Garment Details

 

EASY MACHINE HEMS

Machine hems are quick and easy alternatives to hand sewn hems. Here are two of our favorite techniques.

HANDLING BIAS SEAMS

Bias seams are found in hundreds of styles, from V-neck and asymetrical tops to A-line and flared skirts & dresses to jacket lapels and more. Achieving a smooth, pucker-free bias seam is To join two bias edges, such as the side seam of a bias-cut skirt, hold the fabric in front and in back of the presser foot and stretch gently as you stitch. Although this allows the seam to “give” as you stitch, it will relax into a smooth seam when you are finished.

 

MAKING A BOUND BUTTONHOLE

Bound buttonholes give a polished look to coats and jackets that quietly proclaims tailoring expertise. To insure perfect results, make a trial buttonhole on the same number of fabric layers as your garment for practice.

Step 1: Mark buttonhole position and length on WRONG (interfaced) side of fabric. Thread-trace buttonhole position, extending the thread tracing beyond end markings. The thread-traced markings should resemble a ladder.
Step 2: Cut a self fabric strip for patch on straight grain, measuring 2″ (5cm) wide and 1″ (2.5cm) longer than the measurement of the buttonhole. Mark a center line along the length of the strip. With RIGHT sides together, baste center of strip along buttonhole marking, extending ends 1/2″ (1.3cm) beyond end markings.
Step 3: Cut a self fabric strip for patch on straight grain, measuring 2″ (5cm) wide and 1″ (2.5cm) longer than the measurement of the buttonhole. Mark a center line along the length of the strip. With RIGHT sides together, baste center of strip along buttonhole marking, extending ends 1/2″ (1.3cm) beyond end markings.
Step 4: Cut a self fabric strip for patch on straight grain, measuring 2″ (5cm) wide and 1″ (2.5cm) longer than the measurement of the buttonhole. Mark a center line along the length of the strip. With RIGHT sides together, baste center of strip along buttonhole marking, extending ends 1/2″ (1.3cm) beyond end markings.
Step 5: Snip between the two stitching lines and clip diagonally to corners, as shown. Be careful not to clip through machine stitching. Add a dot of seam sealant (such as Fray CheckTM) to corners, and allow to dry.
Step 6: Pull patch through opening to WRONG side of front. This opening should form a perfect rectangle. Roll edges of opening between your fingers until each seam is at the edge of the opening. Press so that none of the patch shows on the OUTSIDE.
Step 7: To form buttonhole lips, fold each long side of the patch over the opening, so that the folds meet exactly at the center.
Step 8: On OUTSIDE, whip-stitch buttonhole lips together along fold lines and press in place. Whip-stitches should remain in place until garment is completed.
Step 9: To secure buttonhole lips and keep them from shifting, with front RIGHT side up, fold it back out of the way until you can sew the end of the patch and the triangle (formed by clipping corners in step 5) together. Using small machine stitches, stitch across the base of the triangle, catching patch. Trim end to 1/4″ (6mm). Repeat on other end.
Step 10: Stitch horizontal seam allowance of buttonhole and patch together, just inside the original stitching. Trim patch to 1/4″ (6mm). Repeat on other seam.

FINISHING YOUR BOUND BUTTONHOLE

Step 11: Transfer buttonhole markings to the WRONG (interfaced) side of front facing, and thread-trace markings, same as for bound buttonhole (see step 1). Cut a bias patch of silk organza or lightweight matching fabric 2″ (5cm) wide and 1″ (2.5cm) longer than the measurement of the buttonhole. Mark a center line horizontally along the patch. With RIGHT sides together, place patch on facing, over thread-traced markings and baste (see step 2).
Step 12: Using small stitches, start stitching at the middle of one side, stitching a scant 1/8″ (3mm) from center basting and tapering stitching at ends. Take one stitch across the end, pivot and continue along remaining side. Overlap stitches at starting point. Remove basting.
Step 13: Slash between stitching lines, being careful to not clip stitching at ends. Add a drop of seam sealant (such as Fray CheckTM) to ends of opening, and allow to dry.
Step 14: Pull patch through to WRONG side. Gently “snap” along the bias of patch to create a smooth slit opening. Press. If you prefer, trim edges of patch to within 1/4″ (6mm) of opening.

 

SEWING PLEATS

Pleats are a popular garment detail, lending visual interest and controlling the fullness in a garment. These fabric folds add motion and fun to a skirt, whether they run its entire length, or decorate only the lower hemline edge. Pleats can be soft or crisp, pressed or unpressed. Basic formations include the knife pleat, the box pleat and the inverted pleat . While pleats aren’t difficult to sew, professional results require accuracy in cutting, marking and stitching. The effect is created by the use of multiple folds, so remember that if any of these important steps is “off” by even 1/8″ on each fold of an 8-pleat skirt, the distortion is also multiplied and the result is a waistline that is a full inch too small or too large at the waistline.

Pleat detailing is prominent in current skirt styles, and is sure to continue through the summer and into autumn fashions. These easy tips will help you to create pleats you’ll be proud of:

Marking:

• Use your scissors to snip-mark the pleat lines within the seam allowance.
• Use straight pins to mark the remainder of each pleat line. By using two different types of pins (or pins with two different colored heads), mark solid lines with one pin type and mark the broken lines with the other.
• Crease fabric along the solid line, press lightly and remove the pin. Bring the pressed edge to meet the broken line and pin the pleat in place.
• Form all pleats in the same fashion. Machine baste across the top of the pleats.

Pressing:

• Careful pressing is the key to great-looking pleats. Once they are formed and basted into place, always use a press cloth or a scrap of your fashion fabric.
• Cut a strip of brown paper bag, inserting it between the garment and the unbasted fold of each pleat as you press.
• For soft pleats: Cover pleats with a dry press cloth. Hold the iron 2″ to 3″ above the fabric and apply a bit of steam only, without resting the iron on the fabric.
• For crisp pleats: Cover pleats with a dry press cloth. Use ample steam and the full pressure of the iron. Since the garment is not yet hemmed, press lightly to within 8″ of the hemline. After hemming, press this lower area thoroughly as well. Let garment dry completely before handling to allow the pleats to set.

Topstitching And Edgestitching:

• Topstitching and edgestitching are used to hold pleats in place and to accentuate the pleat detailing. On a skirt, topstitching usually begins at the waist and extends down to the hip area, through all layers.
• For fabrics that do not crease well, edgestitching is recommended below the hip, catching in only the fold of the pleat in your stitching. Use edgestitching on garments that will be machine laundered rather than dry-cleaned; this makes the re-pressing of the pleats much easier.
• To give topstitching and edgestitching the look of one continuous line, do the edgestitching first, stitching below the hipline to within 8″ of the hemline. Then, beginning stitching at the waistline, topstitch to the hip area, carefully overlapping the start of the previous stitching. After the garment is hemmed, complete edgestitching.

Hemming:

If a seam falls at the inside fold of a pleat, follow these steps for a smooth, flat finish:

• Clip the seam allowance to the line of stitching at the top of the hem allowance.
• Press the seams open below the clip and trim them to ¼”.
• Finish the raw edge of the hem allowance. Hem the garment.
• Working on the inside of the garment, edgestitch the pleat folds within the hem allowance to keep it flat. Once the garment is hemmed, re-press the lower edges of the pleats.

Although it is usually easier to work with the purchased versions of these tapes, you can make your own bias tape. For information on how to do this, see pages 117-118 of the revised edition of Simplicity’s Simply the Best Sewing Book.