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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
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From: allboyz
Date: 11-04-2003, 10:57 PM (1 of 12)
Hi! I just wanted to let you all know that we learned how to do a french seam today in my sewing class. It is so pretty. I had all my scraps out practicing. I think I will actually start using it on my skirt tomorrow. So excited. Just had to share that. I'm sure I will be back with more questions.  This is an awesome board. Talk to you all later! Cynthia |
User: allboyz
Member since: 10-25-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: Magot
Date: 11-05-2003, 03:30 AM (2 of 12)
|
French seams are one of those things that I had to have somebody show me and then it all made sense! Trying to work it out from a book was a killer - they are cool!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: MaryW
Date: 11-05-2003, 07:44 AM (3 of 12)
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French seams were my introduction to professional sewing. I sewed for a children's shop where every seam was either a french seam or enclosed seam.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 11-05-2003, 08:12 AM (4 of 12)
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Most of my seams are French. I hate unfinished seams. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: chiloGod
Date: 11-05-2003, 10:40 AM (5 of 12)
| How exactly do you do a french seam? |
User: chiloGod
Member since: 08-19-2003 Total posts: 65 
|
From: habanerohutch
Date: 11-05-2003, 11:50 AM (6 of 12)
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A French seam is very easy to do and gives a clean, elegant finish. Starting with a normal 5/8" SA, place the fabric pieces with WRONG SIDES together and stitch a 1/4" seam. Trim the raw edges to 1/8". Press the seam. Now place the fabric pieces in the normal fashion with RIGHT SIDES together and stitch a 3/8" seam enclosing the raw edges. This final stitching is to be on the normal stitching line so you don't accidetally change the size of the garment. From the outside it looks like any ordinary seam, but the raw edges are enclosed on the inside of the garment. It is commonly used in baby clothes, children's clothes, and in sheer fabrics. If you want the finished seam to be smaller than 1/4", simply take a wider first seam, trim it, etc. Just so the final seam is stitched on the normal stitching line. Chile Pepper from Texas
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User: habanerohutch
Member since: 07-01-2000 Total posts: 49 |
From: MaryW
Date: 11-05-2003, 12:05 PM (7 of 12)
Lala, you explain it so well. I wish I had that gift.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
|
From: chiloGod
Date: 11-06-2003, 08:21 AM (8 of 12)
| Thanks, you make it sound easier than this book that I got from the library. |
User: chiloGod
Member since: 08-19-2003 Total posts: 65
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From: mamahoogie
Date: 11-06-2003, 05:26 PM (9 of 12)
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I'm with chiloGod. I love your explanation. I read it in a book once and said forget it. Thanks Violet 
I've decided to live forever - so far, so good.
|
User: mamahoogie
Member since: 12-25-2002 Total posts: 461 |
From: LeWeaver
Date: 11-15-2003, 10:40 PM (10 of 12)
I have a straight skirt with a slit in the back. At the top of the slit is a french seam by the way you described it but it was finished open instead of to the side. The slit split (LOL) and I can't figure out how to fix it w/o taking up the seam but that would be impossibe because at the top of the french seam is a zipper!
|
User: LeWeaver
Member since: 11-09-2003 Total posts: 12 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 11-16-2003, 09:46 AM (11 of 12)
|
When I have a slit at the end of a French seam -- and I often do -- I press the seam to one side and take a tiny snip at the very top of the slit or just above it (1/8 inch or less) on the other side. Flatten that out, then turn it under gradually widening to whatever it needs to be along the slit. Now this is the ugly part. I zig zag across the raw ends at the top of the slit several times to secure them. Yes, it shows and is not particularly attractive. Some times I put a fancy button over it for cover. It really isn't very noticeable if you have a good color match with the thread and I prefer it to the look of a torn and repeatedly mended slit. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: LeWeaver
Date: 11-16-2003, 04:02 PM (12 of 12)
| thanks Dorothy. I would rather do that (zig zag) than to throw it out or turn it into quilt squares just yet and I think the button would be cute or even a small ribbon bow tie tacked over the repair. |
User: LeWeaver
Member since: 11-09-2003 Total posts: 12 |
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