Made by a Fabricista: All about the seams.

Did you think I was done with chartreuse? Well...I'm not! I decided to add another level of gray and chartreuse to the suit I made back in December (see here).

As soon as I saw this wool and cashmere double faced coating by Michael Kors I knew I had to have it. It was offered in several color combos, but quite a few are sold out. Check out the available colors and all the other amazing coating fabrics here. When it arrived I was blown away, not just by the colors (which I already knew I loved), but by the softness of the brushed finish. It's divine!

Since this wool is double faced I knew I had to make something that would show both sides. I initially thought of a belted cape, like McCalls 6209, but ultimately decided on Butterick 6244. Not only does the waterfall collar show both sides, but thanks to the flat felled seams it is also reversible.

It you haven't sewn flat felled seams it's surprisingly simple, if a bit time consuming. I will note that it is a bit trickier on heavier materials (like this wool). Start by sewing your seam as usual then follow the steps below.

Trim one side of the seam allowance to 1/4"
Fold the longer seam allowance over the trimmed side to the seam stitching
Fold over encasing the trimmed seam allowance
Edgestitch the seam
Finished flat seam

The only seam in this pattern that doesn't call for flat felled seams is the armsyce. Here (as well as the underarm seam simply because I couldn't figure out how to do a flat felled seam there) I opted for a french seams. A French seam is also rather simple, though they might take a tad bit of thinking ahead. For French seams you start by sewing the wrong sides together. This feels weird and I had to think twice on this project as the fabric is double faced. See the steps below.

Sew wrong sides together with a little less than have the called for seam allowance (here about 1/4" due to the 5/8" seam). Press the seam
Flip the seam so that the right sides are together.
Pin and sew the seam with a slightly larger that half of the seam allowance 3/8" (or just enough to encase the raw edges from the other side.)
Now there is a clean seam on the right side and a encased seam on the wrong side.

*Optional: You could edgestitch this seam and it would look similar to the flat felled.

I find the French seam easier to sew as it eliminates the cutting step, but both have their uses. Are you meticulous about your inside finishings? What's your favorite seam finish?

See you next month!

Tiffany
TipStitched.com

Made By A Fabricista: Did someone say FREE??? All about Free Sewing Patterns

Hi sewing friends! I am SEW excited to share this blog post with you today! This is my fifth post with Fabric Mart since I did a guest post late last year and then joined the blogging team in 2024 but I would say this is the post that 1) I worked the hardest to create, and 2) the one that has me the most excited! Today I am going to talk about FREE sewing patterns, showcase a few free patterns I’ve sewn, and then share some very exciting news at the end of this post about an upcoming! First, let’s talk about free patterns – where they come from, why they exist, and how you can find them. But first, here’s a recent free pattern I sewed. This is the Finn Crop Tee from Petite Stitchery . I used an ITY (Interlock Twist Yarn) for this one and I was able to squeeze it out a yard of a fabric. ITY is one of my favorite fabrics to dress up a t-shirt and it wears well across all seasons. And Fabric Mart gets the most AMAZING designer deadstock designs you will ever see! Petite Stitchery offers

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Fall is here, and I have been in a coat/cape mood lately! I have a few that I plan to make, however, this pattern was not in the plans. It was in my stash, but it wasn’t on my “must make” list. I wanted to make a coordinating set but I thought it might be a little too much with this print. Now, I absolutely love animal prints, don’t get me wrong. I am a sucker for them! When I saw this jacquard double knit I had to have it. Instead, I decided to make an easy, comfortable cape that I can wear casually or dressed up. This pattern and fabric were perfect! The pattern I chose to make is McCall’s 8029. This cape has three designs that you can choose from. I chose to make view C. View C has a hood. All three views have a neck and front facing and a belt/tie. Now, if you are wanting to make a cape but would like something on the easy side, this is your cape! I didn’t realize just how easy this was prior to getting started. This cape has minimal sewing. It doesn’t even require a hem. Which, w

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