How To Hem Polyester Dress, Pants, Curtains (Helpful Guide)
Getting the right fit. This is a time that doesn’t depend on if you are on a diet or not. Unless you are still growing your hems usually should remain the same unless you want to be more risque or try a different look. Either way, hemming is important for most fabrics.
How to hem polyester: One of the easiest and fastest ways to do hems on polyester, especially curtains, is to use fabric glue. Measure your hems, press the fabric, and pin in place. Then go over the area with fabric glue and press again. Use fabric weights to help hold the material in place while the glue dries.
To learn more about hemming polyester just continue to read our article. It goes through the topic and provides you with the information you need to do the job right. Hemming polyester is easier than you may think.
Hemming Polyester 101
Do You Have To Hem Polyester?
It is a good idea to hem polyester as the material can and does fray. Even a little friction may get those threads separating and causing you no end in frustration. If you are worried about fraying before you hem, you can try a couple of simple methods to keep those fibers in place.
First, you can singe the material to melt the thread together. Polyester is a synthetic fiber and it does melt at the right temperature. You do not need a lot of heat to do this and you have to be careful of burning the fabric.
Or you can put a stitch line in before hemming. This line will stop the fraying. The best part is you can put this line close to the edge or a little way back, depending on the look you want and when you are going to hem the fabric.
You only have to worry about fraying if the polyester was woven. This style of fabric construction usually has looser threads that make fraying a problem and hemming polyester a reality.
Does Polyester Fray When Cut?
If it is a woven polyester material then you can expect to see fraying as you cut. This is a fact of life when it comes to many fabrics and polyester is no exception. Besides the two previously mentioned options, you can use a fabric tap to hold the hem in place until you get ready to sew. This will help stop the fraying.
If you are working on polyester chiffon, it is said that material will make you grow old before your time. It is a very difficult fabric to work with and the fraying is just one of the issues you have to contend with.
Other issues you have to be wary of when sewing with polyester chiffon is the need for the material to go off grain when you are cutting. This makes hemming a little more difficult as you need to straighten out the rough edges first and make them even before you hem.
One trick is to not delay in making a hem after you have cut the material., Fraying has ruined more than one sewing project.
Stop Polyester Fraying
One way to stop polyester from fraying is to leave an extra 1 1/4 inches on the fabric when you cut. Then turn the material 1/4 of an inch and press. Then turn the rest of that extra material up and press again. Using a needle and thread, do a whip stitch keeping the stitches about 1/4 of an inch apart. And you are done.
Another way to stop fraying is to use an iron-on adhesive that glues the threads in place. It is also not that hard to do and all you will need is the adhesive strip and your iron. A couple of minutes and you should be ready to hem or do another part of your project.
The next way is to simply do your hem first after cutting. If you know the length of the pant leg or the dress this is not that hard to do and once it is done you can concentrate on the other parts of the project with a clear mind.
Or you can use the singe option and melt the thread ends together holding them in place until you get ready to hem.
How To Fix Frayed Polyester
One way to handle this problem is to cut the frayed edge off. Then use one of the options already mentioned in this article to stop the polyester material from fraying again. But this option is only good if you have extra material to work with or if you want to shorten the pant leg, skirt, curtain, or dress length.
If the fraying is taking place at a hole in the material, you need to use a pair of sharp scissors and cut the fray away. Then, cut a patch that will cover the hole and is about 1/2 of an inch longer than the hole all the way around.
If it is an iron-on patch, simply place the fabric wrong side out and iron the patch over the hole. If you are sewing the patch on, a good zig-zag stitch is the best one to use. The only issue on either patch solution is that the patch’s color matches the polyester item’s color and design.
Does Hem Tape Work on Polyester?
Hemming tape is a good option and it should work on polyester. What will make the difference will be the quality of the hemming tape and how much adhesive it has on it. But this is a simple option to use when you do not want stitches to show.
The first thing to do is to buy the hemming tape, then cut a small piece off and try it on a small scrap piece of polyester. If it sticks well then go ahead and use it on your main fabric item.
Plus, you should be able to use hemming tape on curtains, drapes, dresses, skirts, and pants along with blouses and other polyester items. It is simple to use and the only trick is in handling the tape properly.
You do not want it to crinkle or wrinkle on you and if it does you may have to start over. Go slowly when applying the tape and make sure you know exactly where you want to put it. Make sure to follow all the instructions on the hemming tape package.
The Rolled Hem on Polyester
A rolled hem can be a bit tricky when you are trying to put it on lightweight fabric. So you need to have a little patience. Because polyester can fray on you it is best to singe the rough edge first before you start the rolled hem process.
To get the singe technique down do a little practicing first. If you have an overlock machine, set it up for 3 threads and one needle and turn off the automatic knife. It is not needed since you sealed the edge.
Next, keep the fabric flat and do not pull too hard or you will stretch the material. Then sew away. A 1.5 mm stitch length should be sufficient and you should make adjustments to that length and the tension as you go and as needed.
