prj001-GMT-10-08

Seams Inside Out Bag Created by Jo Leichte

The techniques you need to know to get started

sewing, all in one project! Simple seams and
finishes, edgestitching and topstitching, plus zipper,
button and buttonhole. Keep this little bag as a
handy reference for sewing tips and techniques.

Supplies
• One 9” x 15” rectangle, woven print
• Nine 2” x 9” strips, woven, assorted prints
• Two 2” x 9” strips, knit
• Two 2” x 9” strips, sheer
• Two 6” x 6” squares, woven, assorted prints
• One 9” x 15” rectangle, fusible knit interfacing
• One nylon coil zipper, 14” or longer
• One button, ½” to 1” diameter
• Mettler Metrosene polyester thread

Before You Begin...

Follow the instructions in your sewing machine man-
ual to wind a bobbin and thread your machine.

Seams Inside Out Panel ⅝” Seam with Overcast Edges

⅝” Seam
• Attach an all-purpose foot—Reverse Pattern Foot
#1/1C, Clear Foot #34/34C—to your machine.
• Locate the ⅝” mark on your stitch plate.
• Attach and set seam guide at ⅝”.
• Place two woven strips right sides together,
aligning long edges.
• Stitch, guiding raw edges along ⅝” mark.
• Press seam allowances open.
• Stitch another pair of woven strips together as
above.
• Locate and select the vari-overlock stitch on your
machine.
• Attach Overlock Foot #2/2A.
• One at a time, stitch along each raw edge, aligning
cut edge with pin in sole of foot.
This seam still needs pressing, but won’t fray.

This is a typical garment seam, but frequently needs

to be pressed open again after laundering, and the
raw edges tend to fray.

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Trimmed, Overcast, and Topstitched
• Stitch another pair of woven strips together as di-
rected above.
• Do not press seam allowances open.
• Trim seam allowances to ¼”.
• Overlock both seam allowances together.
This seam never needs pressing, and won’t fray.
Patchwork (¼”) Seam
• Attach a quarter inch foot—Patchwork Foot #37,
Patchwork Foot with Guide #57—to your machine.
• Locate the ¼” mark on your stitch plate. Notice
that it is even with the edge of the foot.
• Place two woven strips right sides together.
• Stitch strips together, aligning raw edges with the
edge of the foot and the ¼” mark on the stitch
plate.
Patchwork (quilt piecing) is typically stitched with ¼”
seam allowances.
Enclosed (French) Seam
• Attach a quarter inch foot—Patchwork Foot #37,
Patchwork Foot with Guide #57—to your machine.
• Place two sheer strips wrong sides together.
• Stitch strips together using a ¼” seam allowance.
• Trim seam allowances to ⅛”.
• Fold right sides together along seamline.
• Stitch using a ¼” seam allowance.
The raw edges are enclosed in the seam; no press-
ing, no fraying, no raw edges.
Stretch (Knit) Seam—Option 1: Zigzag
• Attach an all-purpose foot to your machine.
• Place two knit strips right sides together.
• Stitch strips together using a ⅜” seam allowance.
Produces a stretchy, narrow seam for knits; also
good for knit hems.
Stretch (Knit) Seam—Option 2: Overlock
• Attach Overlock Foot #2/2A to your machine.
• Place two knit strips right sides together.
• Stitch strips together, aligning edges with pin in
sole of foot.
Seams & overcasts in one step! Stretchy, narrow
seam for knits.
Seams Inside Out Panel
• Place two seam samples wrong sides together.
• Stitch together with 5/8” seam allowance.
• Trim seam allowances to 1/4”.
• Overlock edges.
• Press.
• Trim panel, “squaring” corners and sides.
Seam samples will be displayed on outside of fin-
ished bag.
Pocket Panel
Pocket Prep
• Place two 6” squares right sides
together.
• Cut a quarter circle from one
corner.
Pocket Seam
If your machine has a Needle Stop Up/Down fea-
ture, you’ll want to use it when stitching curves. This
might be a button on the front of the machine that
moves the needle up and down, or the heel and toe
of your foot control. Some machines have a Needle
Stop Up/Down function that causes the needle to
always stop in the down position when engaged.
This leaves your hands free to position the fabric.
If your machine has a Free Hand
System for raising and lowering
the presser foot, you’ll find it very
helpful when stitching curves and
angles. Use the knee lever to
raise & lower the presser foot,
keeping your hands free to hold
the fabric.
• Set machine for ⅝” seam.
• Align beginning of curve with seam guide.
• Stitch about ¾”.
• Sink needle into fabric.
• Raise presser foot.
• Pivot fabric slightly.
• Lower presser foot.
• Repeat, keeping the edge of the curve closest to
the needle at the ⅝” mark.
A circle is just lots of short straight lines joined to-
gether.
Grading Understitching secures seam allowances to lining,
• Trim one seam allowance to ⅜”. preventing seam from rolling to outside.
• Trim the other to ¼”.

