If I’m sewing little tabs, flaps, or anything else with a little curved seam, there are a few little tips that can help them look much more polished and neat.
Want to see? You can either watch my video below, or scroll on past it and I’ll share those tips with you step by step with photos.
Stitching The Seam
If I want a really crisp curve and to really hold a structured shape, like on a bag flap, or a tab to hang something by, then I like to add a bit of iron-on stabiliser first.
Approaching the curve, I set my sewing machine to a simple straight stitch and stitched the seam as usual. When I get to the start of the curve, I like to shorten the stitch length just a little. Longer stitches on small curves can sometimes make curves look a bit angular or jaggedy, whereas smaller stitches follow the shape more smoothly and give a softer, more rounded finish. Then, when I’m clear again, I just go back to the normal stitch length for the rest of the seam.
Snipping the Curve
Once the seam is sewn, I like to go right around the curved edge, making small snips into the seam allowance.
I like to space them fairly evenly and always stop just short of the stitching line. So it should look like this.
When the fabric is turned right side out again, those little snips let the fabric move and spread and overlap each other. Like this.
This lets the fabric lie much flatter than if it were to just bunch up inside the curve. If I’m working on a really tight curve or thick fabrics, I might also trim a little of the seam allowance before making the snips as well. That way, there’s less fabric to try to fit inside the curve.
Pressing and Finishing
A quick press with a hot iron is really helpful in helping the curve to lie neatly in place, and makes top stitching much easier to get perfect. I like to add a quick top stitch after, all around the edge, because it keeps the layers from shifting or puffing out in the middle.
Then it’s done – a smooth, neat curve that sits just where it should, and all ready to be attached to your awesome sewing project.
