5c. How to Attach Lace to Underside of Skirt Hems

This is an easy method to attach lace to the underside of skirt hems of your doll dresses.

1. The first step is to determine how long the finished skirt is to be.

2. Then measure the width of lace that will show after being sewn on.

3. The finished skirt length needs to include the material and lace combination.

4. Allow enough of the skirt material (red in the photo) to make a hem by folding up one half inch twice and blind stitching.

5. To attach lace to skirt hem, pin top edge of lace to underside of skirt hem and sew in place right along lower skirt edge as in photo.

By making a hem in the material first you see a nice finish on the underside of the skirt if the skirt gets turned up a bit in playing. A hem in the material also gives a better drape to the finished skirt.

Article and photo credit Susan Kramer

5c. How to Gather Skirts

When working with little items such as doll costumes it is important that the gathers are evenly spaced.

Here's my technique

- Use material twice the width of the waistline.

- Sew 2 rows of basting stitches - one just above AND one just below the seam line.

- Pull the threads to the waist measurements and arrange the gathered space evenly.

- Then join skirt to bodice between the two gathered rows.

- Now carefully snip out the line of gathers below the waist seam and pull out the loose threads.

Voila! An evenly spaced gathered seam with a professional look!

(In the photo above notice a row of top stitching along lower edge of bodice to help underlying gathered seam lay flat.)

Article and photo credit Susan Kramer