A Stitch In Time (Or Not)

I like doing things for myself instead of paying to have it done. It's very satisfying knowing I saved a hundred bucks or so by installing my own garbage disposal or repairing other misc items and saving money on the service calls. I know however when to call a professional. I don't do anything electrical beyond changing out a light fixture or switch, and sometimes it does end up cheaper to hire someone especially if I don't have the right kind of tools for the job. So, when it came up that I needed a formal dress cut off and hemmed, I thought: piece of cake. There is no reason to send the dress to a seamstress when I have a perfectly good sewing machine right here. I started out by cutting the length. So far so good. Then, with the piece I cut off I practiced different stitches and different tensions. Why I thought I could hem the dress when I couldn't even get the practice right; I don't know. After having to cut off my crappy work twice I figured I'd better stop or I would end up with a mini dress. Did I mention that the material is stretchy knit and chiffon, not easy to work with. So I gave up on the hemming and I did what any person would do in this situation. I glued it. It was too late to take it somewhere to have it hemmed (I need it tonight) so I took some clear drying craft glue and painted it along the bottom edge of both layers. That way it won't fray and it will give the illusion of a tiny hem. Brilliant if I do say so myself. I will eventually take the dress to a real professional, but in the meantime this will work fine. I already have my story ready to tell the seamstress: "I bought this dress at a second hand store and look what some idiot did to the hem. Can you fix it?" In the future I will leave the complicated sewing projects to the professionals.