I can still remember the first time I saw the skirt. It stood out from all the others on the rack. It was poofy and big. I’d always dreamed of being a ballerina as a child, and it was like this skirt was calling out to me and giving me another shot at wearing a tutu. As a child, I had always dreamed of a bubblegum pink tutu, but this ivory-hued tutu felt perfect for the adult Amy. As I reached for my dream hanging on the rack in front of me, my eyes darted to the tag which noted that this skirt was even better than I had imagined. “Alice and Olivia”. Not only was this skirt beautiful and perfect and on sale, but it was a designer skirt. Glory hallelujah! My ballet dreams were coming true.

It’s funny how many times a 30-something year old homeschool mom can find reasons to wear a poofy tutu. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, my friends! This skirt has carried me through Mother’s Day and church, and family Christmas photos inside a Target store. (Before you even ask, I pose this question to you…Who are the people NOT taking family photos inside of Target?)

This skirt is a dream. In so many ways. It’s funny because I’ve had this skirt for years and it was only recently that I realized why this skirt is so magical.

Folks, this skirt possesses the sewing secret I just discovered and can’t quit for obvious reasons.

Horsehair braid.

Yep. You read that right. My dress-making secret is one of the cheapest things you’ll find in a fabric store. (Cue: angels singing.)

With as much as I love all the big things…skirts, hair, eyelashes, blankets…, it’s a wonder that I’m just now stumbling across this wonderfully delicious sewing secret.

But because I cannot keep a good thing to myself, I am going to share my secret with you.

Horsehair braid is the thing no one talks about but is used constantly. It’s the secret behind big, beautiful skirts and also happens to be the easiest thing in the world to use.

Don’t believe in its transforming power? Check this out. The pink tulle skirt on the left and the tulle skirt portion of the dress on the right were made using the SAME EXACT skirt pattern and piles of tulle. However, the dress on the right is much poofier because I sewed horsehair braid to the hemline of my lining.

The best part is that that extra oomph in the skirt on the right was just as easy-peasy as the one on the left. Like, I cannot stress enough how bomb and easy horsehair braid is for even a beginner seamstress.

If you’re new to sewing, have no fear. I’m about to make your sewing dreams come true because I’m going to tell you how to insert this magical braid into the hemline of your garment. I have used it on two dresses in the last few weeks.

Both of these dresses have piles of layers, but trust me when I tell you that the glamorous poof they exude would not have existed without my addition of horsehair braid to the lining of my dresses.

You can add this stuff to the hem of a dress without lining, as well, but my current obsession is giving my dress a poof without it being so obvious how it became so poofy. I’m so sly. I know.

Here’s the step-by-step process:

1.Buy the braid.

Horsehair braid comes in different colors and widths and can be found at JoAnn’s, which is where I have always purchased mine. If you live in south Florida, check the bottom shelf under the needles. You’re welcome, fellow Soflo friends. Purchase the color that best matches the fabric you will be hemming with it. I love the 1″ width braid. Make sure you know the length you need, as this will need to be cut at the fabric counter. When in doubt, grab 3 yards. This hasn’t failed me yet. Knock on wood.

2. Insert the braid.

Horsehair braid is the easiest way to hem a garment. First, you want to make sure you examine the horsehair braid. One side is a little bit more rough than the other. This is the side you want to face your fabric in your finished hemline.

Next, you want to place the rough side facing you and even with the edge of the RIGHT side of your fabric. Sew 1/4″ from the raw edge all the way around the hemline.

3. Finish.

Now, turn your horsehair braid to the INSIDE of your skirt. Once turned, this creates a firm, even hem-line on the outside of your skirt and a pretty rolled hem on the inside of your skirt. At this point, the rough side of the horse-hair will be facing the wrong side of the fabric.

If you are feeling fancy and this is being installed on the outer layer of your skirt, hand-stitch the horse-hair braid to the inside of the skirt. However, if you are attaching it to the lining of a skirt as I like to do, then feel free to run that hemline through the machine to anchor the horsehair braid down.

And that’s it! Literally. You just made yourself a skirt that’s poofy as I’ll-get-out and sure to turn heads. I wish I could host some sort of Big Skirt Party so we could all wear our new makes and party like the pretty little ballerina seamstresses we are, but we will have to keep it much simpler for now. Maybe instead, you can go tell everyone you know how much money you saved because instead of buying a poofy Alice and Olivia skirt, YOU MADE ONE! Hats off to you! You’re a rockstar!

If you follow my tutorial and want to show off your skirt, hashtag your make with #SewAmy so I can drool over your creation with you! Until then, you can find me in the One Spot at Target buying things I “need”.

XOXO, Amy