Wedding season has been in full swing all summer and it shows no sign of stopping. That's okay with me … I love weddings!
I get excited to get all gussied up and dance, dance, dance my booty off. I rarely ever get a chance to be that dressed up, so come weddings, I go all-out with a long dress.
But after the fun, I'm stuck with a long dress too fancy for everyday wear. Luckily, a quick hem can transform your long gown into a fun cocktail mini or just into a casual summer frock. Here's how ….
1. Lay your dress inside-out on a flat surface.
2. Using a measuring tape and chalk (or a pencil), mark where you want to cut your dress. Make a dot about every 2 inches, measuring from the hem up. Once you're finished, connect the dots so to speak so you have a long chalk "hem" line. Remember it will be sewn up, so cut longer to allow for the fold of the hem — about an inch and a half.
3. Try it on to make sure it's not too long or short. Now, carefully cut following the natural flow of the dress and your chalk hem line. Err on the side of long, just in case.
4. Try it on again to make sure it's straight and at the perfect length.
5. Now, you can go two ways. Sew or no sew.
Option 1: To sew, repeat the same process as above with the chalk and measuring tape, then fold the dress up to create a hem and pin it. Using a sewing machine (or good old fashioned needle and thread), sew the hem. Finally remove the pins, turn right side out, and try on. Done!
Option 2: No sew. You can buy this handy stuff called sewing tape. It's just what it sounds like … tape that creates a hem. Cut a strip as long as your hem, place on the dress, fold over the hem, and heat on low with an iron until bonded. Voila! Note: Make sure you follow the package instructions.
Check out this DIY tutorial using sewing tape. PS: I love the super-cute girl and the funky music.
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swTS6t-L72o
Would you shorten a long dress?
Image via ClickFlashPhotos/Flickr
