How To Sew An Open Seam: 5 Step Sewing Tutorial
This quick and easy sewing tutorial will show beginners how to sew an open seam in just five steps. I recommend reading through the entire open seams post first to familiarize yourself with the steps, and then following along with me as I sew.
What Is The Difference Between A Seam And A Stitch?
A stitch is made by threading one or more threads through a needle, and a seam is made by stitching two or more pieces of fabric together.
How Do You Make A Seam?
Sewing a seam is the process of joining two pieces of fabric together, and you can do it by hand or with a sewing machine. Your seams can be straight or curved, and you can make them in a variety of ways, from angles to slits.
How Much Is Seam Allowance?
We’ll use a standard seam allowance of 1cm for this open seam sewing tutorial, whereas most commercial sewing patterns recommend 1.5cm or 5/8 inch for seam allowances.
What Are The Types Of Seams
We’ll go over the five steps to sewing an open seam (also known as a plain seam) in this post, as well as other simple sewing tutorials for the other seam types. The most commonly used seam types are:.
Open Seam vs Plain Seam: What is the Difference?
Plain seam is a simple seam that has been stitched and pushed to one side; this is the term most commonly used for seams that have been ‘pressed open’ – not ‘opened.’
What Is An Open Seam Used For?
Open seams typically require some sort of seam finishing to keep them from unraveling, but they can also be made by hand with machine-washable fabric.
What Is A Plain Seam Used For?
The plain seam is used to attach facings to waistbands and necklines so that the seam can be ‘under stitched,’ as well as to attach collars to collar stands or necklines and sleeves to armholes when not pressed open.
What Is Seam Finishing?
Seam finishing is the term used to describe how the edge of the seam allowance is ‘finished’ or tidied up; I’ll go over seam finishings in more detail in a later post, but for now, just know that seam finishes refer to the edges of your seam allowances.
What Is A Serged Seam?
A serger seam is a plain seam, not an open seam, that is created by’serging’ two pieces of fabric together in one step, with the serger or overlocker ‘wrapping’ the fabric’s edge in stitches, resulting in a serged plain seam.
How Does An Open Seam Work?
When sewing heavier weight fabrics, having two ‘pieces’ of seam allowance and self-fabric all in one area can cause a lot of bulk.
What Do I Need To Sew An Open Seam?
If you’re going to sew open seams, you’ll need the following basic sewing tools:. Sewing machine/sewing needle. FabricPinsThreadSeam gauge (optional). Check out this sewing tools list for beginners for a recommended list of basic sewing tools.
How To Sew An Open Seam In Five Steps
Here’s a quick rundown of how to open a seam, as well as photos and step-by-step instructions for using a steam iron to’set the stitches.’
Step 1: Finishing Raw Edges For An Open Seam
How do you finish the raw edges of your fabric? This is a great place to start for beginners who want to finish their seams and avoid fraying in the future.
Step 2: Place Right Sides Of Fabric Together
If you’re a beginner sewer, choosing a plain cotton with a print will help because you’ll be able to see the difference more easily; as you gain experience sewing, you’ll be able to’see’ the difference more readily on plain fabrics; for now, place the right sides of the two pieces of fabric together.
Step 3: Sew Your Stitchline With Chosen Seam Allowance
Don’t worry if your sewing is wonky – it’s just a straight line practice! I usually sew with few pins and rely on the sewing plate guidelines.
Step 5: Pressing The Seams Open
Finally, press those seam allowances on your new seam ‘open.’ I like to ‘finger press’ the seam open to make sure the seam allowances are where they should be. Pressing seams is an important part of sewing because it ensures that your sewing looks professional.
Open Seams: Conclusion
What are your thoughts on sewing an open seam? Give it a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below. Eve tokens (aka The Creative Curator) is a fashion designer, creative pattern cutter, and sewing pattern designer who holds a 2:1 in Fashion Design from the University of The Creative Arts.
What is an open seam?
Seams can be open or closed, with an open seam showing the seam allowance (the piece of fabric between the edge of the material and the stitches), whereas a closed seam hides the seam allowance within the seam finish.
Can you stitch in the ditch with open seams?
To explain, many quilters believe that by pressing seams open and stitching right in the ditch, the needle will come down in the wrong place and cut the threads that hold your pieces together, causing holes in the seam and allowing batting to leak through, ruining the entire project.
Should I press seams open when quilting?
Many quilters press seams open all the time, with good results. Press open when a lot of seams come together in one spot, creating too much bulk. Quilting, especially hand quilting, is easier when seam allowances are not doubled up.
Where are open seams used?
Beginners and experts alike use the open seam for coats, trousers, skirts, purses, and any other project that requires a heavy fabric. The folds of each fabric are separated and then sewn together, resulting in a seam that isn’t twice as thick.
What is a stitch in a ditch?
Stitch in the ditch is a type of machine quilting that simply follows the quilt top’s seam lines, but all those layers of fabric and batting can really slow things down. Click HERE to learn how to stitch in the ditch with your walking foot!
Can you stitch in the ditch by hand?
Can you stitch in the ditch by hand? Yes, and stitching slowly by hand will allow you to place your stitches more precisely. The stitch is meant to be tucked just between the two fabrics along the seam, and stitching slowly by hand will allow you to place your stitches more precisely.
Can you stitch in the ditch without a walking foot?
Yes, you can sew a ditch without using the walking foot if the top and lower layer speeds aren’t an issue. The choice you make will depend on how you want your seam to look in the end. You can sew a ditch without using the walking foot if the top and lower layer speeds aren’t an issue.
What is the best stitch length for machine quilting?
Set your machine’s stitch length to 2.5 to 3.0, or about 8-12 stitches per inch, for straight stitching; this range works well for the majority of machine quilting, but there are always exceptions when making a rule; use a longer stitch length for threads with sparkle or shine.
Which way do you press seams?
Open up the darker fabric piece and press along the seam line, or press from the wrong side and gently press the seams open along the seam line if you prefer.
What is a clean finish seam?
We say: “Choices for finishing the raw edge of seam allowances, which we refer to as clean finishing, include pinking shears, a zig zag stitch, serger, or Hong Kong binding.” It refers to any place where there is a raw edge that needs to be finished, such as a waistband, facing, seam, or hem area.
What are closed seams used for?
Closed seams differ from open seams in that the seam allowance is on the same side of the fabric, and you don’t need to separate the two sides but rather place them together. This technique is typically used for sewing light fabrics on clothing such as shirts, blouses, and lingerie.