Lapped and flat-felled seams are two sides of the same coin. Both are found in ready to wear–the lapped seams I see most often in men’s dress shirts. Flat-felled seams are found on jeans…they’re that heavy, bulky seam! The double stitching makes it strong, so it is good for seams that endure strain–like tight jeans! They can also be used decoratively with contrasting and/or heavy topstitching thread. Let’s start with the ….
Please note: I am affiliated with Janome as a Janome Artisan and am compensated. However, my reviews are honest and I would say what I say whether affiliated or not. I’ve also chosen to be affiliated with Janome since 2003 (!!!) because their machines are so good and they are so responsive to the interests and needs of their customers.
Lapped Seam
The first step is to sew fabric at the designated seam allowance, right sides together, above.
You might wonder why you need a special foot to do this–you could turn under the seam allowance and, if you are a meticulous person (I am decidedly NO, not matter how hard I try), could sew this neatly. Well, here’s why:
This is what the seam looks like on the outside when finished:
Next up is the Flat-felled Seam which is sewn on the OUTSIDE of the garment. Both the seam thread and the topstitching thread will show.
The process is much the same, but you start with the fabric wrong sides together instead of the usual way.
It may help to compare the finished seams:
On the Plaid top, I used a flat-felled seam on both the shoulders and side seams, though with the fluff on the flannel and match of the thread, it’s mighty hard to see that in the photo! Honestly, it blends so well with the matching on the plaid, I had to feel for the bump of the turned seam allowance. It’s on the outside, which is how I knew. Gotta say, that’s pretty fine plaid matching to disguise it that well! And sorry about the cat hair…. I swear I will carry it with me to the great beyond some day!
Here are the links to all the posts in this series of lessons, techniques that can be applied to virtually any garment and many home dec projects. Let me know what you’d like to learn and see here on the blog. Cheers and thanks, Sarah
Please note: I am affiliated with Janome as a Janome Artisan and am compensated. However, my reviews are honest and I would say what I say whether affiliated or not. I’ve also chosen to be affiliated with Janome since 2003 (!!!) because their machines are so good and they are so responsive to the interests and needs of their customers.
To make a French seam you sew the seam twice. My example is on a 5/8″ seam which is standard in the US. Please adjust accordingly for your pattern and practice.
First, sew the seam with the fabric WRONG sides together at 3/8″ wide. Yes, wrong sides together.
Second, press the seam as stitched. This will set the seam and sink the threads into the fabric. Then, open up the garment and press the seam open. This will encourage the fabric to fold perfectly on the seamline and create a crisp “knife-edge” (this pressing technique is ideal for making knife-edge pillows). See the illustrative photos just below and, beneath them, photos at the machine.
Third, trim the seam allowance to 3/16 to 1/8″ and fold on the seamline so that right sides are together. Be sure to trim any pesky whiskers and threads–they’re obnoxious to try to trim later. If you are using a particularly ravelly fabric, a little starch or temporary (washable) gluestick daubed on carefully to keep the wanderers tucked inside is a good idea.
Finally, sew the second seam 1/4″ from the folded edge and give it a final press to neaten things up.
Here I’m using the F clear foot. I can move my needle to the right to achieve a perfect 1/4″ from the edge when the right side of the presser foot is even with the folded seamline. You could also use the quarter-inch piecing foot, but for some reason I get my best results this way. Use what works best for you!
On this sample I deliberately did NOT press the seam open all the way. Look how nicely the part at the right, under the foot to about halfway), makes a perfect “knife-edge” fold, and how the part of the seam that was not pressed open wants to curl and roll. It’s worth the short extra bit of time to press your seams open! Makes like at this stage easier and the end-result nicer!
Raw edges are fully enclosed. There are no “thread whiskers” poking out of the finished seam!
Because of the luscious thickness of the flannel, I didn’t use this technique on this top. But I DID use it on my Anthea Linen BlouseAnthea Blouse in Sky Blue Linen which I blogged about here. This is a picture of the side seams on 5.3 oz (middle weight) linen in that blouse.
The Anthea Blouse from Anna Allen.
USAGE: This seam works best on lighter weight fabrics from chiffon to lawn to quilting-weight cottons and sheeting, and light to some mid-weight linens. It makes a beautiful finish on pillowcases, summer blouses, shirts and dresses, and sheers.
In a garment, the French seam isn’t suitable to really thick or stiff fabrics UNLESS you want to make a point of the bulk. I have actually used this “inside out” on throw pillows: Sew wrong sides together, trim, turn, and sew the second seam about 1/2″ away. This creates a stiff outside edge that adds structure to the pillow and acts like cording!
