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I’m sewing a princess seamed shell top from some kind of satin-y polyester material for a friend for a bridesmaid dress. The top is unlined. No matter how much pressing I do, I can’t get the seam puckers to go away. I’m thinking about maybe fusing interfacing to the inside of the seams and lining the dang thing, or maybe decorative topstitching close to the seam lines.
I hate this fabric – any suggestions?
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Perhaps one seam is more puckery? Try sewing both seams with the center of the bodice towards the presser feet (from top to bottom). This means that you have to sew one seam 'backwards' on the machine, but this way you can use your presser feet to ease in the fabric equally on both sides which should minimize the puckering. Then press well with a press cloth over a ham. Try a test first and see if this helps.
I think topstitching may compound the problem because you have to stitch straight on opposing bias curves, probably one side will pucker and one won't.
*Those puckers on that satiny stuff are a real pain. In one of her TV shows, Sandra Betzina noted that cutting the stuff on the cross-grain or on the bias reduced puckering, and she recommended doing a lot of test-stitching with various needles and stitch lengths when working with poly satins. Have you tried using a very fine "sharp" needle and a shorter stitch length? I have found that sometimes using the very narrowest zigzag stitch helps, too.
*Threads Magazine November 2001 page 57, hint #9 from Louise Cutting is entitled "No-pucker Seams". Her advice is to use 50 weight, all-cotton thread with a size 11 machine-quilting needle. Hope this helps.
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