If you’ve ever been frustrated by bulky seams or facings that just don’t lie flat, understitching might become your new favorite technique. I love how this simple step can transform the look of a garment, giving it a polished and professional finish without much extra effort.
Understitching facings not only hides raw edges but also keeps the facing in place, preventing it from rolling to the outside. Whether you’re a seasoned sewist or just starting out, mastering understitching can elevate your sewing projects. Let me guide you through the process to achieve that clean and crisp finish you’ve been aiming for.
Understanding Facings
Facings play a crucial role in garment construction, providing structure and a polished look. By integrating facings correctly, I ensure that my sewing projects maintain their shape and finish neatly.
What Are Facings?
Facings are fabric pieces applied to the edges of a garment’s neckline, armholes, or front openings. They reinforce these areas and provide a clean interior finish. Typically made from the same or complementary fabric, facings are sewn into the garment’s edges and then pressed to lie flat against the inside. This technique eliminates the bulk that raw seams can create and enhances the garment’s overall appearance.
Benefits of Understitching Facings
- Prevents Rolling: By sewing the facing fabric to the garment’s seam allowance, I stop the seam from rolling outward, ensuring a smooth finish.
- Hides Seams: Understitching keeps seam lines concealed on the interior, creating a professional look without visible stitching.
- Maintains Shape: Facings reinforced with understitching help garments retain their designed shape, especially around collars and armholes.
- Enhances Durability: Securely attached facings reduce strain on seams, increasing the longevity of the garment.
- Streamlines Finishing: Understitching simplifies the finishing process, making it easier to achieve a crisp and clean interior finish.
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Prevents Rolling | Stops seam from rolling outward. |
| Hides Seams | Conceals seam lines for a cleaner interior. |
| Maintains Shape | Helps retain the garment’s designed structure. |
| Enhances Durability | Reduces strain on seams, increasing longevity. |
| Streamlines Finishing | Simplifies achieving a crisp and clean finish. |
Preparing Your Fabric
Getting your fabric ready is essential for flawless understitching. Proper preparation ensures your facings align perfectly and maintain their shape.
Selecting the Right Fabric
Choosing the appropriate fabric impacts the durability and appearance of your facings. Consider these factors:
- Weight: Opt for fabrics that match the garment’s weight to ensure consistency. Lightweight cotton or linen works well for blouses, while medium-weight fabrics suit jackets.
- Stability: Select fabrics with good structure to prevent stretching. Interfacing can add extra support if needed.
- Color and Pattern: Ensure the facing fabric complements or matches the garment. Solid colors hide raw edges better, especially when understitching.
- Fiber Content: Natural fibers like cotton and silk blend seamlessly with most fabrics, while synthetic fibers offer durability.
Prepping and Cutting
Properly preparing and cutting your fabric sets the foundation for successful understitching. Follow these steps:
- Wash and Dry: Prewash your fabric to prevent shrinkage after sewing. Use the recommended settings for your fabric type.
- Press Fabric: Iron your fabric to remove wrinkles, ensuring accurate cutting and sewing. A pressed fabric lays flat and makes handling easier.
- Measure Accurately: Use a clear ruler or measuring tape to cut precise facing pieces. Accurate measurements prevent mismatched edges.
- Cut with Care: Use sharp scissors or a rotary cutter for clean edges. Cutting on a flat surface minimizes fabric distortion.
- Mark Fabric: Label your facings with fabric chalk or markers. Clear markings guide you during the sewing process and maintain consistency.
By selecting the right fabric and meticulously prepping and cutting, you set the stage for a clean and professional understitched finish.
Tools and Materials Needed
- Sewing machine: Essential for precise understitching; ensure it has a straight stitch function.
- Thread: Choose polyester or cotton thread matching your fabric; typically 40-weight works best.
- Needles: Use universal or sharp needles size 80/12 or 90/14 for different fabric types.
- Pins or clips: Secure facings in place; opt for sharp pins or sturdy clips for easy handling.
- Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors for cutting threads and trimming excess materials.
- Seam ripper: Useful for correcting mistakes without damaging the fabric.
- Iron and ironing board: Press facings before and during assembly; a steam iron ensures crisp edges.
- Measuring tape: Accurate measurements prevent errors; a flexible tape measures both length and width.
- Marking tools: Use fabric chalk or markers to trace lines precisely; removable markers keep fabric clean.
- Stabilizer or interfacing: Adds structure to facings; choose based on fabric weight and project requirements.
Step-by-Step Understitching Process
Understitching facings ensures your garment maintains a neat and professional appearance. Here’s how I approach each step to achieve a flawless finish.
Attaching the Facing
- Pin the Facing: Align the facing with the garment’s edge, matching the raw edges. Use small, evenly spaced pins to secure the facing in place.
- Baste the Facing: Sew temporary basting stitches about 1/4 inch from the raw edge. This holds the facing firmly while I work on understitching.
- Press the Facing: Use an iron to press the facing towards the garment, ensuring it lies flat and smooth. This step helps in setting the foundation for understitching.
Understitching Techniques
- Choose the Right Stitch: I select a straight stitch with a thread color that matches the facing for a discreet look.
- Sew Close to the Seamline: Starting about 1/8 inch from the seam, I sew along the facing edge without catching the garment fabric. This keeps the facing hidden inside.
- Use Smooth Stitches: I maintain even stitch length and tension to prevent puckering, ensuring the understitch is invisible and holds the facing securely.
- Finish Securely: At the end of the seam, I backstitch a few stitches to lock the thread in place, then trim any excess for a clean finish.
By following these steps, I achieve a well-stitched, professional-looking understitched facing that enhances the overall quality of my garments.
Achieving a Clean Finish
A flawless understitched facing elevates your garment’s professionalism. By avoiding common pitfalls and applying final touches, you ensure a sleek and durable finish.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Incorrect Stitch Length: Using a stitch length that’s too long can cause the facing to pucker. Opt for a shorter stitch length, around 2.5 mm, to maintain a smooth appearance.
- Misaligned Seams: Ensure that the seamlines of the facing and garment align perfectly. Misalignment can lead to uneven edges and an unprofessional look.
- Tension Issues: Improper thread tension may result in skipped stitches or puckering. Test your machine on scrap fabric and adjust the tension as needed before stitching.
- Inadequate Pressing: Failing to press the facing flat before understitching can create wrinkles. Always press the facing thoroughly to ensure it lies smooth against the garment.
- Skipping Backstitching: Not reinforcing the beginning and end of your stitches can cause the threads to unravel. Always backstitch for secure seams.
Final Touches
- Trim Excess Threads: After stitching, carefully trim any loose threads. This prevents them from catching on other parts of the garment and maintains a clean look.
- Press Again: Give the finished facing a final press. Use an appropriate heat setting for your fabric to set the stitches and remove any remaining wrinkles.
- Inspect the Seam: Check the understitched seam for consistency and smoothness. Ensure there are no gaps or puckers, and that the facing is securely attached.
- Remove Pins and Markings: Carefully remove all pins or clips used during the sewing process. Erase any visible fabric markings to reveal the pristine finish.
- Final Fit Check: Try on the garment or assess its fit to ensure the facing maintains the desired shape and structure. Make any minor adjustments if necessary for a perfect finish.
Conclusion
Mastering understitching can truly transform your sewing projects. It’s amazing how such a simple technique can elevate the look of your garments. I hope you feel confident to try understitching on your next project.
Remember, practice makes perfect and each stitch brings you closer to a professional finish. Happy sewing!
