My garments fit, look good, but there is ’something’ that just isn’t there in the fine finish area.

I have a couple ideas, one you’re working on already if you posted here. By way of explanation, I can definitively say that I’ve picked out a traditional homesewing zipper insertion from 30 feet away. DH and were at a Renaissance Fair and I saw it in a horrid (hard to sew, let’s be fair) cheap bridal satin backed gown so we paced off the distance. Typically tho, it’s very obvious at 10 feet. So, using a better insertion method is a solution.

Generally, it’s not hard for me to pick out these garments and it’s exactly due to what you said, namely finishing. Or rather, detractors from a finished look. I think 95% of these would be solved by using more and or better interfacing. Homesewers don’t use it nearly enough imo. I don’t think they realize you can use more than one kind in a garment either. They latch onto one weight for their project and think it’s good for the main function but it’s overkill to put it elsewhere -being too heavy comparatively. One example, it’s not overkill to use it on your zipper insertions. Just use something really light.

How to apply interfacing: Much may not apply but read the comments too. There’s bound to be something useful.
Interfacing, 10 tips.

Check out these posts:
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/the-7-minute-cutting-test/
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/the-7-minute-cutting-test-pt-2/

By adding the line width to your pattern you are changing its
shape, not just its size.

Let’s say you want to draft yourself a fez. You measure your head
circumference: 22″.

Top of the fez
For the crown, you need a circle of 7″ (your head) + 1 1/4″ (seam
allowance) = 8 1/4″ diameter. You get out a compass and draw a circle
on manila folder paper, then cut out the circle outside the line. Your
pattern is now a circle of 8 3/8″ diameter. You trace the circle onto
fabric with tailor’s chalk and cut it outside the lines. Your circle
is now 8 5/8″ diameter. If you sew it with a 5/8″ seam allowance the
crown of your hat will be 23 3/16″ in circumference.

Sides

For the sides you need a rectangle 22″ (head circumference) + 1 1/4″
(seam allowances) = 23 1/4″ long. You draw it on manila cardstock and
cut it out, leaving the pencil lines. You trace the pattern onto your
fabric with tailor’s chalk and cut out the rectangle, which is now 23
5/8″ long. If you sew the ends together with a 5/8″ seam allowance you
end up with a 22 3/8″ loop.

It no longer matches the top of the crown, which is almost an inch
longer at 23 3/16″. You can’t sew them together any more! That is, not
unless you use 13/16″ seam allowances, which are much harder to sew
than the 3/8″ allowances used in industry. If you were going to make
them the right size anyway, you might as well have just cut away the
lines and used a standard seam allowance.

If you want to be able to sew different shapes together, adding to the
seam allowance will always distort.

*** *** ***

In industry, you aren’t going to adjust the size of the garment after
it’s made. There is no need for forgiveness in seam allowances. The
pattern has been engineered, it works, you use it.

When making one-offs you may need to adjust a garment. If you think
you’re going to need to do this, start by cutting the pattern to the
larger size and sew it with standard seam allowances. If you need to
take it in, you can – much easier than letting out and it won’t damage
the fabric. For something like a collar and neckline though, where you
are sewing curves together and you won’t be taking the finished piece
in anyway, cut the pieces exactly. That means cutting away all
the lines.

Does this help?

Marking and Cutting

The 7 minute cutting test

The 7 minute cutting test pt.2

As a beginning sewer in my teens, I learned that if I want to do a proper finish on seams and such, I had to use one of Grandma’s favorites — hand overcast, or turned under and hand stitched. My grandmother, insisted I add on at least one full seam allowance, or even a full inch, everywhere possible to make sure the fitting comes out well and the seams can be finished elegantly. You can always trim, but never add on.

So, if I am just chugging a garment through the serger for quick edge finish, I can see cutting inside the lines. Except, that is, where I might need a bit extra due to ‘unanticipated fabric performance issues,” also known as too many chocolate chip cookies for a princess seamed dress, fitted within a millimeter of whatever. (You can laugh at my addiction. I can and do often.) Am I wrong?

I’ve also used the patterns and techniques for zipper insertion, and thanks for the templates Kathleen, they are wonderful.

And, where possible, I try to avoid facings or modify the whole area to make them less likely to spill out of garments. I’d rather use some sort of underlining, backing, a half lining or full lining to eliminate the need for a facing, except on my 2-2-2 dresses –that is $2 for pattern, $2 fabric total cost, and 2 hours construction–always cotton, always for summer, and never anything truly good enough to even show my Grandma, if she were still with us.

Am I totally nuts? Wrong? An idiot?

My garments fit, look good, but there is ’something’ that just isn’t there in the fine finish area.

It’s not easy being a lawyer by day, and making my own suits, dresses and blouses by night. I do it because commercial garment construction is too often absolutely awful. I just can’t get my wallet open and pay any price for the up-market junk that falls apart due to shoddy construction methods. The affordable items showcased in stores are supposed to convince me I should part with a few hundred for the privilege of wearing the ill fitting and poorly made. Face it, my Scottish Grandmother spoiled me rotten.

She also never made me color inside the lines either, but that’s a matter for Uncle Sigmund (Freud)?

So, for me as a non-commercial sewist, should I go with the inside the lines cutting, or stick to my slightly wasteful cutting wider seam allowances? And, though I am not a professional, I do also sew for friends from time to time. I want those garments to look and feel professional. I work hard at that too, which is why I like this site so much.