Next up: Lapped seams!
Here are the links to all the posts in this series of lessons, techniques that can be applied to virtually any garment and many home dec projects. Let me know what you’d like to learn and see here on the blog. Cheers and thanks, Sarah
Nothing beats a beautifully finished garment, one that is so pretty on the inside that you enjoy it every time you put it on. Though you might be tempted to wear it inside out it’s so pretty, it remains a secret just for you! Top technique for a beautiful inside is using a seam finish to hide the raw edges. Not only does it look nice, it also protects the edges of the fabric, prevents fraying, can improve the way the seam functions, and contributes to a garment that will last longer. After all, you’ve spent money and, more dearly, time creating so enjoy it longer!
Please note: I am affiliated with Janome as a Janome Artisan and am compensated. However, my reviews are honest and I would say what I say whether affiliated or not. I’ve also chosen to be affiliated with Janome since 2003 (!!!) because their machines are so good and they are so responsive to the interests and needs of their customers.
The next several lessons/posts will be about all these seam finishes. We’ll start today with the fastest and simplest, the overcast seam.
There are many ways to finish seams. Today I’ll review one of four methods and suggest why you might choose one over the other. I’ll do the other finishes in subsequent posts so this doesn’t get too long!
Serged or overcast edges
French seams
Flat-felled or lapped seams
Hong Kong finish seams
Overcast:
The first seam finish we’ll talk about is perhaps the most well known because it is fast and is used on the majority of commercially made garments: serged seams. These are made with a serger machine, which you might not own. But if you have even a very basic sewing machine (more than straight-stitch-only), you will likely have at least one utility stitch that is called an overcast stitch. On my machine, here are some of the choices:
My Janome M7 Continental has a wealth of stitch choices, but even the most basic machines have stitches similar to 13, 14 and 15 (and see next photo for more choices). I particularly like stitch 15 which has an extra narrow zigzag on the raw edge. You can see that you can (within a range) adjust length and width. At the top right of the white portion of the screen, the machine tells you which presser foot to use, and the bottom right of the yellow portion has a QR code you can scan with Janome’s exclusive AcuSPARK app (free in the app store for your device) which works with select higher end Janomes.
This screen, the next one in the sequence on my Janome M7, has additional overcast and hem stitches.
If you want help understanding when and how to use a given stitch, open the AcuSpark app and scan the QR code. It then opens up a screen in the app with all sorts of nifty information on how to use the stitch. Below, I’ve opened the app to the Scan tool and took screen shots of these four overcast or overlock stitches.
There is also a tab to look at various options, on left side of photo below and, on the right, the stitch I like.
And let’s look at what a difference using the correct presser foot makes! Be sure to watch the video at the end of the post to see this foot in action!
The small sample, lower left, shows using the overcast stitch with the regular presser foot. Messy! The larger sample shows overcasting each side of the seam with the “M” foot, with the seam pressed open at the top AND overcasting both sides together and pressing to one side on the bottom.
Most machines that offer these stitches also come with (or you can buy separately depending on brand and model); buy one made by the company that made your machine for best results) a foot that has a wire on the right. This allows the stitch to form properly and not pull or curl the edge; those distorted edges aren’t as comfortable! On the Janome, it is the “M” foot. Look at the difference between the samples above.
Check the feel of the seam on a scrap. Adding too much thread can make a seam stiff and uncomfortable. If you have/can find a lighter weight thread, that finer thread will make the seam softer, as will using a longer stitch length IF your machine allows any adjustments to stitch width and length. If so, and your fabric ravels a lot, you may choose to use a wider stitch setting to better encase the tendency to ravel and wiggle.
USAGE: pretty much any seam, especially where seams intersect and you’d end up with a lot of bulk.
When I was doing custom home dec sewing for an interior designer, I also used a serger (but you can use the overcast stitches) to secure each cut piece of fabric before constructing the pillows, duvets, curtains, bedskirts, seat cushions and such. Upholstery fabric is VERY ravelly, and expensive, so I secured the edges immediately after cutting and before assembly to prevent an expensive disaster.
Cons: not the classiest finish, but fast and functional.
Here’s a video!
On the Plaid top I used serged together seam allowances for both the underarm and sleeve-to-body seams. This choice is especially useful where the sleeve joins the body because it stiffens the seam just a bit. When you press the seam towards the sleeve it actually helps support the top of the sleeve itself and helps it to hang well on the body.
Inside of the Plaid top: I used the overcast-both-seam-allowances-together method.
