Picking The Perfect Fabric

Joy Jordan, Extension 4-H Youth Department Specialist and Tiffany Browning, 4-H Project Coordinator, Department of Family Youth & Community Sciences

Picking the Perfect Fabric

• Fabric should be suitable to your skill level.• Beginning sewers should use a small print

fabric because there is no matching required.• Pay attention to the to what type of

fabric the pattern requires. You don’t want to make a sundress out of velvet.

Fabric Preparation• Pre-wash the fabric!! This prevents the

garment from shrinking and not fitting after you have constructed it.

• Iron the wrinkles out of the fabric to make it easier to sew.

Choosing Seams & Finishes

• Choosing the right seam and finish for the garment is important.

• Different seams are created for different types of fabrics and garments.

• Which seam should you use? Look at the next few slides and see!

Choosing Seams & Finishes

Double-Stitched Seam

This seam is used to add durability in stress areas. To stitch this seam, you first make a plain stitch

and then add a second row of stitching.

Choosing Seams & Finishes

French SeamsThis stitch is used on

sheer fabrics. It is a seam within a seam. First

stitch the wrong sides together and turn and press. Then place the

right sides together and stitch again.

Choosing Seams & Finishes

Turned Under and Stitched Seam

This seam is used on light to medium weight fabrics

(especially good for jackets). Turn 1/8 inch

machine stitch close to the edge. Work from the top

side of the seam.

Choosing Seams & Finishes

Hong Kong Seam

This seam is used to enclose seams, but is less bulky than bias tape. Place right side of

binding on right side of seam. Stitch at 1/8 inch from the edge. Turn binding over edge to inside. Stitch-in-the-

ditch on the top side.

Mix N Match• On the next slide, you will see the four

types of seams we discussed today.

???

• Write on your scorecard the name of each of the seams.

• Then you will see four definitions. For each of the scenarios tell which definition is correct.

What Type of Seam is It?

1. 2.

3. 4.

Definition #1

This seam is used for added durability in stress areas. It consists of a normal seam then another seam 1/8 inch from the first stitching.

Definition #2

This seam is used on see through fabrics. It is a seam within a seam. It has a seam sewn

together with the wrong sides together and then after it is pressed, another seam is sewn

with the right sides together.

Definition #3

This seam is used to enclose other seams without the bulk of double fold bias tape. A very light weight fabric is placed on the right side of the binding to right side of the seam.

The stitch is 1/8 inch from the edge, then turned over and stitched again in the ditch.

Definition #4

This seam is used on light to medium weight fabrics. However, this can not be used if

there are extremely curved seams. The edges of a ¾ stitch are turned 1/8 inch, then stitched

close to the edge. This is a great finish for unlined jackets.

A N S W E R S

Matching the Picture

1. French Seam

2. Hong Kong Seam

3. Turned Under and Stitched Seam

4. Double Stitch Seam

Definitions

1. Double Stitch Seam

2. French Seam

3. Hong Kong Seam

4. Turned Under and Stitched Seam

Score Card

Matching the Picture

1.

2.

3.

4.

Matching the Definition

1.

2.

3.

4.