Sustainable Sewing: 4 - Processing

If you want to enjoy your clothes for a long time, craftsmanship plays an important role. The better the craftsmanship, the longer it will last.

These sewing techniques will make your garment last longer – so you can enjoy it for a long time!

1: Ironing

Yes, ironing can be annoying. Especially when you're in the flow of sewing. BUT, ironing makes a huge difference:

Smooth fabric surface: Unironed fabric can contain wrinkles that make cutting and stitching inaccurate. Ironing beforehand creates a clean and smooth base for precise work.

Precise seams & better fit: If you carefully iron seam allowances, the fabric layers will lie perfectly flat. This facilitates further sewing (e.g., where seams cross) and ensures a professional finish. Ironing is especially helpful for achieving a beautiful fit with darts and shaping seams.

Perfect edges & details: When hemming, binding, and reinforcing fabrics, ironing helps create beautifully sharp edges. This makes all the difference, especially for collars, cuffs, and facings!

2: Internal processing

Good workmanship also shows on the inside! Finished edges ensure your clothes last longer.

Overlock instead of zigzag : An overlock ensures neatly finished edges. These finished edges will withstand many washes. If you don't have an overlock, try the overcasting stitch on your sewing machine.

With woven fabrics, it's often worth ironing the edges apart and then neatening them individually. This creates beautifully smooth seams (compared to fabric bulges).

With jersey, both edges can be finished together and the fabric sewn together in one step (e.g. with the 4-fold seam).

French seam : Perfect for elegant interior finishing without visible seam allowances – ideal for side seams! French seams are a great alternative for fine and thin fabrics.

3: Beautiful finishes for waistband, neckline & hem

The garment should last not only on the inside but also on the outside. And since the neckline and hem are the focal points, the entire garment looks more professional with neat workmanship.

• Neckline & armhole facings : Instead of visible seams, a facing provides a smooth finish. The facing can be secured visibly or invisibly from the outside, ensuring it always fits nicely and flat. Many of our patterns use facings, such as Cistaea and Talisia.
• Double-fold hem: This involves folding the fabric twice, eliminating any exposed edges—ideal for fabrics that fray easily. A double-fold hem is very durable and looks professional. Cistea and Talisia use this technique.
• Flat-felled seam : An extremely durable seam often used on jeans and shirts. It completely encloses the fabric edges and prevents fraying.
• Blindstitch hem : A nearly invisible hem sewn using a special technique. Perfect for skirts and delicate fabrics.
• Overlock hem : The overlock machine finishes the edge, ensuring a clean, flexible, and durable finish, especially with stretch fabrics. The hem is then folded inward and sewn in place.
• Hong Kong seam: This technique involves binding the seam allowances with bias binding, eliminating exposed fabric edges. This creates a particularly elegant and durable finish that looks just as beautiful inside as it does outside. It is often used for high-quality garments or custom-made items.
• Letter corner : Ideal for corners on hems, such as skirt slits or tablecloths – prevents fabric bulges and ensures precise workmanship.

Take the time to add these extras – your hand-sewn clothes will not only look professional and last a long time, but they will also be wonderful to wear!