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Member since 3/24/12
Posts: 9
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Posted on: 3/25/12 5:08 PM ET
Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum and have only be lurking for a few days but am really enjoying the site so far. I'd like to start making drapes for my beach house and am looking into buying a blind stitch hemmer. I really can't justify an industrial machine, even a used one but I read on allbrands.com that the portable ones don't have the space to sew a 4" hem and so are not suitable for draperies. Does anyone know if this is true or if there is a way around this? I'd really appreciate any advice that could be offered before I resign myself to miles of hand stitching. Thanks.
  
Member since 4/23/07
Posts: 4223
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Posted on: 3/25/12 9:01 PM ET
In reply to cheri127
I have one of these blind hemmers. Its the tacsew t-500

There are some on ebay.
I had no problem doing a 4inch hem.
Hopes this helps.

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to god. And
The peace of god, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
  
Member since 5/11/09
Posts: 288
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Posted on: 3/26/12 12:59 PM ET
In reply to cheri127
Do you have a regular sewing machine? You can usually do a blind stitch on those, too.
  
Member since 3/24/12
Posts: 9
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Posted on: 3/26/12 2:53 PM ET
Thanks, Skae. I just bid on a tacsew t175 and won it for under a 100 dollars. I hope it's as good as the 500. I've never used one before but figured at the price, I'll take a chance.

And Kath, I do have a blind stitch on my regular machine but I don't like the way it looks on the inside seam. I want these to look like they were made in a high end workroom. Hope I can pull it off. I've always been told you can do anything with the right tools. We'll see. Lol.
  
Member since 12/28/04
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Posted on: 3/26/12 5:51 PM ET
In reply to cheri127
I have a friend who is a professional seamstress making high end home dec and she hems draperies by hand even though she does have an industrial blind hemmer.
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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
  
Member since 3/24/12
Posts: 9
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Posted on: 3/26/12 9:19 PM ET
That's very interesting. When I had drapes made about 15 years ago, I asked if they could be hemmed by hand and the woman looked at me like I had three heads. In my area, a single width, 100"L interlined panel costs about $200 with installation, all machine made. I don't like to think what they would charge for handstiched. Hopefully the Tacsew will work for me. If not, it's going to be a very busy spring!
  
Member since 3/4/03
Posts: 2634
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Posted on: 3/27/12 7:08 AM ET
I had to rehem some very expensive drapes for my daughter last year when she moved. I used the blind hem foot on my older mechanical bernina 930 and was very pleased. I did some samples to get the jump just right and marked all 3 layers (interlined) with soap slivers and colored chalk wheel and a quilting ruler. The inner layers I used a normal stitch. I pressed and basted so things stayed put while I worked as they had a couple of widths per panel. I bought some thread that was a good match for the outer fabric and was happy with the outcome. I didn't have to really redo much of the sides but did that part by hand so even if you had to to a combination of machine on the bottom and hand on the sides the blind hemming on the bottom would help a lot. Please let us know how you like the blind hemmer-considered one several times but always was afraid I'd never get the hang of using it. My older bernina is my go to machine for blind hemming-I can get a really good hem with it if I do the samples and press and baste thing. On the lining and interlining I did the same thing and used a walking foot and an industrial type straight stitcher to speed up the time I spent handstitching the weights back in and the sides back in place. I felt they could use a few extra weights as despite the price and width they were chintzy with them and when I priced those (ouch I had living and dining rooms of drapes to cut off and hem) I wound up using 3 pennies that were taped with masking tape and sewed into tiny muslin bags that I made and hand tacked inside the lining hem area. Good luck with your project.
  
Member since 3/4/03
Posts: 2634
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Posted on: 3/27/12 7:11 AM ET
In reply to skae
Skae do you like your blind hemmer and would you buy this same model again? Is it difficult to thread and learn to use? I have more drapes coming up to sew for here and did I mention I don't enjoy home dec sewing that much but the bought ones are so cheesy now unless you pay a fortune and the lovely daughters who don't sew squat always have projects for mom.
  
Member since 4/26/03
Posts: 272
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Posted on: 3/27/12 9:08 AM ET
The issue with the portable blind hemmers is that the "throat" area isn't large enough to accommodate the typical 4" hem that draperies need. The hem ends up getting scrunched into the space, which can lead to accuracy issues.
Doing a blind hem on a regular home machine might work for the bottom hem, but it would be more difficult for the side hems, where there are lots of layers and bulk.
I loved my industrial blind hemmer when I was doing drapery work. I had a Tacsew T-500 first, but was frustrated by the limitations and ended up selling it to get a table-mounted machine.
Of course, if you're just doing the occasional drapery for around the house, it probably doesn't make sense to invest in an industrial (they can run over $1000). Hand-stitching really doesn't take that long; you don't need to take tiny stitches. I used to do about 4-5 stitches per inch, using Silamide thread, and could do a typical side seam in about ten minutes or less.
--Welmoed
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View my sewing projects: http://thereshesews.blogspot.com
  
Member since 3/4/03
Posts: 2634
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Posted on: 3/27/12 4:06 PM ET
In reply to Welmoed Sisson
I would begrudge the space occupied by a table mounted more than the cost. I am about at peak occupancy for machines here so I would need one that could go on a closet shelf. I am fortunate that I don't mind hand work and can just do the sides by hand if necessary. The blind hem foot worked fine on the bottom hems when adjusted to the proper swing. I did invest in a bunch of vintage needle packs on ebay as I think today's sorry hand sewing needles are why people hate handwork so much. I had been using some in a trunk of my elderly aunt's until recently and went on a buying binge on an auction site so I never face today's hand needles again. Most of the modern needles feel as if one is punching a nail into the fabric to me so I had to find myself a stash of "old" needles online.
Would you believe the expensive drapes had hot glue/fusible globs in the turn back areas near the bottom and holding the weights? I was really miffed upon finding that horror. Most people will send drapery that is that costly to the cleaners at some point. I was thankfully able to open the glued areas with a heat gun and since I was shortening them lost most of the glue in the cut off from the ten foot ceiling length from the previous house.
Welmoed what is silamide thread -that is new to me? Later this year I have a roll of drapery and lining waiting for me to get some drapery mojo.
  
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