Sewing a Topstitch Seam

Decorative stitches don't do much for the structure of your garment or item, but they do look pretty. The topstitch seam does help a bit, but only by holding the seam allowances in place. It isn't strong enough to be a seam all on its own, so you'll have to start with a plain seam. It is stronger than the hand pick seam, but it won't give much support or structure to your project.


Start with the aforementioned plain seam. Press both seam allowances to one side. Don't bother with trimming them. It's unnecessary for this decorative stitch. Make sure your seam allowances are flat and that the seam itself is well pressed. The seam will look better for it.


Begin stitching on the right side of the fabric. Stitch ¼" to ½" from the seam, making sure to catch the seam allowances while you stitch. Don't miss the seam allowances. Go slowly if you need to or even stitch a little closer to the seam if you must. The whole point is to secure the seam allowances.


This seam is quick and gives a little something extra to your projects.

Sewing a Hand Pick Seam

Sometimes, you're looking for a decorative seam to punch things up a bit. The hand pick seam can be used to hold your seam allowances in place while at the same time giving a unique look took a project. It's not difficult to do, but it does take a little time. You are hand stitching a bit, after all.

Start with a plain seam. This is where most decorative seams start. Press the seam allowances all to one side, making sure they lie flat and there are no unexpected creases that might cause you to miss a stitch. After securing your thread to the wrong side of your fabric, hand stitch a series of small backstitches down the edge of the seam allowance on the right side of the fabric, making sure to catch the seam allowance in your stitches.


You can space the stitches from ¼" to ½" apart. If you want a more uniform look, pin a piece of graph paper to the right side of your fabric to create a guide for yourself. If you want a more random look, forget the graph paper and space the stitches as you like.


This stitch doesn't provide much structural support to your projects, but it's not meant to. Decorative stitches are just what they sound like. They're just for looks. A fun way to put your stamp on your projects. You can make the stitches large or small, spaced evenly or not. It's entirely up to you.

My Most Random Sewing Tips

Most people who sew a lot have several random tips floating around their brains. I'm no exception. Some of these are time savers, some are just little things that make my projects just a little easier. Some of these may work for you.


Fabric Weights...Or Not
Have you ever needed fabric weights and just can't find any? Resorted to using a couple apples and a can of soup? Been there, and not every fabric store carries fabric weights. Some cities don't even have a decent fabric store to shop at. But most cities and even towns have a party store. So head down and check out the balloons. Every party store I've ever been in carries balloon weights. They're small and heavy, and can easily double as fabric weights. Great for holding patterns in place when you just don't want to pin them, or when pinning them isn't recommended for the fabric you're using.


Souvenir Shopping
Have you ever returned from a trip to find your suitcase overflowing with souvenirs? Most of us have. Souvenirs are fun. Right until we get home and realize we have 11 new knickknacks that we don't have any space for. But we all want a souvenir from our travels. So instead of more traditional souvenirs, pick up some local fabric or trim. You can then turn this fabric into something to remember your trip by. You'll save space in your suitcase and end up with something useful that you made yourself. Try making throw pillows, making a fabric collage, or even quilting.


Hate Clipping Curves?
I don' know about you, but I hate carefully clipping curves. Cut too far and you've ruined it. Don't cut far enough and you have to cut again. All to make curves look just right. Forget it. I don't clip, not anymore. Instead, I use my pinking shears. Trim the seam allowance close to the seam and you've both trimmed the seam allowance and clipped the curve at the same time. Two steps in one, and it saves you the aggravation of clipped the curve.


Easy Stitch Ripping
No matter now perfect we strive to be, we all make mistakes. Ripping out seams and stitches is a part of sewing. It can't really be avoided, but we can make it a little quicker. Instead of sitting on the couch, ripping stitches one by one, save yourself a little time. Use your sewing machine to hold the seam in place. Put the lower seam allowance under the pressure foot and lower the needle, being sure you're only catching the lower seam allowance. Use one hand to hold the upper seam allowance while you take a stitch ripper or sharp razor blade to the threads. With a little practice, you'll be ripping seams in no time.


Keep It Clean
I don't know about you, but I hate cleaning up all those little thread clippings. Even if you try to keep them in a pile, they end up everywhere. For a quick and easy clean up, make a loop out of a piece of masking tape, sticky side out. Stick this loop onto the side of the sewing machine. Make sure it's out of the way but still easily accessible. Place all thread clippings here as they come. This way all you have to do is toss the masking tape. Easy!


I have other tips, of course. But these are some of the most helpful. Give them a try.

Sewing a Double-Stitch Seam

Some fabrics, such as knits, just seem to hate being stitched at all. They almost actively resist being forced into a seam. For these kind of fabrics, sometimes you have to break out the big guns. Sometimes you have to double-stitch a seam.

This is actually quite simple, though a little annoying. Start with a plain seam, but do not press it open. Instead, stitch another row about 1/4" from the raw edge of the seam allowance. You now have two lines of stitching.

To finish off your seam, you actually have a few options. You could just leave it. I don't, but you can. You could trim the remaining seam allowance to about 1/16" from the second row of stitching. You may use pinking shears for this, as I do, it just cut it straight. Your final option is to add a line of zigzag stitching after the second row of straight stitching. All if these will work for your double-stitch seam.

This is a common seam for heavy weight fabrics and knits, but it's not recommended for lightweight fabrics.