[with love Heidi]

A basic wide zigzag works just as well for finishing seams. I used it for years before I had a serger 🙂

[Anonymous]

Me too, Heidi. I also used the faux overlock stitch on some things, but I’m not a patient person and zig zag goes so much more quickly 😉 Never had any trouble with any of my seams raveling either way. French seams are nice, but can be quite time consuming and bulky for some things. I mostly like them for pillowcases and simple dresses like the pop-over – especially if I’m using linen for very thin, light fabric.

[EllenMCM]

The dress is almost done! Which is a good thing, because there’s a violin recital on Saturday. In the end, I ran a second line of stitching along the seam allowances and then pinked them. It’s not as smooth as I like on the inside, but it’s pretty nice.

I just have to attach buttons. And cut open the buttonholes. I’m terrified that I’ll ruin the whole thing on the last step – next time I’ll cut them before I sew the rest of the dress.

[Nicole]

I am so excited for you!

I always put a pin across the end of my button holes, just to make sure I don’t go through.

Yup, I have done that….

I have a photo here http://www.pinterest.com/pin/73676143876066934/

[cybele727]

Loving that you all are as obsessed with the insides as the outsides like me.

I finish using a triple stitch zig-zag, although I think it actually makes 4 stitches 2 for the zig and 2 for the zag! I was using the zig zag, with the point hitting the edge. It was causing the seams to bunch and curl. While they wouldn’t fray, they didn’t lie flat or look nice. I brought in a dress to find buttons at my local shop. The proprietor, of course, had to inspect the dress. (Don’t you just hate it when they do that… I feel like I am suddenly the world’s worst sewist.) She noticed the seam finishing and said, “next time, try the triple stitch zig zag. Catch the edge like you do to keep it bound, but the triple stitch will keep it flat.”

Stitch #8 on my Janome Magnolia has now been cast aside for stitch #9! That triple stitch zig zag is the real deal. What it does is break up the zig zag into several stitches instead of zig out, zag in.

[EllenMCM]

It’s done! I will try to post pics of both the outside and the guts tomorrow.

[Nicole]

I am looking forward to it Ellen.

[Sarvi]

Ooh, I’m intrigued to try that triple zig zag — sometimes I feel like the overlocker is a little too thready, if you know what I mean, especially on very fine fabrics.