Mastering the art of

The very best success I've had is to start the RH a little way from the end (say, half an inch) and then needleturn it by hand when the machined hem is completed. If you sew off the end of the fabric, there's no reason for the opposite end to become lumpy: you can use a long pin (quilter's pin) to guide the fabric into the RH foot.

With practice, rolled hems are very easy to do, but having said that, I can honestly say it's the important or in-a-hurry one that'll go wrong for you *every* time! =:-0

Fold the first inch over to the right width twice, and pin to a bit of paper... Sew off the paper onto the fabric for two or three stitches, stop with the needle down, and raise the presser foot. Gently tug the fabric into the curl of the presser foot, lower it, and continue sewing. The paper tears off really easily afterwards, and this method works for two rolled hems meeting at a corner. Leave long tails that you can tidy any raw corners with, and then slide them up the hem to finish off.

The best photos and explanation of this come from Fine Machine Sewing by Carol Laflin Ahles, ISBN 1 56158 153 4 (Taunton Press 1966), $24.95 (USA).

TY. Yes been practising on the soft muslin so I don't waste my nice silk. The hem is indeed easy...it's the start and stop that are difficult LOL.

TY. That does make sense and I use the sew-off-the paper thing for other tricky bits. Seem to remember reading that book; must take it out of the library again.