If you are trying to do a rolled hem on viscose, skip the singe step and use the built-in knife instead. When you get to the corners, make sure to sew to the end then lift the needle and footplate and turn the fabric so you can sew the next side. Do this till you reach your starting point and sew over that just a little way.
How To Hem Polyester Pants
The steps are simple and can be used on a variety of fabrics. First, you put the pants on or have the eventual user put them on. Then fold the material up to the spot where you or they want the hem to be. Pin that length in place.
Next, you turn the pants inside out and check to make sure both legs have the same hem length. You may need to make a couple of adjustments here. Do that and then press the cuffs so you have a nice crease.
If you have extra length, now is the time to cut that away and get ready to sew. If you need a hem gauge to help you keep the cut accurate go ahead and use one. Pin the new hemline in place and get ready to sew.
Now place the pant leg over your free arm and set your stitch length to about medium. You will want to use a straight stitch here and you will want to sew as close to the folded edge as possible. Go all the way around and you should be done in less than one minute
How To Hem Polyester Dress
One thing about working with polyester is that not all polyester fabrics are the same., This means that one technique may not work with all of those different styles of polyester material.
To start, you should hang up your dress and let it dangle for about 24 hours before you start hemming. This allows the dress to relax and makes it easier to hem. Next, measure where you want the hem to lie. You need to factor in what type of shoes you will wear with the dress.
When cutting the fabric down to size, leave yourself between 1 1/2 to 2 1.2 inches extra for the hem allowance. Fold the hem up at this point, pin in place, and press with an iron.
When you are ready to sew, use a blind stitch to make the hem permanent. One tip, when doing a hem on a dress or a pair of pants etc., do not use cotton thread. Use a good polyester thread to make sure you have the stretch and durability needed to hold the hem in place.
Hemming a Polyester Dress By Hand
Plan on spending at least 30 minutes to up to an hour and a half when sewing a hem by hand. You are going to need time and patience if you want the dress to look good. Now some fabrics need special stitches or hems and we covered that in the last section.
Not all polyester is the same. A chiffon or polyester lace will need a rolled hem and polyester knits will need a catch stitch. The preparation steps for sewing polyester dresses by sewing machines are to be followed for stitching the hem by hand.
When it comes time to sew, use only a small length of thread, from your fingertip to your elbow in length, or the thread may tangle on you. Next, go to a side or back seam to get started. Once you have located your starting point pick up a couple of threads on the hem side and then a couple of threads on the pant leg.
Push your needle through without going through the fabric. Repeat this process keeping the stitches about 1/4 of an inch apart as you go. If you run out of thread before you finish, just knot off the first piece then thread the needle with a new one and continue your work.
Go till you have reached your starting point and overlap it by a little bit. And you are done.
How To Hem a Polyester Dress Without Sewing
The best way to do this is to use fabric tape or an iron-on adhesive. As with other styles of hemming, make sure your dress hangs freely for about 24 hours. Letting the fabric relax helps you get the hem even.
Next, measure the length of your dressmaking a line where you want the hem to end up. Fold the material to the hem allowance and press first. This will help give you a nice crease and keep the material in place as you work.
After that is done, apply your tape to one side of the hem first. Iron this into place and get ready to do the other side of the hem. When you are ready remove the backing off the other side of the tape and place the fabric onto it. Make sure the tape and fabric do not wrinkle, etc.
Now place the fabric on the exposed side of the tape and iron once again. Your hem is done without any sewing.
How To Hem Polyester Curtains
The first step in hemming polyester curtains is to wash and dry them. Then if they need ironing, go ahead and iron them on the polyester setting. Once that is done, measure 2 inches up from the bottom and make a line of pins. Now fold the curtains up to that line, wrong side to wrong side, and iron in a nice crease.
From the new crease line measure another 6 inches up from the bottom and make another pin line. Fold the material once again, the wrong side to wrong side, so that the raw edge is sandwiched between the fabric.
Once that is done, hang the curtains to make sure the hem is straight and even. Make any adjustments you need to make and then press again. Now remove the pins and unfold the material. You will want to put some fabric glue along the bottom of the first 2-inch fold.
After that fold the section up along the crease, smooth with your hands, and lightly press the fabric again. Use fabric weights to hold this crease in place while the glue dries. Once dry, apply glue to the bottom of the 6-inch fold and repeat the process you did for the 2-inch fold.
When you have done all of that, let the drapes or curtains lie flat for about 24 hours. This gives the glue plenty of time to dry and set. After that, re-hang your curtains in their normal spot.
Hemming Thin Polyester
If the thin polyester is slippery, you will want some help. Slippery polyester may not stay in place long enough for you to press the crease. One way to get that help is to use a good fabric adhesive made for thin, slippery fabrics.
Put the adhesive on one side of the fabric you want to hem and then remove the backing on the other side and fold the fabric in place. This is a difficult step as well as you have to avoid putting wrinkles and bubbles in the fabric.
Once you are done though, the adhesive will hold the fabric so you can sew the hem.
Some Final Words
Hemming polyester is not that different from hemming other fabrics. The key is to remember that one technique doesn't work on all styles of polyester.
