French Seam Tutorial - 3/8'' Seam Allowance - On Scrap of Fabric
Tutorial will demonstrate french seam on a fabric with a print in order to help reader identify "wrong" and "right" sides of fabric.
Place your pattern pieces wrong sides together.
Pin along edges matching end points and notches.
Stitch 1/8 Inch from seam allowance making sure to back tack at beginning and end. Trim any fray strands, or trim down seam allowance if you noticeably strayed larger than 1/8 Inch.
Press seam flat, then open seam, press seam to one side.
Turn over and press seam from back to make sure there are not any creases.
Fold creasing seam to edge of fold.
Press seam to edge by finger pressing.
Then press flat with iron.
Pin if needed.
Stitch 1/4 seam allowance, make sure to back tack at beginning and end.
Upclose picture of french seam:
Press flat with iron to remove any puckers or seam bending.
Open seam, press seam to one side.
Flip over press seam open, and observe if any frays or fabric pieces are sticking out. If minor forgive yourself and trim down as best as possible. If excessive, still forgive yourself, but you may want to consider seam ripping and trying the second seam again.
There you have it, a french seam.
French Seam Tutorial 1/2'' Seam Allowance - Simple Box Top
The practice of sewing a french seam on simple box top is fundamentally the same when applied to the Simple Box Top Pattern. The seam allowance of the box top is 1/2'' in order to make the pattern more beginner friendly. This means you will do a 1/4'' seam allowance, trim the seam allowance down to 1/8'', then do another 1/4'' seam allowance to enclose first seam. French seams will be done on center back seam, shoulder seams, and side seams of simple box top.
Center Back Seam: Remove paper pattern from bodice back, immediately pin center back together as it was just cut and seams will line up very well. Always pin at end points first, then center (or notches), then pin as needed.
Sew 1/4'' seam allowance removing pins as you go. Back tack at beginning and end.
Trim down 1/4'' seam allowance down to 1/8'' seam allowance (this step done on different garment sorry for any confusion):
Press seam flat (note the stay stitches on neckline, I sneak this in about at this step before fabric is manipulated too much).
Open bodice back and press seam to one side.
Flip bodice back and press seam flat removing any creases.
Fold bodice back in half, finger press seam to edge.
Press flat on iron.
If needed, mark 1/4 inch stitch line with frixion pen.
Pin as needed.
Tip: For this stitch using a zipper foot can help glide along first seam if you are having a hard time.
Stitch 1/4'' seam allowance, back tack at beginning and end. Take your time.
French Seam may be a bet puckered, iron flat first, then press open.
Center back french seam complete:
Shoulder Seams and Side Seams:
Now it is time to do French Seams on shoulder seams and side seams. Place bodice front and bodice back wrong sides together.
Note wrong sides together is harder to identify with a fabric lacking a face/print. When pinning shoulder seams/side seams together in preparation for French Seams, you will orient the center back French Seam as picture below (opposite for those doing a serged edge):
Pin shoulder seams and side seams. Match notches, and end points first:
Stitch 1/4 inch seam allowance, press flat with iron, trim down to 1/8 inch seam allowance.
Turn inside out, finger press shoulder seams then press flat with iron, than press seam to edge:
Finger Press side seams, then press with iron, press seam to edge:
Stitch 1/4'' seam allowance, press flat, then press open with iron.
There you have it! The Simple Box Top with French Seams.