Ok it’s a re-run. Is it still a New-to-me if I have made it already? I don’t care! I just wanted to show you how much I really like this pattern from Teach Me Fashion, the two tone singlet!
This material was a polyester but it is so silky. It was even a little slippery to handle. I thought it would be perfect to use French seams. For those of you not familiar with French seams, you first sew the seams together wrong but then they turn out soooo right, like this…
Then you fold the seam over, iron it…
And sew it again…
You end up with this… (Never mind the double stitching here, I was being extra cautious!)
And this…
I love it!
I have read that sometimes sewist do this process exactly opposite, leaving the seam allowance “bump” on the outside to make a decorative seam. I will have to try that some day.
And remember, there are four corners on this top, first sew all your corners to reinforce them, clip to the sewing, and then sew your two pieces together in a 90 degree angle.
Oops! Before I forget, here is the rear view of my new top!
I have run out of weekends in The Monthly Stitch’s Indie Pattern month, but I haven’t run out of Indie Patterns! Two more to come, one from Dixie DIY and one from Skinny Bitch Curvy Chick!
So… Stay tuned!
Hi. Very clean seam. Quick question, did you have to make allowance when cutting your material for the French seam? Did you have to add an extra 1/4 inch or so to the width of material since you are sewing back more? I hope I’m making sense. I don’t feel like I’m asking the question correctly. Nice job. 😀
You asked the question perfectly! Hopefully I can explain what I did perfectly as well! And I am glad you asked because I went to bed last night lying there thinking (not for long though) – did I say how wide my two seams were?
First off, I used a 1/4 inch seam foot. It is the one with the vertical bar that runs along your fabric edge so that you can’t sew a sew more than 1/4 inch. If you don’t have one, just sew a tiny 1/4″ seam. Then I carefully trimmed the seam down even skinnier. The second time I sewed the seam, I sewed it a quarter inch again. I used the same foot. Now this only adds up to a 1/2″ seam, not a 5/8″ seam, but I was not concerned about the 1/8″ addition on both seams on this style of top.
If you have a fitted style you might be concerned about adding 1/8″ to both seams so then you should measure your second seam to 3/8″. I would grab out my blue tape and mark a 3/8″ line on my sewing machine to guide me. This way your seam is not more than 5/8″ in the end.
But to bring my babbling to an end – I still cut out this pattern the same. My pattern had a 5/8″ seam. I made the twice sewn seam allowance fit in it.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention!
Nice combination of colours! That top is nice and summery. Despite being French, I have not tried French seams (which I believe are called “couture anglaise”, I.e English seams) but I like the clean finish they provide on the inside of your top.
Isn’t that a cute twist in the languages. Thank you for the compliment too!
I lost count, how many times did you sew the same seam? The reason I ask is I’m an awful sewist (as some of you know) and am over the moon when I slip stitch a hem in place ONCE and it stays there! Thanks for the pictures. The top looks lovely :).
Well, thank you! (And the answer is two!)
I love anything “Color block.” The blue and orange together are awesome. Nicely done 🙂
Thank you! (I’m on the hunt for more colour blocking!!)
Hi Linda,
It’s Heather from Teach Me Fashion, thank you so much for your fantastic post. It’s great to see people using the pattern and producing such lovely garments! You did a fantastic job with the French Seams.
Happy Sewing,
Heather
Well thank you for the lovely (easy) pattern! This is the second time I have used it. I am very happy with it. I hope I wrote it up well!