Date: 10/17/09 4:08 PM

I am accompanist for my daughter's high school concert choir and volunteered to help some students hem their choir outfits. The guys wear a tux, but when I looked at some of the finished pants hems, it looks like they were hemmed with some kind of fusible web and only tacked on the seams with a few stitches. The girls wear floor-length skirts and tops.

That sounds easy to me, but what is it that they are using? Any ideas? I need to go to the fabric store and try to find whatever they are using. Concert is Wednesday night.

Reply to homejewel
Date: 10/17/09 4:17 PM

Stitch Witchery comes in those 1 inch rolls. Could they have used that but not fused it thoroughly?

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"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin

"Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal." unknown

Reply to EleanorSews
Date: 10/17/09 4:29 PM

I really don't know as I've never used anything fusible for hemming. But because of lack of time, it does sound like a good option. (One student confessed that he's had masking tape holding his pants hem for 2 years and he's also wearing his tux in the advanced a capella ensemble and gets lots of use! Maybe I need to find that masking tape - LOL)

If there's one brand better than another, I'd love to know that as well as tips on how to do it. I'm definitely going to press from the inside, but I'd sure appreciate any other tips. I don't want to ruin any expensive outfits.

Reply to homejewel
Date: 10/18/09 11:15 AM

I'm surprised that they aren't just machine hemmed but not at all surprised that they used fusible web and masking tape. You can get away with a lot of stuff when everyone is seen from a distance on a stage. There are different weights of stitch witchery and steam a seam. I would suggest a fairly strong one.

For future costume emergencies - staple hems up with the prongs on the outside of the garment (so they don't poke the wearer) and if it is black like tux pants, colour the staple prongs with a black sharpie marker. Also, I keep a small roll of was away wonder tape in my emergency sewing kit because it is small and works really well. Of course, it washes away so must be replaced or eventually properly repaired.

Reply to tourist
Date: 10/19/09 0:43 AM

Those are great ideas. I'm going to keep a stash of "emergency supplies" in the teacher's office. It's almost guaranteed that with a 60-voice choir, there are going to be outfit issues to deal with at the last minute.