Threads author Sandra Miller shares her simple techniques for sewing common seam finishes in Threads #165 (February/March 2013) and in #166 (April/May 2013). In this quick video-tutorial, we bring one of her techniques to life and demonstrate how to stitch together seam allowances. This finish is extremely useful when working with knits to keep edges flat and crisp. Try this method to achieve great looking and durable seam allowances.
Also, don’t miss Sandra’s techniques for sewing other common seam finishes. Sandra is a sewing teacher, pattern designer and tester for Cutting Line Designs, and she has authored many articles for Threads.
How to Sew a Single-Fold, Clean-Finish Seam
How to Sew a French Seam Finish
French seams work best on sheer, lightweight fabrics. The narrower you make them, the more professional they look. Learn how to sew a French seam with this quick video tutorial.
A serger trims and overlocks the seam allowances separately or together as it stitches.
For more in-depth sewing tutorials hosted by Sandra, see these Taunton Press products:
Sewing Essentials: The Perfect Blouse
Get other helpful techniques like this by ordering a subscription of Threads magazine. Print subscriptions come with FREE access to our tablet editions.
No pressing open the seam?
It would have been helpful to have mentioned that the second stitching line was a zig-zag and the stitch length and width adjustments that would be necessary depending on the fabric. All that is not so visible in the video. Also, the second stitching line can be straight stitched as well with good results, depending on the fabric.
Dear ustabahippie, Thank you so much for watching and commenting. In the print version of this technique, you wil see we do also address using straight stitches to sew the seam allowances together. As this was just a demonstration on a knit fabric, we used a zigzag stitch for visibility. Stitch length and width adjustments for various fabrics are important, you're absolutely correct, but it wasn't within the scope of this segment to address all of the possibilities. Again, thanks for viewing and remarking!
Hi user-1141318, since the seam allowances are going to be sewn together, it's quite permissible to just press the seam as sewn. Thanks for commenting!
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