rolled hem foot

[Auryn]

Im hoping someone here can rescue me from the madness
Ive been trying to hem a cape for two days now- if I had done it by hand id be done now.
Ive been fighting with the rolled hem foot on my singer 15 since yesterday ( I did discover that it fits quite well on my new brother machine also so yay for that)
I am having a hard time keep the fabric at the right point to make sure that it rolls the way its supposed to. I manage to get it going well for about 5-6 inches and invariable it starts to pull out of the roll and comes out of the foot.
Any suggestions??
ive been reading all i can find online for tips and tricks but none of them are working

[gem]

Nothing to add, except I can't believe you just posted this--I was JUST THIS SECOND going to ask about rolled hems (tho' I was going to ask about sergers)! Um... so... I'm just going to hijack your thread, in hopes that a big ol' rolled hem discussion will help everyone. 

Auryn, what kind of fabric are you using? That could be one issue with fussiness.

My "rolled hem issue" is that I'm not 100% sure what it's supposed to look like when it's done properly. I know a sewing machine rolled hem foot isn't really "rolled," but just a teeny tiny little narrow hem (I have the rolled/narrow hem foot for my Viking, but I've never tried it.). From what I've been able to discern, I don't think any machine-done rolled hem actually mimics the look of a true, hand-rolled hem (which is literally a little roll of fabric, whipstitched in place), but I could very well be wrong about this.

Anyway, I, too, would *definitely* appreciate any rolled-hem tips anyone has! It's a beautiful hem finish, but the single, solitary hand-stitch I hate to do. Would dearly love to master the machine version (serger or SM)!

I have a chiffon veil I want to do, plus a silk voile partlet.

[Auryn]

Glad to be of service gem
the rolled hem created from my foot is actually a double folded hem I guess you could say-fold once- then folds over again to hide the raw edge
mine is really thin- a little under 1/8".

Ive tried it on muslin and the satiny synthetic fabric that the cape is made out of and I have the same problem with both.

I just have a really hard time getting it to stay in the 'sweet spot'

I have found this article very useful- explains the different kinds of hemmer feet around

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3744/mastering-the-narrow-hemmer-part-one

forgot to add, if you go by the definitions in that article, mine is the rolled hemmer

[raevyncait]

I would suspect that part of your problem Auryn, is that the fabric on the cape is slippery, and I have no advice as far as making it less so, because I tend to shy away from slippery fabrics.

It's also, in my experience, a slow process, certainly not a quick zip through hemming job. It does indeed provide a very nice finish, that I use on the bottoms of my skirts, cuffs & collars. It's not as quick as just a regular hem, but at least for me, it's definitely faster than a hand-stitched rolled hem.

[Dinobabe]

My mom made all of my pageant dresses when I was little and EVERYTHING had a rolled hem.  I think it was some sort of Pageant rule.   She always had problems, no matter the fabric, and regardless that she has sewed all her life.  I would love to hear others with experience give some advice.  I want to use my rolled hem foot but I'm too afraid!!!!

[ArielCallista]

Everytime rolled hem feet have ever been discussed around me the general consensus is "don't do it". My teachers all swear against them. Honestly I've used several and have always found it easier, and the results better when I just do it myself.

[PhoenixRose]

I tried the rolled hem on scarves I was making once and never got it to work. Tried it on the thin scarf material, quilting-weight cotton, and my muslin and had problems on all of them. So I'm in the crowd who would like some tips on what to try! I'm out of ideas!

[Auryn]

ok
so 40 plus yards of trimming under my belt, I can comfortably say I know how to use the rolled hem foot and the finished product is pretty awesome.
about 10 of those trimmed yards of fabric were practice trimming to get the hang of it.

I even rolled about 2 feet of it that was 2 layers of fabric and one layer of heavy duty fusible interfacing.

I can't see straight right now, in the morning I will post my findings on tips and tricks that worked for me

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

I seldom use my rolled Hem Foot for hems. If I do, it's for hankerchiefs. I find that the Foot does not work well on heavier fabrics.

I do a lot of Rolled Hems by hand on Bridal Gowns, Bridesmaids dresses, shirts, etc. It's easier that way for me and the hems come out cleaner.Of course, hems are anywhere from 1/4" to 1".

[gem]

So I tried out my Viking narrow hemmer last night, using the link Auryn posted as a guide for how it works (since it comes with no instructions as to whether it's a straight stitch or zig-zag foot, altho' the diagram on the package makes it look like a zz)... and it worked just fine on both muslin and some slippy chiffon... but IMO it doesn't really give satisfactory results. It's a 5mm hemmer, which makes it easy to feed the roll into the foot, but too wide to actually get the "rolled" or scalloped/shell effects shown in the Threads article using the zz or blind hem stitches. It would be great for little sleeve cuffs or something where you needed a tiny standard hem, but doesn't really give anything like a rolled hem.

OTOH, I was reading a veil tutorial on somebody's blog yesterday, and she said her favorite hem finish was just a narrow satin stitch. I tried that on the chiffon, and while it won't win any beauty contests, it gave decent coverage and a little body to the edge of the fabric.

Next up, trying the serger again.

[LadyShadow]

I want to use my rolled hem foot but I'm too afraid!!!!

I so agree. I think I just need to try it out. But yeah, I dont see that happening.

[raevyncait]

Since my sewing is all for faire, and I tend to stick to cotton or cotton blends, fairly lightweight, and I go with a very basic wench/pirate sort of look, I've not tried to use my RH foot on anything heavy, and really, probably wouldn't, just because some of my sort of mid-weight cottons sometimes have a little trouble feeding through smoothly. Like I said though, it's done a fine job on my chemises, bloomers, and basic skirts. I do like the one on my friend's Husqvarna better than the one for my Singer though, as it seems a little larger, and it's easier to control what's going in there, and it, IMO, would probably handle thicker fabrics than my Singer's does.

[gem]

I want to use my rolled hem foot but I'm too afraid!!!!

I so agree. I think I just need to try it out. But yeah, I dont see that happening.

Well, I'm really glad I tried mine, as apparently it cost me $30 back when I bought it! And it wasn't scary; just read the article Auryn linked to, paying close attention to how to *start* the hem (away from a corner, roll a section by hand first and pin in place), and give it a whirl on some scraps.

[brooke]

Y'all gave me inspiration to try the narrow hem foot I have and I thank you!  It is definitely something that will take some getting used to, but I love the result when it goes well

For me, I found if I was going to slowly and carefully it was actually more difficult than if I took the speed up a bit (not warp speed) and let the fabric flow more naturally.  My 2 cents

Thanks for the article link Auryn.  It was a great help!