Hand sewing a hem

[Dixiecat]

1) It was hard to make anything even as far as the stitches looked. 2) I found myself not knowing what to do with the very beginning of the stitch relative to how to tie off the thread. 3) The thread got tangled when I tried to tie it off half way down the hem because I ran out of thread.

1) Just like that old chestnut "please sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?" "practice, my son, practice"

2) There's a number of anchoring techniques. Tying a knot in the end and taking a few stitches hiding the knot under a fold; or no knot, but taking a few very tiny stitches on top of each other with the leaving the last loop loose, run the needle through the loop, tighten the loop; a quilters knot is a small knot that is pulled through the top layer of fabric so that the knot is trapped between the top and bottom layers of fabric. That one takes a bit of practice to master.

3) As you stitch, the thread can get twisted. If you wax the thread first, it won't twist as much, or let the needle dangle every 10 stitches to unwind, or if you can figure out which way it twists, you then counter twist slightly as you sew.

If you get knots in your thread as you sew or make a mistake, just cut the thread off at a point in the hemming that looks nice, and start a new thread about 3" before the end of the hemming.

[Pleater]

I'm a bit perplexed - the edge is raw and fraying - is it where there should be a selvedge, the top and bottom of the great kilt?

If the fabric is a blend or entirely man made fibres and the locking threads at the edges have been removed, then the fabric could be in danger of sliding apart. Man made fibres can be slippery, they do not cling together like wool so threads can be drawn out easily.

Herringbone stitch is something I would only use on a proper selvedge or on a folded edge stabilised by two rows of machine stitching or a hemming tape or fabric glue - otherwise it could make the situation worse by pulling out weft threads all along the edge.

Be careful not to get the fabric wet - that is likely to make the fraying even worse.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Droid]

I'm a bit perplexed - the edge is raw and fraying - is it where there should be a selvedge, the top and bottom of the great kilt?

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Clarification - It looks to me that all four edges of the material are in danger of fraying. I have 5 yards, double width, of the R'lyeh Sett and in the few times I've practiced pleating and donning the cloth as a belted plaid, a couple long threads have come off the ends and such.

I'm looking for the best way to protect the material and keep it all in one piece.

[Paul Henry]

Clarification - It looks to me that all four edges of the material are in danger of fraying. I have 5 yards, double width, of the R'lyeh Sett and in the few times I've practiced pleating and donning the cloth as a belted plaid, a couple long threads have come off the ends and such.

I'm looking for the best way to protect the material and keep it all in one piece.

I'm a bit perplexed (like Anne) as well, the two long edges would be the selvedge which won't fray unless they have been cut off, the short edges will frey for a little but if there is a fringe of an inch or so , it's unlikely that it would unravel very much, if you have a longer fringe it could be purled to make a nice decorative edge.
I've made many scarves from kilting weight tartan, and I generally uses a fine line of machine sewing inset slightly from the edge, it's virtually invisible and doesn't affect the hand of the cloth either, whereas a folded edge would.

[ChattanCat]

If the material is wool, then it will eventually stop the unraveling because the wool threads will tend to catch on themselves and each other. Usually, about 1/2 inch or so.

[Droid]

Ok, thank you. I did not realize the unraveling would stop on its own. I'll keep an eye on it just to be sure though. Thank you all for your awesome replies.

[Mr.Charles Anthony]

Droid;Readers;
Here is another Idea for the frayed edge(which was NaySayed on the list) of the kilt, which I have used-and I still maintain this is what the piper in the Grant painting is wearing-IMHO-. I have taken a lenght of what is now called blanket trim.tape, it can be poly-?? or silk, wool, ect. fold it in half & sew it to the edge of the kilt & up both edges of the aprons. The colour is the other question,match, contrast, blend? I suppose you could use a width of the same tartan, match the pattern, & sew in place-but that would be a good deal of effort & $. On my Filabeg I went with contrast, dark red cotton twill tape on a mostly green,brown & maroon 'hunting' tartan.
Once pinned in place, a simple running stich is all you need: and this method insures that the sewing by the methods proposed, do not snag, pull, or otherwise displace, espc. since the present edge you are repairing, is unstable where you will be sewing.
Whatever you do, let all of us know how the project turns out
As Ever
CSA