You can finish your New York Minute Dress Pattern for Girls with a high low hemline! We’re going to walk you through that one today. Those of you that have selected the hi low hem with the ribbing, simply attach your ribbing as shown in step 6b on page 12 of the pattern’s instructions, and you’re done! If you’re finishing your dress with the hemmed bottom, we’re going to make some hem facings to finish everything up and make our dresses look pretty.
Making Your Hi Low Hem Facing
Since we can see the inside of our hem finish from the front, we want to make a hem facing long enough to keep our dress looking neat and finished. First, you’ll want to grab your front hi low hem altered dress pattern piece, and trace a new line 2″ above the bottom hemline, shown in pink below. Cut on this new line, and this will be your front hem facing pattern piece. Repeat the same process to the back hi low dress pattern. Alternatively you can simply trace the bottom of your front and back dress patterns, and create a 2″ hem facing as well.
Once you have your front and back hem facing pattern pieces ready, you will cut 1 front and 1 back hem facing pieces on the fold of your fabric. Remember to mark your front center with 1 notch and your back center with 2 notches at the bottom to tell them apart.
Sewing Your Hem Facing
Place front and back hem facings right sides together matching side seams and sew using a 3/8″ seam allowance.
With your dress right side out, slide your hem facing up over the bottom of your hi low dress matching raw edges, side seams, and center front and back notches. Sew at the bottom edge using a 1/2″ seam allowance and trim this seam to 1/4″ if you didn’t serge it.
Pull your hem facing down and press using lots of steam (don’t forget the pressing cloth). Turn hem facing under towards wrong side of dress and press again. Top stitch close to your hem facing’s raw edge, give it one last press, and you’re done!
It looks great from the front, and although we used the same fabric for our facing as our dress, you can always use a contrasting fabric for a fun look!
I absolutely love the look of this hemline. It’s so fun and easy too! We used our sew along sponsor Raspberry Creek Fabrics’ Club French terry for the main fabric, and lined the hood and made our kangaroo pocket with polar fleece. Never too soon to sew for the holidays!
