle. This is similar for both the narrow hem and rolled hem.
  2. Lower the stitch length and width before starting. Ensure that the length is just above the smallest setting on the serger. This way, you will get neat and tightly packed hem.
  3. Increase the lower looper tension and decrease the upper looper tension. All the settings should be correctly done before beginning.
  4. Put the right side of chiffon fabric up. Keep serging until the end of the fabric. You can use these steps for a narrow and rolled hem.
  5. If you are looking for blind hem, you need to hold the fabric at the hemline towards the wrong side. Fold again to the right side and leave a space between the folding area.
  6. The tension should be set at 0-2, the upper tension should be 5-7, and the lower tension at 2-4. Make sure to check all the tension settings right before serging.
  7. Now insert the fabric into the serger and keep it in a way that the needle is hardly touching the fabric. You need to start serging with the wrong side up.
  8. Sew till the end and pull the edge to fold in the opposite direction.

That’s all you need to do for hemming the chiffon with a serger. It is easy, efficient and highly convenient. With the right practice, you can get it the right way.

How To Hem Your Chiffon With Sewing Machine?

While serger is the easiest way to hem your chiffon, you can also use a sewing machine. You need to sew a basting line about 1/4” inside the edge. Fold the fabric to the wrong side inwards that will stop the basting line. You can then press the fold with the iron. Go 1/8” around the edge and sew some more stitches. Trim off the edges that are close to the stitches without disturbing the stitches. Fold again and complete the third round of stitches. Now press the fold once you have completed the last stitch.

There are two basic ways to hem chiffon: rolled hem or narrow hem. Here’s how you can do both-:

Rolled Hem

  • You need to attach the rolled hem presser foot on the sewing machine that will help you in hemming.
  • Without feeding the fabric into the guide, lower the presser foot and place it above the material.
  • First, sew basting of ¼” from the edge.
  • Now start feeding the material. Don’t stretch the chiffon as you might tear it apart. The presser foot will take up the fabric; you just need to hold it in the right direction.
  • You can lower the raw edge from one side and under from the opposite side.
  • Start sewing slowly and go around the hem.
  • Press the fabric and the hem into place after stitching.

Narrow Hem

  • Create a hemline and use the shortest stitch to create basting of 1/8” below the mark.
  • Fold the fabric and sew another to close the fold.
  • Trim the excess and get close to the second stitch without cutting.
  • Fold the hem and cover the raw edge.
  • Now sew the third stitch on the top of the second.
  • Make sure to iron the hemline so that everything looks in place.

Can I Hem Chiffon?

Yes, you can hem lightweight fabrics like chiffon. You may feel like chiffon is a slick and slippery fabric that may be quite difficult to hem. It is true that chiffon is hard to work with. There might be a lot of frustration at the beginning, but the regular practice will make things better. You can hem chiffon materials. By hand and by machine are the popular methods for hemming the fabric. You can also hem with a serger that is much easier to work with. It is highly essential to hem the chiffon in order to prevent the fraying. Hemming is the best way to handle the fabric; you can get free from snags, loose ends, fray, and so on.

How To Hem Chiffon With Tape?

There is another way to hem a chiffon, and that is with tape. It would help if you got the right length of the tape, but it is not as easy as it may sound. The most complicated step is to cut the tape for hemming. Place the tape along the hemline and fold it on the wrong side. Now heat the iron to the chiffon or the lowest setting as the fabric is light. Press it over the garment along the tape, make sure to put the pressing cloth over the chiffon, so that direct heat doesn’t affect the fabric. Make sure to iron precisely without damaging the fabric and let it cool after that.

How To Finish Chiffon Edges?

Finishing off the edges of the chiffon is extremely important. You cannot just leave the edges off. One of the best ways is to use a presser foot; it makes the fabric handling much easier for you. Presser foot can be attached to the sewing machine and will give you multiple stitch finishes. You require plenty of practice in order to get the hang of hemming on the chiffon. Being lightweight and slick fabric, chiffon can give you a hard time hemming the edges. Another method is to use a tape; it is the simplest way to corral the edges of the chiffon. All you need is to do it correctly without ruining the fabric. One of the downsides of using tapes for finishing the edges is that it can damage the fabric.

Jessica

Jessica

I'm Jessica Flores, a professional fashion designer and an expert seamstress. Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years. I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills. It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.

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