Crazy Jellyfish Hem!

Today a simple alteration that introduced me to a new, and not entirely sensible way to finish a skirt. 

As you can see from the tag, this is a skirt designed for bridal wear, and indeed, the owner is a bridesmaid.  Like all bridesmaid/wedding gowns, this skirt is too long on purpose, so that even the tallest women can wear it, but this means most women will need to have it shortened. 

In this case, the skirt needs to lose two inches.  But look at this confusing construction... the skirt has four layers of fabric: two underlayers, possibly rayon, which are sewn wrong-sides-together like a bag, with a seam at the bottom; and two layers of tulle on top. 

The bottom hem is actually a turned seam!

The waistband with all the tulle gathered into it.

Why is the bottom finished like that, I wonder?  Why make it difficult for the alterationist to hem?  I contemplate simply cutting the seam off and finishing the two layers separately, as two hems (my client is fine with that), but in the end my curiosity and pride win out, and I determine to figure this thing out! 

So I examine further, and find the inside side seam has one section sewn from the outside with very long stitches.  It looks different from the rest:

That's the same way I finished the pillow, here.  So now I know where to un-sew.  I do, and get access to the inside of the skirt.  needing to pull the turned seam inside out, I stuff all the tulle and stuff into the hole I just made: 

Like stuffing a jellyfish

RIGHT: One lining is on the right of the picture, the other lining and tulle on the other side, the waistband at top, and the joined bottom hem/seam at the bottom.  See how that means that the bottom hem/seam is actually going through the hole where my befuddled face is peering?

Pretty sure this is how M. C. Escher would sew a skirt!

When I flatten the hem to feed it though my machine, the rest is forced to bundle up in another jellyfish shape, and rotate itself inside out as I sew the hem. 

new seam a few inches in

Then I iron the seam and trim the excess away.  I turn the dress right-side out again through that access hole, and slip-sitch it closed, because I don't want the messy look of the original topstitching.  Another press to smooth all the wrinkles in the fabric, then the skirt goes on the Blue Lady (dress form) so I can set her on the table and trim the tulle to match the hem. 

Why don't I leave the extra seam allowance inside the skirt, since it won't show?  Two reasons: first, those inches might bunch up and cause bulk and wrinkles; and second, the shortened tulle makes it so re-lengthening the dress won't work, therefore there's no reason to save those extra inches in the hem. 

trimming seam allowance

slip-stitching the hole in the side seam

I am a bit conservative as I trim the tulle; it's always easier to trim things than to put them back!  When my client arrives to pick it up, she tries it one, and seeing how it hangs on her body, I give it a little more of a trim.