Flat-Felled Seams.
Margarets version of her Winter Cape – New York by Tessuti.
Margaret proudly wearing her cape.
Margarets interpretation of her cape included :
1. Flat-felled seams for added strength.
2. Self fabric fringing around edge of garment and pockets.
3. Addition of front pockets.
4. Snap side fastenings.
4. Toggle front fastening instead of buttons.
Flat Felled Seams.
As the wool Margaret chose was a very open weave a regular seam would not have been strong enough. Any strain when wearing the garment would have made the seam split due to the fabric weave. So she flat-felled her seams and also felled her fringe edging around the cape (that she made herself.)
Method:
Stitch your regular seam allowance and then trim.
You can stitch your regular seam allowance ( ie 15mm) and then trim one side away. The side you trim will then be covered by the opposing seam when it is pressed flat and then fell seamed.
If fit is not an issue just offset the seams as Margaret did in her construction.
Or if fit is not an issue you can just offset the edges of the seam by the amount you would normally cut off. The side you offset will then be covered by the opposing seam when it is pressed flat and then fell seamed. So if you are going to press your seams towards the back make sure you cut the correct edge.
Flip over your seam to the your desired side to ascertain which side you need to either cut away of offset.
Press cut edge over.
Press over your uncut adge by approx 4-6 mm but that depands on what your finished seam allowance is. If you are constructing with a wide seam allowance ( ie 20mm and upwards you may like to press under more. I sometimes use a wide seam allowance in construction as a wider vertical seam better supports the garment .
Press seam flat with edge tucked under.
After you have press the small folded edge over, then flat press the entire seam allowance flat.
Pin in place and edge stitch folded edge.
Pin your pressed seam allowance, and then top stitch the tucked edge of the seam , approx 2-3 mm from the edge. Ensure that the width of the felled seam is even along the entire seam as you are following edge when stitching. If the width of turned seam is uneven it will be glaringly obvious on the other side of the seam.
Finished seam on stitched side.
This photo show the finished seam on the top-stitched side.
On underside of seam you will only see top-stitched line.
This photo shows the other side of the seam. It is up to you what “look” you use as the finished seam side. You just have to keep in mind that depending on what you want you will either have to pin the wrong sides of the cloth together for the “double” stitched seam – or pin the right sides of the cloth together for the “single” stitched seam. On mens shirts you will only ever see a “single” stitched seam at the side seams/armhole seams etc. That applies also the the inner leg of jeans seams.
There is really no hard and fast rule – sometimes the “double” stitching looks great on the correct side of your garment.
Margaret tracing off her Winter Cape – New York by Tessuti
Felled fringe edging. You can also see Margarets felled centre back seam.
The above photo shows that Margaret has split her CD seam open, and felled each single edge.
Close-up of Felled Fringe edging.
Also she has pinned her self fringing to the correct side of the cape edge, flipped it over to the wrong side, and then felled ( turned ) the edge under to then be top-stitched. This allows strength and stops any fraying of the fabric.
Margaret also added patch pockets to outside of the garment, and used the self-fringe to the top of the pocket.
Large side snaps were used at underarm points instead of buttons.
Toggles ( purchased at Spotlight ) were used on front of garment instead of buttons. Where possible you should always use an odd number of fastenings ( buttons etc ).
More details of Margarets New York Cape.
Front of finished cape.
Back of finished cape.
Margaret wearing her cape.
I hope that you have learnt something new .
Cheerio and Good luck to you all.
Ann from Designer Stitch School of Fashion and Design.