7 replies to this topic

[Cat M]

This is the thread for those who don't know how to do something/don't understand something/don't understand a sewing term and are NOT AFRAID TO ASK!

I was reading mdb's livejournal which has some photos of one of her gorgeous new projects. In it she said:

"skirt hangs too low at the sides so will be cut, lining hangs lower in the back as it is recycled and will be trimmed only once the skirt has hung for several days"

My question is -

why hang the skirt? what difference does it make and is it important to do? what happens if you don't hang it? is it only important if you have a lining?

Could anyone shed some light on this for me please?

[wenz]

Why hang the skirt? what difference does it make and is it important to do? what happens if you don't hang it? is it only important if you have a lining?

The short answer is that bias sections can drop and therefore end up longer than a straight on-grain section. Especially on skirts where there is more weight (cos more fabric) than there is on a bodice or sleeve.

For example I'd hang a full circle skirt skirt for a week before I marked the hemline. The parts on the warp grain and the weft grain will retain their length, but the bias sections usually end up longer. (some fabrics they end up shorter).

Is this enough info ... or understandable????

[Cat M]

Is this enough info ... or understandable????

So it's mostly just for skirts that are circle skirts, very full skirts or skirts cut on a bias?

And hanging it just means to hang the full garment on a hanger?

How long for? MDB said a week in her LJ. Is that pretty standard or does it depend on the weight of the fabric you're using?

[wenz]

So it's mostly just for skirts that are circle skirts, very full skirts or skirts cut on a bias?

And hanging it just means to hang the full garment on a hanger?

How long for? MDB said a week in her LJ. Is that pretty standard or does it depend on the weight of the fabric you're using?

If it was a skirt make from a square or rectangle pleated and or gathered to fit the waistband - no need to do this.

If it's bias cut OR full circle / half circle / quarter circle skirt - or made up from them - then definitely you'll need to do it, regardless of the fabric type. It makes no difference if it's chiffon or linen.

A week is the usual amount of time, though if you were desperately short of time you could do less, but expect that the hem may end up an uneven distance fromthe ground. Hanging skirts was essential in the 50s when circle skirts were very common.

oh, and you hang it from the waistband.

[Pinstripes]

I was also told to hang curtains before they are hemmed and they're cut on the straight. Fabric could have been woven slightly crooked or something. I'd suggest hanging skirts made of medium to heavy weight even if they are just rectangles. Though with a lot of costume stuff skirts are full length so the difference is hardly noticable.

If you have a mannequin then hang it on that so it settles over the hips etc, otherwise on a hanger from the waist, preferably one of those hangers that grab all the way across (often seen for men's suit pants) rather than a normal "skirt" hanger that just has two clips. If you can't get one of those hangers then peg it to something and peg it ever 2cm or so, then the weight is evenly distributed across the whole waistband.

[wenz]

If you can't get one of those hangers then peg it to something and peg it ever 2cm or so, then the weight is evenly distributed across the whole waistband.

d'oh *foreheadslap* yep, forgot to make that clear.

[Cat M]

Thanks to you both!!!!

I'm going to go and inspect one of the full circle skirts I made a while ago NOT using this technique to see how it effected the hemline of it. At least I know to do it in the future.

[Last_Chael]

Yup, my mum told me this when I was making the skirt part of my rose dress. She tends not to worry with cotton full flares, but when she makes full flares from anythign else, she always hangs them. My Rose skirt was hanging for about 2 weeks before I did the hem (also coz I didn't have time to do it ) but that charmeuse had a lot of stretch, so I figured it needed it.

Sometimes I'm amazed at how much things will stretch!