Seam Finishing Without a Serger

My decades old serger has not been sewing a decent seam finish lately.  It's time to take it in for servicing or ~gasp~ think about replacing it.  Both of these options won't be happening anytime soon with how expensive life has become since the arrive of the pandemic and I'm about to be laid off from work. Needless to say, I'm really watching my pennies nickels.  

Self-threading serger, {source}

Unless, I win the big prize of a lottery or save up enough nickels.  Yup, a nice dream, but I digress... Until that dream comes true, I'll be returning to the BS life (before serger).  

Thankfully, my sewing machine comes equipped with decorative and zig-zag stitches that I can adapt into seam finishing options.  These will work on the current project that I need to finish, I think I will go with the first stitch on the left for this embroidered corduroy fabric.  

Other types of fabric will require other seam finishing techniques. Sheer, light-weight fabrics will be best handled with a French seam finish.  Fabrics prone to fraying can be treated with bound seams. Thank goodness there's a bias tape maker in the sewing basket to make bias tape. 

There is a welcomed sense of slowing down the process and thinking about how to finish a seam without the speed of a serger. Maybe, returning to the basics is just what might kick-start the sewing mojo?  

Do you have a favourite non-serger seam finish that you like to use?  

Stay Safe, Be Kind and Happy Sewing!  

Slip: OOP Simplicity 8666

Another light-weight cotton slip ready to be gifted. 

Easy peasy project:  a simple bias cut cotton slip using out-of-print (OOP) Simplicity 8666. There were a few modifications to the pattern to achieve the fit needed. The sides were extended 1 5/8" from the top grading out and additional inch at the hemline. The front was lowered an inch and a half. The sides are finished with French seams. The neckline and armhole are finished with bias tape found in the stash. The hemline is shortened two and a half inches and finished with a narrow top-stitched hem.  

The fabric has been in the stash for a long time, actually picked up for lining fabric. Plans change. It was pre-treated in the wash, followed by a tumble in the dryer before ending up on the ironing board for a pressing.  

The Stats

Fabric:  2 metres

Bias Tape:  2 metres

Pattern:  OOP Simplicity 8666

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, pins, tailor's chalk, measuring tape, measuring gauge, scissors, thread clippers, iron, ironing board, sewing machine, thread, new sewing machine needle, screwdriver and tweezers.  

Stay Safe, Be Kind and Happy Sewing!

In Sewing News Today...

I forgot how happy french seams make me. Giddy happy. I'm currently working on Vogue 1503 which has french seams and a pieced front. It's a fun project. Although, I'm scratching my head as to why Rachel Comey would suggest encasing the armhole seam with double fold bias tape after all the labour intensive work of french seams.  

The french seams are beautiful. I want more french seams. Lynn Mizono's Vogue 1274 has french seams even where the sleeve is inserted into the armhole. I'm going to go with Lynn Mizono's suggestion on how to finish the armhole. Why add more bulk with seam binding?  

In other news that has me scratching my head, new fall fabrics found at the local fabric/quilt/home decor/and knick-knack store. Lots of polyester and man-made fibres. I'll be honest, it's not my favourite. Goodness, do I miss the gorgeous wools and organic cottons that used to be found at Mitchell Fabrics. But I digress. What really shocked me was the price increases found this season. New stock of sequin polyester taffeta priced at $70/metre. Even with the 50% membership sale discount that's an ouch price for polyester. Yeah, polyester. Similar to this. Apparently, the price of sequins are behind the price increase. [insert a chuckle and eye roll here]. I'm thinking back to something I read in Overdressed:  The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline. Cline exposed how manufacturers use decorative features like sequins to make a synthetic fibre appear as a good or luxury item. I guess it is where we place value and sometimes, as Cline points out, we're blinded by the bling.   

Oh and speaking of value, there is an on-line all-brand sale happening at MBV until tomorrow. 

Well, that's all in sewing news today.  

Happy Sewing!  

Silk Infinity Scarf

This evening there was a simple sewing project that came out of the workspace. No pattern, just a beautiful piece of silk.  

I started with less than a metre folding it in half width-wise and carefully pinning wrong sides together with silk pins. Can I just say that silk pins are excellent to use for light weight fabrics. They're worth every penny.  

I sewed a 3/8" seam and then trimmed before turning, pressing and finished a french seam.

Right sides together I stitched the selvage edges together making sure to leave an opening to turn it over and then hand stitched the opening close.  Easy peasy.  

This beautiful silk fabric is a Fabricland find. Just like working with silk pins, this fabric demands a fine needle both for hand-stitching and the sewing machine. I tested several needles and threads before proceeding and ended up going with Klassé Sharps #70, 2.6 stitch length on the sewing machine and polyester thread.  

The Stats:

Fabric:  0.7 metres

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Cutting table, scissors, silk pins, thread clippers, hand needle, iron, ironing board, and coffee.  

Happy Sewing!

