hem foot technique

[nacra533]

Late reply but...SURE.

It's the same thing. An extreme example is the top of your sheet or the edges of your pillowcase. They are formed with a very large folder attachment.

[Syb]

Late reply but...SURE.

It's the same thing. An extreme example is the top of your sheet or the edges of your pillowcase. They are formed with a very large folder attachment.

Thanks Nacra. I thought they could be used for that purpose. I also just picked up my sewing machine from getting serviced along with two roll hems. Looking forward to some experimentation with them this weekend.

[stefprez]

They can work but it takes a lot of practice. Nylon is probably the most difficult to make work in a hemmer foot or attachment. Sil nylon is a BEAST. I don't use them on sil at all.

The problem I have with hemmer feet (as opposed to an attachment) is starting it, especially with nylon. I usually start it as well as I can and once it gets going, I can control how much fabric I am feeding into the foot.

Here is a video of 1/2" roll hemmer on nylon taffeta. I was shooting the video with my phone with one hand and trying to sew with the other. What is missing in the video is how "engaged" your left hand ist as well keeping the fabric in the right place and feeding it along/keeping pace with what is being stitched.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31EOwtBukGY

Hey there, sorry to dig this thread out of the grave, but is that a separate hemmer attachment you've got there, rather than a hemmer foot? I just picked myself up a 6mm hemmer foot, and I like the idea of it, but it's just a bit too small in my opinion. Even when I feel like I'm doing a good job with it, the slightest movement and I'll get an exposed raw edge or something. That thingamajig you got there looks very cool, and I really like that it does the larger hem. Have a link or anything as to where to get one?

[WhollyHamaca]

Hey, y'all. I've used those rolled hem feet quite a lot on thin & slippery fabrics (used to make opera & theatre costumes in a past life, also lots of camping gear on an old OLD long-bobbin, straight-seam-only Singer with just a few attachments). I have a few suggestions that may make a fiddly job easier.

1. I find it a lot easier to get the rolled hem started if you first attach a small square of scrap or ribbon or Tear-Away etc to the beginning corner. This gives your left hand something to hold onto, and you can feed the scrap into the hemmer first to get the roll going. Then just keep going onto the "real" fabric. Cut or tear off the scrap when you're done. If I have it, I use a little piece of water-soluble interfacing instead and it just melts away with a wipe of a sponge -- or the first time out in the rain!

2. Hold the fabric pretty taut in front and back as you feed it into the roll foot. I roll the edge a little in front between thumb and first 2 fingers about 4-5 inches away from the foot at a slight angle UP and also to the LEFT to encourage it to roll into and STAY in the foot. That way you can easily control how much fabric goes into the roll. This gives a straight, neatly finished rolled hem without raw edges sticking out here and there along the way.

3. It's especially hard to roll edges on thin and slippery and ravelly nylon or polyester. I made a down jacket, tent, sleeping bag from ripstop nylon several years ago, and before I sewed anything I first seared all around the cut edges of each piece on the side of a candle flame (carefully!!! or you'll melt the whole thing. Some folks use a solder iron instead but I haevn't tried that yet. I think it would make a mess of the tip). Searing the edges made it a lot easier to sew without all those ravels, and no worries about it ravelling away over time. More to the point of THIS post, though, is that the seared edges also stiffened them just a little and made it easier to feed the stuff through the hemmer.

4. Also helps to cut the corners a little rounded before you start if you need to roll adjacent edges, so you won't have trouble turning as you go (slowly) around the bends. This way you can go all the way around (e.g., for a tarp) in one continuous go without having to stop at every corner and then start the roll again on the next edge.

5. Last tip (then I'll shut up!) is to first sew a straight seam along the line where you want the hem to roll. No need to fold it over, just sew the flat face along the fold line. This makes it easier for the fabric to fold itself over, straight along that line and into the foot when you roll the edge. Don't do this if you'll be bothered by the appearance of an extra line of thread showing on the rolled hem.

Don't want to come off as a know-all. These little techniques have worked well for me, so maybe they'll help other folks, too.

Oh, and sorry for no pix -- my camera has gone into hiding after the Big Move across country. I know, no pix so it didn't happen! I'll try to post some soon if anybody is interested in seeing what the heck I'm talking about!

[stefprez]

Hey, y'all. I've used those rolled hem feet quite a lot on thin & slippery fabrics (used to make opera & theatre costumes in a past life, also lots of camping gear on an old OLD long-bobbin, straight-seam-only Singer with just a few attachments). I have a few suggestions that may make a fiddly job easier.

