Hidden Hem Stitch, Double Fold, or Raw Edge for Hemming?

The most common wedding dress alteration is needing the bottom skirt shortened or hemmed. Most brides need hemming on their gown because the skirt is longer than the normal height of women. Depending on the style and fabric of your wedding dress, there are different types of hems to choose from. Below are the three types of hems to ask for from your seamstress. The hidden hem stitch, raw edge, and double fold are types of hems on wedding gowns today.

Raw Edge

The raw edge hem is where the edge of the fabric is left as-is after cutting from scissors or a bolt of fabric. On gowns with tulle or organza skirt bottoms, these fabrics will usually have an edge that is raw. Tulle and organza are popular fabrics that are so delicate and thin. It is hard to finish the hem using a sewing machine. As a result, seamstresses leave it untouched after cutting the length to your liking.

However, a raw edge is subject to ripping and holes more easily than other hems.

Double Fold

The double fold hem is the folding of the raw edge of the bottom skirt twice to create a nice and crisp edge. This makes the bottom hem look fresh and professional. This method is used on heavier fabrics like satin, silk, and polyester. It requires a sewing machine to sew and hold the fabric securely. Double fold hems nicely hold the hem in place. I have found these do not come out or rip as easily as the other hem options.

Hidden Hem Stitch (Blind Hem)

You cannot see the stitches on the outside of the skirt. This type of hemming requires a special machine that most dry cleaners and professionals have to hem dress pants and dresses. This is a more delicate method of hemming. Depending on the fabric of the gown, seamstresses must be careful that their hand stitch or blind stitch machine does not make hole marks from the needle visible on the outside of the dress. This is used on polyester, satin, and silk fabric gowns.

When you are deciding how much you need your dress hemmed, check out this post from My Dress Box. It helps explain how far off the ground your gown skirt should be, even wearing your wedding shoes