Seam and Seam Allowances

Seams are lines of stitching that put 2 pieces of fabric together. The seam allowance is how much fabric was allotted to sew the two pieces together. The seam allowance can be anywhere from ¼” to 1” depending on what you will be sewing.

Finishing your seams keeps your seam allowances from fraying and gives your project that finished or polished look. Look for ways to finish your seam allowances on my blog titled “Finishing your seams”.

This past week I had 2 students making their first pair of Pajama bottoms. Both women (yes, sometimes I do have grownups in my classes) were working with pretty cotton fabrics. Cotton is wonderful for PJ bottoms because the fabric gets softer with each wash which makes them very comfy for lounging or sleeping at night. However, cotton fabric does fray meaning the threads of the cotton become loose at the cut ends and loosen. If not finished in some way, the seams can become weakened from washing or wearing the garment.

There are many types of seam finishes but let’s look at 3 simple ways of finishing the seams.

Pinking Shears

Pinking shears are scissors with a sawtooth blade that cut the fabric in a zig zag pattern. Sew the seam, press it open, and then pink each side of the seam allowance. Be careful not to cut too much seam allowance!

Zig Zag Stitch

For this seam finish, before sewing each seam zig zag all the edges of the fabric pieces. As you sew the seams of the project, the seam allowances will be finished and press seams open when finished

2 Rows of Stitching

Before I had a fancy machine or a serger, I liked to finish my seams with 2 rows of stitching. First, sew the seam as stated in the directions. Next, sew a second row of stitches about ¼” form the first. Finally, trim your seam about 1/8” away from the second row of stitching. Press seam to one side.

Finishing your seams not only helps your fabric from fraying with washing and just wear, it also gives your project a professional look.

Now you know…