SHORT CUTS WITH LONG SEAMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22503, 22 February 1935, Page 14

SHORT CUTS WITH LONG SEAMS

When making seams and time is of importance, instead of tacking them together, clip them together at intervals with wire paper clips. This saves time and tacking cotton (says an exchange). When tacking a long seam, do not break off a length of cotton, but thread the needle on to the reel and pull through, as you sew the cotton required. When the* tacking is finished, fasten the cotton off at the needle end and break off and knot at the reel end. When sewing the scams of a skirt, keep the selvedge side to the needle. This prevents the cross side getting stretched in the sewing. Faggoting seams is much more satisfactory than the old way of stitching the material closely together, especially :f the material is inclined to be "bundly" and bulky. Children's garments particularly should be made this way, as ordinary seams in little garments are apt to be clumsy and uncomfortable unless very neatly made and wll pressed afterwards. If yo 1 have tried your hand at French seams without much success, try this new method, if your material is suitable. '

The French seam, that is stitched first on the right side and then on the wrong, is much used in some materials for dresses, etc. The first line of stitching should be as near the raw edges as possible, otherwise the completed seam will be wider than it should be for neatness. Moreover, on a curve, a French seam drags most obviously unless it is very narrow. Where both edges of the material are formed by a selvedge the latter may

often be retained and the scum made by neat oversewing. This is particularly 111 a case with lohgcloth, muslins, cambrics, etc. Retain these useful hints in your memory, for they will save you endless time on the next frock you make for yourself.