Look at my tiny hem!

Hem's are not my favorite part of sewing, especially since I got allergic towards machine sewn hem. Until I learn how to make an invisible hem on the machine I will do them by hand. The first step on my journey towards a 16th century gown is to start with the shirt. I want to make a smocked shift, with smocking both at the neckline and the end of the sleeves. For the neckline I could use a selvage from the fabric, but for the sleeves I wanted to make a tiny hem so it wouldn't be too heavy when it's time to gather and smock it.

I haven't made hems that are particularly small, but then I decided to make a roll hem, and what a difference that was! There are a lot of tutorials for rolled hems out there, both by machine and by hand. I used the tutorial from this blog. This the result.

I actually thought it was easier to make a roll hem, compared to a double folded hem, I didn't even have to pin it. I just fingerpressed a crease in the linen and used that as a guide.

Now I just need to do the other sleeve, and then it's time to learn smocking.