I have two questions:

1. When working with chiffon, do you have to have a special foot attachment that rolls the hem, or is that done with a serger?

2. Can I sew Lycra with a normal sewing machine?

Any help would be much appreciated!

If you are making reference to hemming the answer is yes you can buy an assortment of different size attachments for doing rolled hems. A serger or overlock machine will do a rolled hem as well. I have found when working with chiffon that a narrow stitch done on my serger with or without "wiring the hem" makes for a nice lettuce edge look, so in most cases that is all I will do.

Yes you can sew lycra on a single needle machine using a zigzag stitch. I prefer not to, not trusting the strength of the stitch. But that is just my method, you will find that people use both in costume making. I use my single needle machine with a zigzag stitch to do any necessary topstitching on my lycra, using my serger to do all the seams and the hem.

Thanks so much! Your advice was just what I needed.

Somewhat related concern... I have zero sewing ability, but I am having a gown redesigned.

The skirt is being replaced with a chiffon material. The dressmaker told me after the skirt is attached it would have to hang for 2 days prior to the hem being done.

We are doing the hem on Thursday, dancing in the dress on Friday! Is 2 days enough?

That is interesting. I've never heard that before. I've had several dresses made for me (I've never actually made one myself) but have never had the seamstress mention this. Maybe because I never asked.
Is this to let the material "relax" so hem will be even? I would suppose that as long as there aren't huge discrepancies between lengths it wouldn't matter that much, since chiffon is a flowy material. Let me know if you get an explanation for why this is...

I will let you know. I guess it is more important than normal. The skirt has 3 layers with one layer a shade darker then the other two. The plan is for the darker layer to be a tad longer then the ligher shades so how it each layer falls becomes important... I guess!

To let the fabric relax is a good explanation. Even though you have sewn a circle of fabric for the skirt, once attached to the bodice and allowed to hang for a few days the shape along the bottom edge changes from a circle to a "cog" shape. With the dress on either dressform or person, I measure from the floor up the hem length desired, cut, and then finish.

That is great advice! Thanks for the tips.

hi, my name is sinead and i was wondering for modern dances like tango and etc what kind of material is good to wear?

Irregular length of skirt will be manifested after proper hanging , then you can fix it .
ylchen