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Posted by on May 8, 2007, 11:07 am
I haven't sewn in years, but have linen to make two blouses. Plan on
using the french seam on the entire blouse, but how do I finish the
armhole seam to prevent fraying? I have a simply zig-zag machine
(old), not a serger. Thank you for your help, Sharon
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Posted by on May 8, 2007, 1:03 pm
Dear Sharon,
You can bind the edges with bias-cut pieces of self fabric. This is
my preferred finish, and I use it all the time. You can also make
armhole facings. You can make your own if you don't have patterns.
Pin the shoulder patterns together, front and back, and trace the
outside edge. Measure out 2-1/2 inches along the tracing to make the
facing the correct width. Sew the underarm seams, and with right
sides together, sew the facings to the garment. Trim to 1/8 inch.
With all of the seam allowances facing towards the facing, zigzag over
the seams from the outside right next to the seam. This will hold the
layers together, and keep them from rolling out when the garment is
worn.
You can see why I prefer the binding method--easier and classier.
Teri
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Posted by BEI Design on May 8, 2007, 1:13 pm
>I haven't sewn in years, but have linen to make two
>blouses. Plan on
> using the french seam on the entire blouse, but how do I
> finish the
> armhole seam to prevent fraying? I have a simply zig-zag
> machine
> (old), not a serger. Thank you for your help, Sharon
>
You can zig-zag the finished seam, but test on scraps to see
if it stands up to washing, etc.
Or, you can sew the armhole seam in a French seam, it's
tricky but can be done. That's assuming you are making a
blouse with a sleeve.
Or, you can buy (or make from your fabric if you have
enough) double-fold bias tape and enclose the entire seam in
a "Hong Kong" finish, and that works for either a sleeveless
or sleeved garment. Sorry, I an find my link to
instructions, but if you know how to apply bias binding,
it's basically the same, just allow for the curved edge.
HTH,
Beverly
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Posted by Kay Lancaster on May 8, 2007, 10:42 pm
> I haven't sewn in years, but have linen to make two blouses. Plan on
> using the french seam on the entire blouse, but how do I finish the
> armhole seam to prevent fraying? I have a simply zig-zag machine
> (old), not a serger. Thank you for your help, Sharon
For a blouse with sleeves, I'd either fell the armscye seam or french
seam it (easiest if you serge the first "sewing" of the seam -- but you
can easily do it with a zigzag). I prefer felling.
For a sleeveless blouse, I'd bind with bias, either self-fabric or matching
"lining weight", or do facings if appropriate. A lot of the time, I cut
the armhole and neckline facings "all in one", shape the outside edges
to an interesting shape and turn them to the outside as a decorative element.
If you're feeling rusty, check to see if your library has a copy of Carol
Ahles' Fine Machine Sewing... it's a good refresher course and she's got
some excellent techniques there.
Kay
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Posted by Joy Beeson on May 9, 2007, 8:54 am
On 8 May 2007 08:07:57 -0700, sheltonsl@comcast.net wrote:
> I haven't sewn in years, but have linen to make two blouses. Plan on
> using the french seam on the entire blouse, but how do I finish the
> armhole seam to prevent fraying? I have a simply zig-zag machine
> (old), not a serger. Thank you for your help, Sharon
I used to set the sleeves in DH's shirts in with french seams, and
they weren't the least bit of trouble. Of course, that was shirt-type
sleeves; dress-type sleeves might be harder.
I thought the first seam would be impossible, because the curves make
the longer edge longer and the shorter edge shorter, but apparently
the narrowness of the allowance to be squished made up for this; at
any rate, it eased right in, with no more trouble than perma-press
fabric usually gave me. (I was using french seams throughout because
the perma-press available at the time perma-puckered if top-stitched.)
Nowadays, I use pre-graded flat-felled seams for everything -- though
I'll hand-topstitch formal silks. And I used french seams on the
outside when making my pocket wallet.
David Coffin's _Shirtmaking_ has a good description of setting in a
sleeve with pre-graded flat-fell seams, but he uses 5/8" allowances
and lets them overlap a quarter inch; I use 1/2" allowances and let
the raw edges meet, which is easier to measure and makes the seam
flatter. I don't adjust the allowances as he does either; what one
allowance gains the other allowance loses; even if you wobble a bit or
guesstimate your widths, the plain-seam stitching lines meet exactly,
and lie between the two rows of top-stitching.
On a fine linen blouse, I would hand-stitch the fell and have no top
stitching. Shortest-possible running stitches near the fold of the
fell are as invisible as "blind" hemming, and hold a lot better.
Joy Beeson
--
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://roughsewing.home.comcast.net/ -- sewing
http://n3f.home.comcast.net/ -- Writers' Exchange
The above message is a Usenet post.
I don't recall having given anyone permission to use it on a Web site.
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