1. I find it a lot easier to get the rolled hem started if you first attach a small square of scrap or ribbon or Tear-Away etc to the beginning corner. This gives your left hand something to hold onto, and you can feed the scrap into the hemmer first to get the roll going. Then just keep going onto the "real" fabric. Cut or tear off the scrap when you're done. If I have it, I use a little piece of water-soluble interfacing instead and it just melts away with a wipe of a sponge -- or the first time out in the rain!

2. Hold the fabric pretty taut in front and back as you feed it into the roll foot. I roll the edge a little in front between thumb and first 2 fingers about 4-5 inches away from the foot at a slight angle UP and also to the LEFT to encourage it to roll into and STAY in the foot. That way you can easily control how much fabric goes into the roll. This gives a straight, neatly finished rolled hem without raw edges sticking out here and there along the way.

3. It's especially hard to roll edges on thin and slippery and ravelly nylon or polyester. I made a down jacket, tent, sleeping bag from ripstop nylon several years ago, and before I sewed anything I first seared all around the cut edges of each piece on the side of a candle flame (carefully!!! or you'll melt the whole thing. Some folks use a solder iron instead but I haevn't tried that yet. I think it would make a mess of the tip). Searing the edges made it a lot easier to sew without all those ravels, and no worries about it ravelling away over time. More to the point of THIS post, though, is that the seared edges also stiffened them just a little and made it easier to feed the stuff through the hemmer.

4. Also helps to cut the corners a little rounded before you start if you need to roll adjacent edges, so you won't have trouble turning as you go (slowly) around the bends. This way you can go all the way around (e.g., for a tarp) in one continuous go without having to stop at every corner and then start the roll again on the next edge.

5. Last tip (then I'll shut up!) is to first sew a straight seam along the line where you want the hem to roll. No need to fold it over, just sew the flat face along the fold line. This makes it easier for the fabric to fold itself over, straight along that line and into the foot when you roll the edge. Don't do this if you'll be bothered by the appearance of an extra line of thread showing on the rolled hem.

Don't want to come off as a know-all. These little techniques have worked well for me, so maybe they'll help other folks, too.

Oh, and sorry for no pix -- my camera has gone into hiding after the Big Move across country. I know, no pix so it didn't happen! I'll try to post some soon if anybody is interested in seeing what the heck I'm talking about!

Great tips! I know that this hemmer foot has to work somehow, but dang is the thing frustrating! I'll have to try some of these and see how they work out for me. When done correctly, it makes rolling hems look like a breeze. I would like that...

[nacra533]

Hey there, sorry to dig this thread out of the grave, but is that a separate hemmer attachment you've got there, rather than a hemmer foot? I just picked myself up a 6mm hemmer foot, and I like the idea of it, but it's just a bit too small in my opinion. Even when I feel like I'm doing a good job with it, the slightest movement and I'll get an exposed raw edge or something. That thingamajig you got there looks very cool, and I really like that it does the larger hem. Have a link or anything as to where to get one?

yes. Hemmer attachment vs. foot. Not really a fan of feet if your machine is capable of handling attachments.

Ebay has them all over. They vary in price from reasonable to outrageous. If you purchase outrageous from a real attachment manufacturer, you send them your fabric and they build one that works and send it to you with samples. Expect several hundred dollars. I purchased mine on ebay and much less expensive <$20.

[stefprez]

yes. Hemmer attachment vs. foot. Not really a fan of feet if your machine is capable of handling attachments.

Ebay has them all over. They vary in price from reasonable to outrageous. If you purchase outrageous from a real attachment manufacturer, you send them your fabric and they build one that works and send it to you with samples. Expect several hundred dollars. I purchased mine on ebay and much less expensive <$20.

Okay, newbie question. How do I know if my machine is capable of handling attachments? I have a Singer 4423.

[Ramblinrev]

Check the manual and check the compatibility charts offered with the attachments. If the attachment does not offer a compatibility chart or says "universal fit" assume you will get a dud.

[WhollyHamaca]

Check the manual and check the compatibility charts offered with the attachments. If the attachment does not offer a compatibility chart or says "universal fit" assume you will get a dud.

Agreed! My oldies take "short shank" and "long shank" attachments, respectively, and they're not interchangeable. I don't think there really is any "universal" unless they also sell you a bunch of adapter things with it. Who knows about the newfangled modern doo-dads. I'd say, take it to a place that sells machines & attachments, ask them to fit yours with one attachment that you want. Once you know the specs for that one, you can look for others that may be less costly. But don't try to go too cheap for any that you intend to use much! Get good tools once and they'll be your friends for a loooong time

[stefprez]

Thanks for the input. Looks like I'll have to make a trip to the sewing machine place!