Step 5 BASTING, SEAMS AND SLASHES

before fitting for shoulder line and un­derarm seams be sure to stay stitch the neckline, shoulder and the waistline of the skirt just inside the seam allowance.

All darts, tucks, pleats, bound buttonholes and pockets have been stitched and pressed.

Pin shoulder line seams together right side out, then underarm seams. Try on blouse with shoulder pads, if required. Pin front or back opening closed. Then adjust shoulder and underarm seams, if necessary.

Garment is fitted with right sides out and with seam edges extended.

Turn under seam allowance at top of skirt and pin to blouse matching center front and back basting lines, underarm seams and other mark­ings. Pin-fit side seams. Do not over-fit at under­arm or hipline. Raise arms over head and bring arms forward to test for ease of movement.

Remove pins. at waistline and at opening on the right side of garment. Re-pin at fitting line. Then remove garment.

FITTING

To mark fitting line, open seam allowance and chalk along pins.

Remove pins, turn garment to the wrong side, pin on chalked marks and baste. Try on basted garment to test fitting before machine stitching and pressing of seams.

To mark fitting line open seam allowance and chalk along pins.
Remove pins. Turn garment to wrong side and pin on chalked marks. Baste.

Press under one seam edge and pin it over the other seam edge on the stitching line. Match   carefully   each   stripe   or   plaid.

Slip-Basting

Stripes, prints or plaids can be matched per­fectly if the seams are first slip-basted from the right side, Press under one seam edge and pin it over the other seam edge on stitching line care­fully matching each stripe or plaid.

Slip-baste by inserting needle from wrong side up through the folded edge. Direct needle down through single thickness at edge of fold to form a short stitch across fold. Bring the needle up through very edge of fold. A longer stitch appears on one side of the seam and a shorter on the other. The length of the long stitch may vary with the shape of the joining, the pattern of the plaid or stripe, and the texture of fabric; but is usually ⅛" to ⅜" in length.

Remove pins and stitch from the wrong side following the shorter basting stitch.
When joining stripes, slip-baste seams before stitching.
When joining -plaids, slip baste seams before stitching

View showing method of slip basting.

Fold seam allowance under. Fin, haste, blend and press along outside curve.

Stay stitching

Stay stitch just out side the seam line

Decorative Curved Seams

Curved or shaped seams are often used to form interesting details in the design of a garment. These seams are usually stitched from the inside and should be prepared and slip-basted from the right side. A line of stitching is used to con­trol the shape of the curve, Stay stitch just out­side the seam lines of the two sections. Turn the seam allowance of the outside curve under by pin­ning and basting. Blend and press. Place outer curve over inside curve matching notches and seam lines. Pin and baste in place then slip-baste.

Remove basting stitches except the slip-basting. Clip seam allowance of inside curve to stay stitch­ing. Then machine stitch, following line of slip-basting. Seam may be pressed open, or pressed in one direction depending on finish desired.

Fin and baste sections together; then slip-baste.
Inside detail of finished seam.

Press open seams to be joined. Use fine needle to hold the two seams evenly. Stitch. Blend corners of seams at crossing.

Joining Seams

Seams that cross should match per­fectly, forming four square corners. In dress construction these joining are necessary at the shoulder line, underarm and waistline. The seams to be joined should be finished and pressed open.

When crossing seams match stitched lines accurately. Use a long fine needle to hold the two joining seams evenly at the crossing while stitching. Blend cor­ners of seams at crossing. The seam may be pressed open or together depending upon pattern instruction and use.

Right side of joining seams correctly matched.

The seam edges are blended unevenly. The facing edge is always narrower than the garment edge.

Curved Seam (Inside)

To provide strength and elasticity the stitch length for shaped seams should be shorter than for straight seams—15 to 18 stitches to the inch, depending on the weight of the fabric. These seams also require extra treatment in handling and shaping. Seams must be blended and slashed to release edges and prevent pulling. The inside curve gives shaping to necklines, cuffs, or yokes.

Press seam as stitched; then trim seam to ¼". Trim facing seam edge to ⅛". Clip seam allow­ance about every ½". Press seam edges toward facing. To stay the seam and facing, stitch facing to the seam about 1/16" from the seam fold.

Fitting seams that curve inwardly, as in a built-up neckline, princess line seam at waistline, side seams in fitted overblouse or jacket, should be pressed as stitched. The inside curved section of the seam edges should be slashed just enough to relieve strain when seam is pressed open. Press seam open over the curved end of sleeve board or press mitt. If the fabric frays easily, reinforce seam edges with machine stitching at ends of slashes.

To release the edges and prevent pull­ing when facing its turned to wrong side, slash seam allowance about every l/2".

To prevent facing from rolling to right side, stitch facing to seam.

Outer Curve

Outside curved seams are stitched and blended the same as an inside curve. However, instead of slashing, cut a sufficient number of small wedges along seam edge to remove bulk when seam is turned to the inside. The seam should be smooth so after pressing there will be no marking on the right side. Press seam open over the curved edge of a sleeve board or over your fingers before turn­ing. Refer to page 66 for Interfacing a Collar. These curved seams are found in round collars, lined pockets and cuffs.

Fitting seams that curve outwardly are used at the hipline, drop shoulder seam line and bust-line. Cut small wedges at curved portion of seam. Press seam as stitched. Then press open over a curved surface.

