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
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.
Double-Stitched
Seam
Choosing Seams & Finishes
French Seams
This 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
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.
Turned Under and
Stitched 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-theditch 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.
ANSWERS
Matching the Picture
1.
2.
3.
4.
French Seam
Hong Kong Seam
Turned Under and Stitched Seam
Double Stitch Seam
Definitions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Double Stitch Seam
French Seam
Hong Kong Seam
Turned Under and Stitched Seam
Score Card
Matching the Definition
Matching the Picture
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.