Grading reduces the bulk of fabric close to the

seam.

Button
• Attach Button Sew-On Foot #18 to machine.
• Select button sew-on program. If unavailable,
select universal stitch and set stitch length = 0mm,
stitch width = distance between holes in button.
• Place button on pocket, just below center of curve.
Clipping • If needed, use a small piece of Wonder Tape or a
• Clip through seam allowances about every 3/4”, dab of glue stick to hold but-
cutting all the way to—but not through!—the stitch- ton in place.
ing. • Position under foot, with
holes in button between the
Clips allow the toes of the foot, with the bar
seam allow- between them.
ances to ex- • Turn handwheel to sew a
pand and lie few stitches, checking to see
flat. Notches that the needle falls in the
(Vs cut into button holes on the left and
seam allow- right swings.
ances), like • Continue stitching; button
grading, elimi- sew-on program stops auto-
nate extra fab- matically.
ric from bulky
seamlines. Stitching buttons by machine is much faster than
attaching them by hand!
Understitching
• Attach Edgestitch Foot #10/10C to
machine. Finish & Attach Pocket
• Select straight stitch. • Overcast one short and one long edge of pocket.
• Open fabric and place under foot. • Turn ½” to right side at short ends; pin.
• Align guide with the well of the • Position pocket about 1½” from top edge; pin.
foot, both seam allowances on the
same side. To hold securely, pins
• Adjust needle position over seam must go through all lay-
allowances. ers, front to back, then
• Stitch about ½” at a back to front again. For
time, holding seam extra security on fine or
open. slippery fabric, weave pin
• Stop frequently to through layers 2-3 times.
pull seam open and
reposition fabric.
• Turn right side out.
• Stitch long Complete Bag
edges in place Zipper
using an all- • Attach Zipper Foot #4 or
purpose or Zipper Foot with Guide #14
quarter inch to machine.
foot, using edge • Select straight stitch.
of foot as guide. • Move needle all the way to
• Pivot at corner the left.
by sinking nee- • Place right side of zipper
dle, raising the presser foot, rotating fabric 90°, tape to right side of pocket
and lowering foot. panel.
• Position under foot, aligning
• Edgestitch short ends of right edge of foot with edge
pocket using Edgestitch Foot of tape.
#10/10C, adjusting needle • Slide guide into position over
position about ⅛” from fold. teeth/coil.
• Stitch.
Are some of the edges already
fraying? They’ll be a reminder to Before stitching second side of zip-
finish edges so your projects per, make sure the sides will meet:
don’t fall apart!
• Close zipper.
Buttonhole Tab • Align sides of front and back pan-
• Fold fabric strip in half. els.
• Seam both long sides • Pin remaining zipper tape to
using a ¼” seam allow- top of seamed panel.
ance. • Unzip zipper.
• Turn tab right side out;
press. • Move needle all the way to
the right.
• Align left edge of zipper tape
• Attach Buttonhole Foot #3 or with left edge of foot.
Automatic Buttonhole Foot • Slide guide into position over
#3A to your machine. teeth/coil.
• Select a buttonhole. • Stitch.
• Center the tab over the stitch • Close zipper.
place, between the ⅞” mark-
ings to the left and right of the Always move needle all the way to the left or right of
needle. the foot. If needle is left in the center positions, it will
• Align end of tab with line at strike the foot when stitching begins, and break.
back of stitch plate.
• Stitch buttonhole, following instructions in your Attach Tab
sewing machine manual. • Button tab to pocket.
• Cut buttonhole open using a buttonhole cutter and • Fold under end of
block. tab; pin in place.
• Mark the foldline.
• Edgestitch tab, pivoting
at corners.

Set tab aside; you’ll attach

it above pocket after in-
serting the zipper.
• Unfold tab. • Reinforce stitching at zipper
• Stitch along foldline using ends using a wide zigzag with a
a straight stitch and an stitch length of 0mm.
all-purpose or quarter
inch foot.

• Trim excess fabric to

a scant ¼”. • Turn bag right side out through zipper opening.
• Fold tab over seam
allowance.
• Topstitch in place
using edge of foot as
a guide.

The raw edge of the tab seam allowance is enclosed

inside topstitching.

Seams
• Fold bag right sides
together.
• Seam lower edge of
bag using a straight
stitch and an all-
purpose or quarter
inch foot, using edge
of foot as guide.

• Fold bag so zipper

is about ½” from top
edge.
• Pin sides of bag.
• Open zipper about
halfway.
• Pin ends of zipper
tape in place, coils
almost touching.

• Seam both sides,

sewing slowly
through zipper coils.