When a slight outer curve is joined to a slight inner curve in a fitting seam, it may be necessary to slash the inner curve and cut out small wedges from outer curve to remove fullness so that seam can be pressed smoothly.

Blend seams trimming facing edge nar­rower than section of garment it faces. Cut notches along edge of seam to remove bulk.

To cut notches or wedges lift fabric, fold edges together and snip out.
Edges of fitting seam slashed and notched for smoothness.

Staying a Slash

When it is necessary to slash to a point one section of a garment before joining it to another section, the point should be reinforced before cutting. This is particu­larly important when setting in an un­derarm gusset. The points may be rein­forced with the same fabric. If the fabric is very heavy, use a lightweight fabric of the same color or use ribbon seam binding. Cut a piece of fabric about 2" wide and 2½" long. Pin patch over slash on the right side extending edge of patch ½" above point. Stitch on the wrong side fol­lowing seam line to the point. Pivot gar­ment on the needle and take one stitch across the point. Then turn and stitch the opposite side. Press as stitched. Slash to the point and turn patch to wrong side. Turn evenly on stitching line and press.

When using ribbon seam binding place binding on stitching line; stitch to point.

Slash reinforced with patch of self-fabric.
Stitch patch to garment on wrong side. Press. Slash to point.

Slash reinforced with ribbon seam binding.
Turn patch and seam allowance to wrong side and press.

Stay square corners with self-fabric or seam ribbon,

Pivot garment on needle; fold over bind­ing placing edge on opposite side of slash. Take one stitch across point catching edge of binding. Turn garment and continue stitching.

To set in gusset, pin it in place, right sides together, matching markings at point and stitching line. Stitch from A to B. With needle in fabric lift presser bar and pivot garment. Lower presser bar and stitch to C. Pin opposite point of gusset to joining section of garment and stitch as from A to B and from B to C.

Use a piece of the same fabric about 1¼" square or a 1" length of ribbon seam binding to reinforce a corner turn. These seam width slashes are made when facing a square neckline, when one corner is joined to another and, at the shoulder line, when a collar is a continuation of the blouse front.

Pin gusset to slash matching markings.

Following markings for seam allowance, stitch gusset in place on wrong side of garment. Illustration shows garment cut away to show the position of the gusset for stitching.

Faced Opening

To reinforce a slash in a neckline or sleeve opening that is to be faced, fold a small piece (about ¾") of seam binding lengthwise and stitch the selvage edges to the facing at the point of the slash. The facings are cut the same shape as the neckline, or the part of the garment they face, and are generally cut on the same grain of the fabric.

Stitch facing to the opening taking one stitch across the point. Press as stitched. Then slash opening to the point. Turn facing to the wrong side easing line of stitching slightly to underside. Press.

To reinforce point of slash, stitch folded-length   of   seam   binding   to   facing.Stitch facing to opening with right sides together, Press. Slash to point.

Turn facing to wrong side. Press.
Right side view of finished faced opening.

French Seam

A seam within a seam is used on sheer fabrics, lingerie and children's clothes. It is a strong, smooth seam giving a neat in­side finish to a garment. The finished seam is about y±" wide, or less, on sheer fabrics.

Make a plain seam on the right side of the garment after placing wrong sides of fabric together. The distance you sew from the seam line determines the width of the finished seam. Press seam as stitched. Then trim seam to ⅛". Turn fabric to bring right sides together. Fold on stitched line and press. Stitch on seam line. Press.

For neatness and accuracy an edge-stitcher attachment may be used.
Stitch a plain seam from the right side of garment. Trim edge of seam to approximately ½". Press, Turn right sides in and fold on stitched line. Press. Then stitch on seam line.

First, stitch cording to one side of seam.

Place   corded  edge  over  pining edge of seam, right sides together.
Enclose cord in bias strip and stitch close to cord using adjust­able cording foot.

Corded Seams

This is a dainty, smart finish at the neckline, sleeve edges, waistline, etc. found on blouses, lingerie and children's dresses.

To make cording cut a bias strip 1½" wide for a #9 cable cord. Enclose cord in fold on bias strip. Stitch close to cord but do not crowd. Using an ad­justable zipper cording foot stretch the bias strip slightly as you stitch. Stitch cording to one side of seam. Then place the matching seam edge under the corded edge. Pin or baste together. Crowd foot against cord and stitch between the cord and the previous row of stitching.

Curved seams are corded as easily as straight seams. Pin cording in place stretching the seam allowance around the outside curve and easing the cord. On in­side curves the cord should be stretched, and the seam allowance eased slightly.

For all seams stitch cord to one edge first; then stitch to the joining edge.

Mitered Corners

Turn width of hem evenly to right side, both lengthwise and crosswise, matching edges diag­onally from the corner. Press so a diagonal line is formed from edges to corner. Stitch on creased line from seam width taking 2 or 3 back stitches at cor­ner. Pull threads to one side at starting point and tie. Trim away surplus fabrics to ¼" of stitching line and press open. Turn seam allowance along edge of hem and press. Turn hem to wrong side. Press and pin. Finish hem by hand or machine stitch.

Turn back width of hem to right side. Press. Stitch diagonally   from   seam   allowance   to   corner.

Press seam open. Turn back seam allowance. Press.
Turn hem to wrong side. Either machine stitch hem in place or hem by hand.

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