Dress Redesign: Adding a Gathered Layered Hem

My friend gave me a dress his wife was going to donate. I love the fabric, so I am going to redesign the dress. I’ve decided to take it in, shorten the length, and then will layer two gathered hems to the bottom of the dress. This should be fun!

The skinny:

I’m going to keep the dress intact and resew the seams along the bottom of the arms and along the sides of the dress.

Materials:

• dress to redesign
• matching thread

Let’s get sewing!

Instructions:

1. Try the dress on. I’m going to make mine a bit more form fitting. Decide where you want to take it in and for how much. I’m going to take in under each sleeve 2 1/4 ” but will leave the overall lengths of the sleeves the same. Then I’m going to take in each side of the dress 2 1/2″ all the way down from armpit to bottom hem.

I want to give the dress layered hems at the bottom. Trying it on, I decided to take off the bottom 11 1/2″.

2. Turn the dress inside out. Pin it all along the sides to keep things in place when you’re drawing in your new hemlines and making your cuts.

3. First, I’m going to take 11 1/2″ off the bottom.

4. Next, I’m going to sew 2 1/4″ down along the underside of each arm, then sew 2 1/2″ down along the entire side. I’m doing this on both sides of the dress.

Try it on to make sure no areas of the fabric got bunched up (mine did). Once you’re satisfied with the new seam, sew it up once more for good sure.

5. Cut off the extra fabric from the seam. Zigzag or serge the fabric edge.

6. Now, zigzag or serge the new hem of the dress, fold it in and sew it with a straight stitch for your new hemline.

7. Now to make the layered hems along the bottom. Take the excess fabric you cut off before (the step where I cut off the bottom 11 1/2″ from the dress).

I’m going to make two extra layers. I want the final length showing from each layer to be 1″ wide. The very bottom of the dress already has a hem, so I’m going to incorporate that into my math.

Using the fabric, cut the bottom off in a strip that is 3″ wide. Then right above it, cut a second strip that is 2 1/2″ wide.

Zigzag or serge any raw fabric edges to prevent fraying.

8. The strip of fabric that is 3″ wide already has a hem sewn in (it was the original bottom of the dress). So, the next step is to add a rolling hem to the strip that is 2 1/2″ wide.

9. Next, we’re going to gather the tops of both fabric strips using a loose stitch and then tightening it. Fold your strips in half. Mark each end. Sew a loose straight stitch along each half leaving long tails of thread at the beginning and end of each stitch.

10. I’m going to put the first and less wide strip on the bottom of the dress, the one that is 2 1/2″ wide. Pull the top thread and gently gather the fabric until it’s been gathered all around. This might be a tough feat, but just be gentle and take your time!

Once the top of the fabric strip is gathered, start attaching it along the bottom of the dress with needles. Once you have this in place, sew it together. Heads up, this was a bit tricky for me.

11. Next, I’m going to add the second strip onto the bottom of the dress. Again, pull on the top thread and gently gather the fabric all around. Also, kind of tricky! Good luck! 🙂

After it is gathered, attach it to the bottom of the dress. Pin then sew in place.

All done! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

*A little bit of housekeeping: stretch needle 75/11, sides – 00 stitch, 3.5 width, 2.5 length; edges – 03 stitch, 4.5 width, 2.5 length, rolling hem – 00 stitch, 3.5 width, 3.5 length, gathered hem – 03 stitch, 5.0 width, 2.5 length;