Bagging Out Hem
08—July 2020
After sewing your belt loops, move on to sewing your centre front edge and bagged out hem!
In this step, we will be bagging out the centre front corners of the hem and finishing the centre front edges.
Fold up the hem at the notch, right sides together, then fold down the 1cm seam allowance, wrong sides together. The pressing you did at the beginning will help guide you. Hold it in place with a pin. The finished hem depth will be 4cm. With your needle in 2cm from the centre front edge, stitch a straight line up to the edge of them hem. Make sure you keep the seam allowance folded down as you stitch over. Back tack at the beginning and end of this seam.
Tuck the centre front seam allowance under 1cm, then another 1cm as pressed at the start.
Keeping the seam allowance folded between your thumb and forefinger, turn out the corner so the wrong sides are together. Gently ease out the corner. You can use a point turner or an awl (very carefully!) to help ease out the point. It may also help to pin everything in place now so the seam allowance doesn’t pop out while you start the next step.
Fold back the centre front edge 1cm, then 1cm again towards the wrong side, as pressed at the beginning, so the raw edge is enclosed and pin to hold it all in place. Back tacking at the start, edge stitch along the centre front edge, removing the pins as you come to them.
When you are one stitch onto the hem, stop with your needle down. Pivot your piece 90 degrees and edge stitch along the hem approximately 10cm and back tack one stitch to secure. This will allow you to join the front and back pieces later, before you continue closing the hem. Repeat for the other side. When sewing the other side, you may find it helpful to start at the hem and then work your way up the centre front, so the bulk of the fabric stays on your left-hand side.
Trim the excess centre front seam allowance so it sits flush with the front neckline. Put your front pieces to the side while you work through the next steps.
Next, move on to assembling your collar, back panels and waist tie!