Another nice touch is to edgestitch the seam. Last summer I asked Philippa Naylor in GMQT (see previous post for additional discussion of GMQT) about how best to handle a side seam with a curved bit under the arm to the extended part for the sleeves. The top is literally two “T” shaped pieces of fabric with a neck facing and turned up hems (see photo from the back, below). Any curved seam will tend to pull at the curve. She suggested finishing the seam with an overlock (I used my Janome AirThread2000D serger, but the overcast stitch would do exactly the same), then pressing to the back of the garment and edge stitching. So I did…worked perfectly (and surprisingly well to me) and kept the curve under the arm from wanting to “wonk” on me.
Here’s the finished blouse.
As you can see, this is the simplest of all shapes. The fabric is Nani Iro double gauze, a lightweight cotton that is two layers woven together.
And this is Philippa’s brilliant solution to controlling the tendency of the seam to ripple and buckle at the curve. Worked a charm! And in case you’re wanting that link to sign up for the Garment Makers Question Time classes with Philippa Naylor, here it is.
And a tiny PS: back in the days when dinosaurs walked the earth and my age was in single digits, home ec classes suggested using pinking shears to finish a seam. It would look like this. Problem is that with use and washing, it frays. So here’s a pic, but really, don’t! You put too much effort and money into not doing your best work!
Left, seam as stitched, and pressed open. Bleah. It’s gonna ravel! Just don’t. See you next time!
Here are the links to all the posts in this series of lessons, techniques that can be applied to virtually any garment and many home dec projects. Let me know what you’d like to learn and see here on the blog. Cheers and thanks, Sarah
While visiting a favorite local shop in nearby Rockland, Maine, Clementine, I happened to fondle this amazing thick, soft flannel and thought it would made a perfect winter top. The plaid adds a bit of complexity and opportunity to teach a few more advanced skills along with a fairly simple pattern for this series.
Please note: I am affiliated with Janome as a Janome Artisan and am compensated. However, my reviews are honest and I would say what I say whether affiliated or not. I’ve also chosen to be affiliated with Janome since 2003 (!!!) because their machines are so good and they are so responsive to the interests and needs of their customers.
You use the lengthen shorten line to make sure the pattern piece is places squarely on the plaid–the line on the pattern runs on top of the same horizontal band all the way across. The notches (when you have them on a pattern…still grumpy about that!) give you additional “checkpoints” to make sure the horizontals on the front will align with the horizontals on the back.
The Taylor Seville chalk is much nicer than the tailor’s chalk I remember from the 70s and 80s. It comes in a nice plastic case that prevents the edges from getting chipped, too. The KAI shears are these. They are the first fine shears I’ve bought in nearly 30-35 years. WHY did I wait so long????? To be blunt, these make my Ginger shears look like lead clunkers! They weigh less and are SO much easier on my arthritic hands. They cut like a hot knife through butter!
By matching the plaid at the (made by me) “notches” the horizontal lines of the plaid will match up all the way around the garment, continuing from the front to the sleeve to the back to the other sleeve and back to the front. The next photo shows how nicely the line matches up across the garment.
The arrow shows how the black line carries across the garment. Because you need to ease in extra at the sleeve cap, the matching goes off a bit at the top of the sleeve. That’s why it is so helpful to have notches marked on the pattern–that’s where you match up a plaid or stripe as well as easing the sleeve cap to fit properly!
Now that the top is cut out, it is time to start sewing. My next post will be the first one on seam finishes. See you then–but one more side-view to show what a beautiful seam you get when the plaids are properly aligned!
Here are the links to all the posts in this series of lessons, techniques that can be applied to virtually any garment and many home dec projects. Let me know what you’d like to learn and see here on the blog. Cheers and thanks, Sarah
At the end of Lesson 1, I was showing you how far off the fitting is in this pattern when applied to my body: broad shoulders, small bust.
Please note: I am affiliated with Janome as a Janome Artisan and am compensated. However, my reviews are honest and I would say what I say whether affiliated or not. I’ve also chosen to be affiliated with Janome since 2003 (!!!) because their machines are so good and they are so responsive to the interests and needs of their customers.
There’s a LOT of detail in this post, but if you read through you’ll learn why it’s a joy and a wonder when you can find a pattern that works for your body. And once you make any necessary changes, it is fairly easy to use that pattern and make variations on the theme. Somewhere down below I mention taking a WONDERFUL, highly-recommended, can’t say enough good tings about Garment Makers Question Time with Philippa Naylor. I have been sewing over 55 years. Others in the class have never made a garment. Yet we ALL are learning and getting good results! You start out easy with a shift dress, move to a skirt, on up to rain jackets and fancy stuff! I got sidetracked with life last year but can’t wait to get back to it. Her work experience in the garment industry long before she became a quilter is golden.
