This is a very short tutorial to teach you a couple of easy techniques that can have huge impact on your garment making. A lot of modern patterns skip these steps, often suggesting top-stitching instead. Top stitching is useful, even pretty in some cases, but it certainly isn’t refined. Once you understand grading and understitching you will see how useful they are. You can use these easy techniques in your facings, waistbands, linings and anywhere else that your seam allowance is pressed together and not open. Grading reduces the bulk of your seam allowance and encourages the seam to lie flat. The understitching keeps the inner layer from rolling to the outside and gives a clean, professional look.
For me, it’s the little tricks like these that really give me such pleasure and pride in my dressmaking.
Did you know that My Little Pony; is 25 years old? Check out the My Little Pony Project, 25 artists are designing 25 ponies! {via NOT COT} I never actually had a My Little Pony, I was too obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake.
Thanks for another great tutorial. I don’t have a clue about sewing garments and I love these little guidelines on dressmaking. Keep them coming!
Your blog is already one of my favourites!
Thanks for the tutorial. I read about grading seams in Diana Rupp’s S.E.W. but didn’t really understand what it was for. This tutorial is very clear. Though I’m new to sewing and newer to making clothes, I’m interested in any tip to make the clothes more refined. That’s why I took the zipper clinic–so I can move beyond elastic waists!
Concha – I always love seeing your comments. It makes me incredibly happy that you enjoy the blog. I’ll try to keep the good tips coming.
Rachel – These little tricks make all the difference. Now that most of my students have moved past the beginner stage, I’m trying to get more technical. You’ll see more classes like the zipper clinic for things like pockets and collars in the near future. I’ll also keep posting these tidbits for you to keep adding to your repetoire.
Strawberry Shortcake was all about grade two for me, K.
My mom made me Strawberry Shortcake curtains and I hand stitched about 10 cushions from the leftover fabric!
Now, grade one, i was all over Fashion Plates. Remember?
and i’m not alone:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/inspiration/from-the-80s-fashion-plates-as-decor-058055
mb – omigosh!!! of course, fashion plates rocked! i’m praying right now that my mom has my fashion plates tucked away in a box somewhere in their basement. Otherwise I may have to pick one up on ebay. my mom kept most everything, so hopefully i can round up at least a couple fashion plate drawings. That was seriously one of the best ‘toys’ ever.
Thanks for the great tutorial! I never really understood understitching before and now it’s pretty clear to me.
Thanks for this fantastic tutorial. I learnt to sew from my mum who was a sewing teacher (about 30 year ago!!) and I have never seen this. So simple and yet so effective. Love it.