This is also a good time to plug in your iron, so that it’s already heated up when you need it.
Be sure to pin all the way down the seam you are sewing. This will help to make sure your fabric doesn’t slip out of line. It’s a good idea to put pins in so they are perpendicular to your seam line, this way they won’t stick you as you move the fabric along in the sewing machine and they will be easy to grab as you move your fabric in the sewing machine.
The seam allowance is the amount of fabric that is between the edge of the fabric and the seam. Patterns usually give a specific amount of seam allowance to use, so that your finished project doesn’t turn out too bit or too small. [4] X Research source Remember that the french seam will basically require about double the allowance you use on this first seam, so make sure when you are cutting out your pieces of fabric that you have figured that into your measurements. Feel free to increase the seam allowance on this first seam to 3/8 inch, if you are more comfortable sewing that width, but keep in mind that you will need to increase your overall seam allowance to accommodate this. It’s best to remove pins right before you are about to sew over them. This will keep the fabric in place but will avoid the risk of hitting one with your sewing machine needle, which could easily break the needle. Remember to clip any threads and remove any remaining pins after sewing.
Be sure to use very sharp scissors for this. [5] X Expert Source Kpoene Kofi-BruceCouture Bridal Designer Expert Interview. 28 January 2021. While it would be great if you could just sew a 1/8 inch seam, and therefore not waste any fabric, most sewing machines need more than 1/8 inch of fabric for the machine’s feed dogs, the pieces of rough metal under the presser foot, to grab onto and pull along.
Make sure your iron is set to the correct temperature for the fabric you are using. If it is set to high you will risk singeing the fabric.
If your seam allowance is too small on the second seam, the rough edges of the fabric could end up sticking out of the second seam on the finished side of your project. Its better to be cautious and make your seam allowance a bit generous.
