Replies

1. 
   LaetitiaViljoen | Mar 15, 2009 07:17pm | #1

   Dear Sistersheilamuhammad, Understitching - ordinary straight stitch, sewn on the right side of the facing, 2 mm from the seamline, catching all seam allowances to the facing, may solve your problem. Understitching must however be stitched after the seam allowances were graded and clipped properly. It is also important that the seam is 'gently' pulled well open, while understitching.

   Kind regards

2. 
   Teaf5 | Mar 15, 2009 08:12pm | #2

   I agree--understitching is the most important way to make facings lie flat.

   However, if you have a bulge in the back, it may be that you stitched the shoulder seams of the facing on a slightly different line than the garment shoulder seams.  That is, if you angled the facing seam a little outward or made the seam allowance slightly smaller, the finished facing will be longer than the garment and will ruffle.

    Also,the curve of the facing means that the seamline is on the bias, so it will stretch more than the garment fabric, which is probably on the straight grain at the shoulder seam.

   One way to make sure the neckline facing will lie flat is to pin fit it to the garment before stitching the front and back facings together at the shoulder. Start by pinning the front facing to the neckline, then line up the back one(s), so that you can pinch the seam allowances and pin along the shoulder seam of the facing.  Take out the neckline pins, but leave the seamline pins in until you can mark the exact seamline.

   I've noticed that this true-fitted facing is often fairly different from the tissue pattern piece, but it lies flat and with understitching, makes a very sharp, clean neckline finish.

    

1. 
   sistersheilamuhammad | Mar 16, 2009 03:52am | #5

   hi sister sew-jah's

   i do have a ruffle in the back / horrible!!... but what i did was made a muslin of this  fabric /pattern and...

    hopefully when i sew the real pattern i will know how to do it with everyones's help... thanks

                             peace & blessings

1. 
   Josefly | Mar 23, 2009 05:50am | #7

   Sometimes outer edge of the facing can get stretched, particularly when you're finishing the edges. I dislike using a back neckline facing when there's a collar - lots of rtw garments forego the back neck facing, and so do I. There are at least a couple of options - one using a narrow bias strip to cover the back neckline seam, and another simply turning the trimmed and clipped seam allowance inside the collar at the back neck seam and hand stitching it closed.

1. 
   sistersheilamuhammad | Mar 26, 2009 02:51am | #8

   sister sew-jah,

   thanks for the info... i am following the directions on a storebrought pattern, also i am a beginner...so i am learning as i go along... 

    i took the whole collar facing out and lined up the shoulder seams with the collar facing  to bring it  in a little to remove the bulge in the back...

   since this is a sample garment (1.00 a yd for the fabric) i will do my best to correct the wrongs and try again until it comes out right... then i will sew the pattern using fashion fabric...   thankyou

   peace and blessings

    

3. 
   Palady | Mar 16, 2009 12:46am | #3

   Most definitely on the understitching.  I use it wherever I can.  Sometimes, depending on the shape, I'm unable to do the entire piece, but I manage to get enough of the portion done for the understitching to do what it does so well.

   The following URL has photos & text.  The second is the Google page with this & others if you want to check those.

   http://sewseamless.com/sewseamless/?p=526

   http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=understitching+only+sewing&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

   nepa

    

1. 
   sistersheilamuhammad | Mar 16, 2009 03:38am | #4

   hi sister sew-jah

   thank-you for the website with the information on sewing  round collar neck facings, i printed the ones out that were important and have the website for future use...

                                                  peace&blessings

1. 
   Palady | Mar 16, 2009 08:42pm | #6

   >> ... thank-you ... website ... information ... round collar neck facings ... <<

   You're very welcome.  Sometimes it's better to offer a picotrial description if one is available.   Just doing text can be difficult to follow.  Astute of you to print & bookmark the site.

   Repetitious of me, but I truly feel understitching enhances most every join.  Consider using it often.

   nepa