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Sewing Seams and Seam Finishes
2
A
continuation of the techniques in Seams 1 with illustrations
that show you how to do some of the seams.
 Strap
seam is
used for decoration. Plain seam is made and pressed open.
On the right side, baste a strip of material with edges
turned in, and edge stitch both sides. Braid and other
trimmings may also be used.
Corded
seam uses
cord which has been basted inside a bias strip.
Place bias covered cord on the right side of one piece of
material with basting directly on seam line, cut edges
towards edge of fabric. Baste and place second piece of
fabric, right sides facing, edges together, in position as
for plain seam. Baste and stitch on seam line, using
cording foot.
Piped
seam.
Fold bias strip in half and placed on the right side of
fabric with fold 1/8 inch inside seam line. Baste and
place other piece right side down on top; baste and
stitch. Trim seam, press so that piping falls along edge
of seam. Decorative.
Curved
seam must
be clipped or slashed in several places to make it lie
flat. This is important for smooth
finish.
Enclosed
seams are
plain seams used in double thicknesses as in collar and
cuffs. Trim very close, clip edges to lie flat, press and
turn.
Crossed
seams are
two seams that cross. To avoid bulkiness, press seams open
and clip away edges of under seam.
Whipped
seam is
used for piecing when fabric is not wide enough to cut
full pattern. Be sure grain of piecing is the same as the
grain of garment / sewing project, turn in edges, and
overcast with tiny stitches.
Seams
with inserts.
Place lace or trimming on right side, baste, and hem edges
by hand, or use zigzag attachment or zigzag stitch on
zigzag machine. On wrong side, cut fabric away, and roll
edges, or turn the edges back and stitch them, but not to
the garment / sewing project.
Bias
seam should
be sewed over paper to avoid tightening. Tear paper
away.
Raw
seam edges are
finished to prevent fraying and raveling and to act as
stay lines so that seams do not pull out of shape. Finish
must be suitable for the texture and transparency of the
material.
Pinking
is
done with pinking shears and is a very simple finish.
However, pinking should be done only on firmly woven
fabrics.
Clean
finish is
the name for seam edges which are turned back ½ inch and
stitched. The seam so finished is called a silk
seam.
Binding
is
done by enclosed edges in binding and
stitching.
Overcasting
is
explained and illustrated in Basic Stitches
2
Hemstitching
and picoting are
done on transparent fabric seam edges. Picoting gives a
very decorative effect, and is sometimes used to finish
seam edges which are going to be fagoted
together.
In Seams 1 & 2 you have found a comprehensive list of the
how, what, when and where of professional finished seams for
your home sewing projects.
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