French seams advice please

[PBear]

Hello there. I’m fairly inexperienced in sewing garments but have decided to take the plunge. I don’t have an overlocker and am trying to make a light kimono type jacket. The pattern advice says I can French seam so that’s what I’m going for. The seam allowance is 5/8 inch (1.5cm). The instructions say to sew seam  on right side 1/4 inch (6mm). That’s no problem but what seam allowance would I use when sewing the wrong side? 3/8 inch?  I need to insert the sleeves so I need to take all that into account!
Any advice please x

[Ouryve]

yes, it just needs to add up to the correct total with the edges fully enclosed.


I'm guessing by the style that the seams where the sleeves attach to the body are straight?

[Flobear]

Depends how fine the fabric is as to whether 3 eighths on the inside is too much. I would normally sew a generous quarter inch first, trim it down slightly so no threads poke out when I sew a quarter-inch and a smidge on the inside.

But, as Ouryve says, total needs to be 5 eighths if that's what the seam allowance is.

[PBear]

Thank you both! Will try later today and see what happens!

[HenriettaMaria]

Agree with other comments but do beware that if the sleeve holes are at all curved, you'll struggle to do a neat French seam.  I use FSs a lot but for armholes I go old-school: with right sides together sew on seam line; repeat just inside seam line (for strength); zig-zag at medium stitch length just inside second line of straight stitches; straight stitch along inner points of zigzag.  Trim any excess. 

The last two of these act as a kind of overlocking to prevent fraying.  I wore shirts done this way until the fabric was so thin you could spit peas through it but the shoulder seams never gave way!

[Flobear]

Good advice from HenriettaMaria. I wouldn't French seam an armhole.

[PBear]

Thanks for the advice - I’ll let you know how it goes!

[Missie]

Just to add my 2 pennorth, I'm going to go against the grain somewhat and say that you can do a french seam on an armhole, but it has to be teeny tiny and I am talking about half the standard seam, which if you have not done one before will be an impossibility!  TBH, unless the fabric is very fray-y, I would consider using another type of seam finish, as I like finishing to be consistent, especially where it is possible that the insides will be seen.  I would consider using a Hong Kong/bound seam finish.

But good luck and do let us know what you choose to do.

[Catllar]

I agree with @Missie  , I often (always) french seam armholes on my flamenco dresses and tops - very narrow and with a shorter stitch. Try several samples and see what suits your sewing methods best.

[Iminei]

Who will see the armholes???

The side seams  ... absolutely, French Seam away !

[Ohsewsimple]

@Iminei  but dressmakers like the insides to look decent if not as good as the outside!

[BrendaP]

When my girls were small and I made them dresses I often did a mock french seam for the armholes.  Right sides together and stitch on the normal seam line, then from the WS push the edges of the fabric together and hand oversew to neaten.  If the curve was very tight the seam allowance could be trimmed  a littel before doing the oversewing, but a lot of those little dresses had lined yokes so it was only a couple of inches between at the bottom of the armholes that needed that treatment.