Seams and finishes
Seams and finishes: technique guides for US sewists.
I poke through every pattern and product so you only get the best.
– Pinny
Clipping and notching curves
Curved seams won't lie flat until you snip the allowance: clip inward (concave) curves and cut small wedges (notches) out of outward (convex) curves.
How to sew a flat-felled seam
The strong, flat seam you see on jeans and shirts: one allowance is trimmed, the other folded over it and stitched down, so there are no raw edges.
How to sew French seams
A French seam is sewn twice so the raw edges end up sealed inside. It's ideal for sheer and lightweight fabrics and for anything where the inside shows.
Seam allowance explained
The seam allowance is the gap between your stitching line and the cut edge. Patterns tell you how much; 0.6 in (1.5 cm) is common on most dressmaking patterns and 6mm (a quarter inch) in quilting.
Seam finishes for beginners
A seam finish stops raw edges fraying in the wash. Start with zigzag, then try French seams and Hong Kong binding when you want a nicer inside.
Sewing knit fabric on an ordinary sewing machine
You do not need an overlocker for jersey. A ballpoint needle, a stretch or narrow zigzag stitch and a light touch will do it.
Staystitching: stop curves stretching
Staystitching is a line of stitching just inside the seam line on curved or bias edges, such as necklines, sewn before anything else so they can't stretch out of shape.
Understitching facings and linings
Understitching sews the seam allowance to the facing, close to the seam, so the facing rolls to the inside and doesn't peek out.