It’s kinda like prepping a house to paint it–you have to do the yucky sanding and spackling and priming or the paint job won’t turn out well now matter how good the paint and painter. This is the prep work part of a successful garment!
View from the back..see those pull lines across the upper back, that means even with the slices it is still too tight! Part of the problem is that the pattern sleeve pieces are cut without a front/back to the sleeve cap.
A close up of the top…holding a ruler to show how much I need to alter the pattern to make it anywhere near fitting properly. There are many books and videos and workshops to learn how to do this, but the one that finally made it click and work for me was GMQT. Your mileage may vary, you may grasp the concepts well from some of the tried-and-true books from the 80s even. But this is how I finally “got it.”
There are MANY resources, from books to youtube to online and in person classes to learn about fitting. A year ago I signed up for Philippa Naylor’s Garment Makers’ Question Time, a 12-month series of classes for a price that is modest, especially considering the vast amount of knowledge and content. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS WORKSHOP GMQT.co.UK (not affiliated, just a happy student). Finally, after making clothes for more than 50 years, I feel confident in making alterations. The caption on the photo explains what I did to make it fit.
The upper bodice area was also too short…not enough room for my arms to move, so I lengthened by 1/2″. You can see the pencil notes… I made the cut perpendicular to the center front, spread the pieces and inserted more paper. I guesstimated where to make this change since the pattern itself does not include the standard lengthen/shorten here markings. I also raised the neckline since this is a winter top and Maine is cold!
I knew that the sleeve pattern was a problem as soon as I saw that it was cut symmetrically. If you look at a human body from the side, the arm curves to the front. A sleeve needs to do the same, not hang like a plumb line from the shoulder point. The fact that the pattern piece was symmetrical (cut on the fold) meant it could never fit properly. I knew I could modify a sleeve pattern piece from another pattern if the length of the seams matched closely enough to make it work.
I used a technique I learned in GMQT.co.UK that is called “walking the seam.” You measure the length of the SEAM line, not the edge of the pattern piece on, in this case, the armhole opening and the top of the sleeve. Luckily, my pattern piece from a different garment was within 1/4″.
To “walk the seam” you set your tape measure on its edge, and measure along what will be the seamline. After adding in the extra 1/2″ length (you can see the taped insert in the photo above), that changed the side seam length, which meant I needed to make sure the front side seam matched the back side seam (easily done since it is just a straight line). See next photo. PS–if you want to make pattern weights like mine, my free tutorial is here.
This is the bottom front of the garment. Because of the changes to fix the narrow shoulders and shallow armpit, it altered the side seam, so I had to lengthen the side seam so the front and back side seams would be the same length.
I looked in my collection of patterns–yes, I have patterns going back to the 1970s!–and found one with a sleeve I thought would work. It did!
In the next photo you will see notches and dots. These are standard in the pattern industry. One notch on a sleeve usually means the front of the sleeve, two notches is the back side of the sleeve. Dots are used for various purposes. Sometimes they show where to run gathers from one spot to the next. Other times they indicate where you match up the shoulder seam. That means you can distribute the easing/gathering on the sleeve cap so the sleeve actually FITS and runs around the body in a way that allows you to move your arm. Sorry–but I was just SO frustrated with this pattern. It is, sadly, destined to make new sewers think they can’t do anything right, when the error lies in the pattern!
Notches, dots and lengthen/shorten lines actually make it EASIER for a newbie to figure out what goes where. Eliminating those marks does not help!
I have cut a sleeve pattern that merges the 100 Acts of Sewing pattern and the Simplicity sleeve pattern. I removed (yellow) from the sleeve cap to eliminate the bubble in the front of the sleeve and added (pink) to add room to move your arms forward. The sleeves on the pattern are described as long, but doesn’t specify if that is halfway down the forearm, 3/4 and/or bracelet length, or full length. I needed to add more, but not quite as much as pictured here.
Flare at the hem, you ask? Why yes…if your sleeve angles out (or pants leg) and gets wider as it goes up, you need to have a hem that does the same. Once you have figured out the correct spot to hem, fold the fabric up on the hemline and trim to match the angle of the seam.
PHEW. So…that’s a lot. Thanks for reading this far–so you get another shot of the finished top, with the infinity scarf on my arm so you can see the top better. Next up: seam finishes, with a couple short videos!
I had just enough leftover that I was able to make myself an infinity scarf to keep my neck warm.
Here are the links to all the posts in this series of lessons, techniques that can be applied to virtually any garment and many home dec projects. Let me know what you’d like to learn and see here on the blog. Cheers and thanks, Sarah
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