weekend getaway blouse with hemstitching

We’re thrilled to welcome Lisa back to the blog today! Last year, she shared her Weekend Links post with us, and now she’s back to teach us how to add hemstitching to the Weekend Getaway Blouse. Thank you, Lisa, for this fantastic tutorial! ![Liesl + Co. Weekend Getaway Blouse with Hemstitching](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/d516d02b459cf7e2591fb35975402192.jpg) I’ve always had the Weekend Getaway Blouse on my “to-sew” list, so when Liesl mentioned that the pattern was being released in paper form, and encouraged us to play around with it, I knew exactly which project I wanted to tackle. Be sure to check out Lori’s beautiful version with added pleats and Claire’s vibrant take with a pop of bold color for even more sewing inspiration. Liesl’s focus was on experimenting with the center front detail, while she also mentioned how she’d been sewing a lot with linen, which got me thinking about hemstitching. If you haven’t tried hemstitching before, it’s a type of drawn threadwork that doubles as a practical hemming technique, often seen on vintage heirloom garments. For more details on its history, you can read this post. Below, I’ll walk you through a basic tutorial on hemstitching using a piece of linen with a larger weave and perle cotton so you can easily follow along, then I’ll explain how to apply it to the Weekend Getaway Blouse. ### Preparing the Fabric: To prepare the fabric for hemstitching, first create satin stitch bars to reinforce the area where the hemstitching will be applied. Begin by knotting your thread. From the right side of the fabric, insert the needle where the hemstitching will start and emerge a few threads to the left where it will end. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/e3197ad302d963b764c1bf9dec4c2910.jpg) Next, satin stitch back down to the knot by weaving in and out of each hole and stitching over the thread on the back until you reach the starting point. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/8900686e2af6851635db4dd9e504405f.jpg) Once you've completed the first bar, clip the knot and take the needle to the backside of the fabric. Run the thread under the satin stitch bar to secure it, then carefully clip the horizontal threads close to the satin stitch bar. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/fbfbf271943ec4ee8fb6875cac68381d.jpg) Now, stitch a second satin stitch bar where the hemstitching will end. If you're unsure of where to stop, gently unweave the threads using the needle's eye until you reach the desired endpoint. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/52a92e8bb4454ce7a2ed7e79a6c268ee.jpg) After stitching the second bar, clip the threads at the other end and gently pull them out with tweezers. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/63716c85ff05a6baa1a12fb2522a6f77.jpg) If you're unsure how many threads to clip (especially on finer linens), start by clipping one or two threads in the middle and removing them. This will give you enough space to identify which additional threads need to be removed. For corners, both sides need reinforcement with a satin stitch bar. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/8013ef590e118c2e410b29674af97734.jpg) ### Hemstitching: Traditional hemstitching is done from the wrong side of the fabric to catch the hem, which creates a neater finish. Flip the work to the wrong side and anchor the thread under a satin stitch bar. Working from right to left, insert the needle from point A to B under several threads (I grouped mine into fours), ensuring the needle doesn't pierce anything. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/6b29092584cdd4f57a5d49dfcadca89f.jpg) Reinsert the needle from A to B, looping the thread around the fabric threads. When the needle emerges at B, pierce through the fabric a few threads below where the threads have been removed. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/73ac7903ab55dcaaa88565e5a49099b7.jpg) Pull securely. Point B becomes the next A, and that’s all there is to it: Under, Around, and Through! Once you get the rhythm, it’s quite relaxing. Continue with the next group of threads until you reach the end. To transition between threads, run the old thread under the previous line of hemstitching and take a few small back stitches. To start, take a few tiny back stitches and proceed. For hemming the fabric as you stitch, fold the hem up to the removed threads and ensure the needle pierces the folded hem allowance. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/744ae6f25f0634631d5d2a3ac7d8bf54.jpg) ### Handling Corners: Since all threads are removed from corners, some reinforcement is necessary. While there are intricate stitches for corners, I kept it simple for my blouse. Anchor the thread under a satin stitch bar on the wrong side and bring it up in the middle of a satin stitch bar on the right side. Stitch from the middle of one bar to the next side of the corner, pointing the needle from the edge toward the center of the square and passing over the working thread. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/d573fa5973e5bb7dc203d0601ac82c5d.jpg) Work clockwise around the corner, stitching from the middle of a bar or group of threads and pointing the needle toward the center of the corner while passing over the thread. Adjust the thread tension to avoid pulling too tightly. Once you return to the starting point, take the needle to the back and end by running the thread under one of the bars. ![Hemstitching Tutorial](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/3ebc62e12366c29704c90ce91f6e69ea.jpg) ### Applying Hemstitching to the Weekend Getaway Blouse: Choose a lightweight, drapable linen or cotton-linen blend with visible slubs and uniform threads. The fabric should allow easy removal of threads, and the striped pattern helps identify which threads to pull. No adjustments are needed for the pattern. Hemstitching is applied to the facing pieces since the front detail is created from the facings. Mark the seam allowance on both the top and bottom of the facings. Determine the distance from the edges for the hemstitching, keeping in mind the ½-inch seam allowance down the center front and the 1-inch turn-back. My hemstitching is ¼ inch wide (two stripes) and starts 7/8 inch from the center front. You can adjust this to 1 inch if it suits your fabric better—mine aligned with the stripes. Stitch the satin stitch reinforcement bar on the marked seam allowance at the neck edge and hem edge. Cut and remove the threads. The stripes made this step easier! Using regular thread and an embroidery needle, hemstitch the facing from the back. For the back of the blouse, I used hemstitching to secure the pleat in place. To determine placement, baste the pleat on the center back as instructed in the pattern but use a longer stitch length. With a marking pen, indicate where the pressed edges meet the blouse body (where the vertical lines of hemstitching will go). Also mark the neck edge seam allowance and the width of the hemstitching across the bottom of the pleat. Remove the basting thread and press flat. Stitch a satin reinforcement bar at the top of both neck edges and on both sides of the corner at the bottom. Cut the threads and remove them. Hemstitch across the bottom but not the sides. Stitch the pleat as instructed in the pattern, pressing it flat and hand-basting it in place (pins interfere with hemstitching). Hemstitch the sides, catching the pleat as you work. Remove the hand-basting thread and reinforce any empty corners as shown in the tutorial. Finish constructing the blouse as per the pattern instructions and enjoy your beautifully hemstitched creation! ![Hemstitching on the Weekend Getaway Blouse](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/00f5dad8bd81158ae7ef6e3434b5f083.jpg) ![Hemstitching on the Weekend Getaway Blouse](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/dddf9197ea9977c6f62c1344c99310c5.jpg) --- This project was such a rewarding experience, and I hope you give it a try. Let me know how it turns out for you!

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