Ready for Spring! (And Mocking those French Seams)

Stash Busting 2013:  The Angel Shirt, Project #19 

Fabric Used:     2.6 metres of 100% Cotton and 1 metre of fusible interfacing.  

Pattern Used:   Vogue 1274, circa 2011

Thread Used:    I finished off one spool of 100% cotton thread.

Buttons Used:   Nine 1/2" buttons

*****

I purchased this fabric back in 2012 when an Ikea location opened in the city. I thought the print was whimsical and fun, sew in the cart it went! When I picked it up I thought it might make a dress for the summer but as you can see plans change.  

The fabric is softer than quilting cotton found in the fabric store. I'm quite pleased with the weight and drape.  

The pattern has been in my stash a wee bit longer. I love this pattern! It was fun to sew and I like having an item that I likely won't see anyone else wear around town. But you never know, I think Ikea still has this fabric in stock.   

I do question the "easy" rating that Vogue patterns gave the pattern. Vogue 8791 was also rated easy but these two patterns are quite different in the techniques used to construct each top.  

It is not that some of the sewing techniques are difficult, rather they're time consuming. In the end, it is worth all the work. Vogue 1274 is constructed with French seams and in the general sewing information there are French seam instructions that are well-written. 

Sadly, these did not apply to the armhole. The instructions said to construct this as a French seam but I found it didn't quite work as when I did it on a straight seam. 


Easing the sleeve cap to fit the armhole made everything work out smoothly. My next option was then to do a mock french seam (more work) or the much easier option, serge the seam edge. I will admit that I was on the fence with how I would proceed with this step. 

Mock French seams along the armhole was my final decision. Yes, it was more work but considering all the work I put into the shirt with the French seams I didn't want to cut corners now.  

This Vogue shirt did end up feeling a wee bit long for my five-one frame. I cut the front and back two inches and kept the sides the same length. I am quite pleased with this adjusted length. I did not adjust the sleeve length. Instead, the three-quarter length sleeves described on the pattern envelope, they worked out to be long sleeves on my version. 

And the buttons. I purchased them at Courage My Love, one of my favourite Vintage stores in Toronto. The have a crazy (in a wonderfully delightful way) selection of buttons. It would be a good guess that these buttons have been in my stash for about a decade.     

I'm glad these were saved until now for this shirt. I love that the square buttons echo the corners found in the hem of the shirt and sleeve edges. And you can't quite see it but there is specs of green found in half of the button. 

Have you ever held onto buttons until the perfect pattern or fabric came along?  

Happy Sewing!  

Mock French Seams

Well, Vogue 1274 is coming along nicely. I'm a little further along than in the photo. The collar and facings are in place. And the sleeves are pieced together.

I'm just puzzled at #21 of the instructions, "[s]titch sleeve to armhole edge in a French seam." It sounds simple enough except when I pin the sleeve to the shirt it is not working out as simply stated in the instructions.

The pieces fit to perfectly between the notches at the under sleeve portion. It is where the curve over the shoulder is found that is proving to be a challenge.

Sew, mock French seams it will be. I could serge the edges after I ease and stitch the sleeve in place. But I really would like to continue with the French seam or in this case a mock French seam.

I've been surfin' the web and checking out my go-to reference sewing books and I noticed something interesting. Have you noticed that all the references to mock French seams list this finish as a good alternative to French seams on a curved edge but all illustrations and photographs on how to do a mock French seam is done on a straight edged sample? If there is a sample of a mock French seam done on a  actual curved edge, I didn't come across it. I got a chuckle from that little fun fact.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Until tomorrow, Happy Sewing!

The Angel Shirt

I am currently working on another Lynn Mizono design, the Angel Shirt.

Vogue came out with a pattern for this shirt in 2011, Vogue 1274. And I have no reasonable reason why it has taken so long to get this project started.

I'm using a 100% cotton fabric that I found at Ikea. I adore the whimsical print. I think this will be a fun shirt for spring!

I was surprised to find the shirt has stitched French seams. I haven't sewn a garment with French seams in years! I forgot how easy it they are to sew. My serger is getting a break with this project and I'm throughly enjoying the change in pace.  

With wrong sides together stitch 1/4" away from the edge.  Trim and press the seam.  Don't skip the pressing part!
You want a nicely pressed edge for when you turn it over to match right sides together.  

With right sides together stitch 3/8" from the edge encasing the raw edges.
Press again and there you have it a French seam!  

The sleeves and armhole seam are also finished with French seams. There is no fear with this area since the armhole is deep, it shouldn't be difficult at all.

But I did notice in my Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing book, my go-to reference book, that there is a mock French seam for curved edges.

With right sides of fabric together, stitch on the seamline.  Trim seam allowances to 1/2", press, matching folds along the edge.  Stitch these folded edges together.  Press seam to one side (150).

Not that I'm going to try it on this Vogue pattern. I thought it was another interesting self-finished seam.

Well, I have quite a few French seams to finish before I reach the armhole seams. I should get back to work.

Happy Sewing!